WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners are assuring their department heads the county likely will be able to end the year without laying people off, but the county’s budget will be very tight.

However, during Wednesday’s regular commissioners meeting, Trumbull County Auditor Martha Yoder said if the county does not adjust the amount being provided to her department, she would have to lay off her entire department by Oct. 1.

Yoder said she needs $193,277.78 to keep the auditor’s office open and continue both the mandated services it provides as well as the support it provides for other mandated countywide services.

When the county was preparing its budget, Yoder projected layoffs when county leaders projected providing a $3 million budget. When the final budget was provided, the county increased the amount to $3.4 million.

The extra $400,000 provided by the county and the fact the office had three resignations allowed Yoder to delay the projected layoffs. However, she added, delaying the layoffs would force her to lay off more employees than originally projected, she said during the meeting.

Trumbull County Recorder Dawn Zinni noted she originally requested $1,245,000 for her budget.

“We were awarded $1.1 million,” she said. “I am short about $123,000 in payroll.”

She had a 30-year employee retire and brought in someone new, she said. Zinni has implemented a $5 surcharge that, so far, has brought in $38,635.

Commissioner Denny Malloy questioned the amount of overtime the county’s maintenance department has been charging through the first half of the year. Malloy said the county previously implemented a rule that overtime must be approved before implemented.

Human Resources Director Alexandra DeVengencie-Bush said maintenance is a 24 / 7 operation that must respond to the needs of county departments and all county buildings. She noted the amount of overtime has been reduced under the current leadership.

Both commissioners Rick Hernandez and Tony Bernard said, based on estimates they’ve reviewed, layoffs are not likely to take place this year.

However, Bernard expressed concern about rising utility costs throwing off budget projections.

While stressing that county departments must be vigilant in keeping spending down, Malloy said if sales taxes keep coming in as they have in the first six months of the year, the county could end the year with a small carryover. However, he said if sales tax revenues decline, they would have a problem.

“Even if sales tax revenues remain the same, we should be OK,” he noted.

Hernandez said the county could use some of its reserve funds, but the commissioners do not want to use these funds unless it is necessary.