DULUTH, Ga. — The recession may be officially over but a continuing slumping economy is forcing the Georgia Baptist Convention (GBC) to trim its 2011 budget by $1,025,000 and once again reduce staffing levels. The downsizing at the GBC Missions and Ministry Center continues the reductions first set in place nearly two years ago when the effects of the recession began to be felt.
The first round of staff cuts occurred in February 2009, when 13 positions were eliminated, followed by another 14 last November. Reductions in October 2010 resulted in 12 positions being eliminated as the state convention works to bring expenses in line with income levels. Staff positions eliminated during the nearly two-year period now stand at 39, placing the headcount at the GBC headquarters building in Duluth at a record low 103. That is down from a high of 163 employees in 2008 before the recession hit, said Mike Williams, assistant executive director and vice president of operations.
Some parts of the state are harder hit than others. Northwest Georgia, for example, is reporting that unemployment increased to 10.7 percent in August while the metro Dalton area is trending at 12 percent. September’s state figures are the 35th consecutive month that Georgia has reported a higher unemployment rate than the nation as a whole. In addition to the 12 positions removed from the GBC headcount this fall, another 10 staff may take early retirement before the end of the year as the convention reduces post-retirement medical benefits and GuideStone Financial Resources cuts annuity funding rates nearly in half to 3.75 percent.
(TAB)
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