9 state workers to be laid off

Secretary of State Mark Martin plans to lay off nine employees on the night maintenance staff, effective June 30, and contract with 21st Century Janitorial Service Inc. of Little Rock to perform these duties in the state Capitol in the fiscal year starting July 1, a spokesman for Martin's office said this week.

The nine employees were given a layoff notice Friday night and another employee resigned her position before that notice, Martin spokesman Chris Powell said.

"As we have been making budget reductions all across the secretary of state's office, this, too, was a cost-saving decision," Powell said. Contracting out the night janitorial services is estimated to save the office about $100,000 a year, he said.

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The nine employees on the night maintenance staff who will be laid off are paid from $26,000 to $28,860 a year, and the employee who resigned makes $28,860 a year, according to information provided by Powell. The secretary of state's office has 161 full-time positions, with 146 of them filled. After the staff reduction, the office will have 137 full-time positions filled, he said.

Under its agreement with the secretary of state's office, 21st Century Janitorial Service will be paid $20,928 per month in fiscal 2018, according to a copy of the agreement. The fiscal year starts July 1 and ends June 30, 2018.

"We looked at several companies. 21st Century met the criteria we were looking for and also was the lowest priced," Powell said in an email.

Metro on 05/18/2017

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