EAGLE RIVER - Earlier this year the Vilas County board rejected a proposed voluntary staff reduction.

That meant more than 10 employees would have to be cut.

But with those cuts getting closer, the board back-tracked.

Now it will let staff members take a voluntary reduction afterall.

County Board Chairman Steve Favorite says people realized how much layoffs cost.

"We do have a severance package," Favorite said.

"Then we're also self-funded through unemployment. So when they saw at the budget hearings how much it cost to layoff people, they were in a sense a little shell-shocked. I think that got a little more buy-in when this voluntary reduction in force came back."

Vilas County now has two options to save money -- through voluntary reductions and layoffs.

Favorite says they worked with all department heads to find savings but the voluntary reduction is county-wide.

"It's available for all employees," Favorite said.

"People who have been here one year, to as long as 30 plus years. It's a calculated payment benefit based on your years of service and your annual earnings."

Employees who want to take the voluntary reduction have until early January to decide.

The County Board will hold another meeting Tuesday at 9:00 am to finalize the 2013 budget.

Story By: Matt Doyle