Retirements Could Affect Snow Removal

Kansas Department of Transportation
officials say the loss of 152 employees to early retirement could
make it more difficult to battle large snowstorms this winter.
The department lost the second-highest number of employees to
the retirement program. It has received permission to fill about 36
positions, and will consider using temporary employees.
Jerry Younger, deputy transportation secretary, says that it
might be difficult to find enough drivers for snowplows if a
blizzard strikes a big area of Kansas. He says basic highway
maintenance also has been affected by the employee losses.
The Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services lost the
most employees, when 344 agency people took early retirement. SRS
Secretary Robert Siedlecki said his agency’s work will not suffer
because of the retirements.