Media contact:
Nicole Dailey Jones, (216) 263-4602; ndjones@cuyahogacounty.us
John Kohlstrand, (216) 698-2099; jkohlstrand@cuyahogacounty.us 

CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald today announced sweeping changes in the leadership of county government. 

“The people have asked for new leadership in Cuyahoga County,” said FitzGerald.  “The public should be assured that we are moving in a new direction in county government.”

Cuyahoga County Engineer Robert Klaiber, Jr., Cuyahoga County Coroner Frank Miller, Cuyahoga County Department of Senior and Adult Services Director Susan Axelrod and Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services Director Deborah Forkas will all be replaced, he said. 

“Part of reorganizing county government means that there will be staff changes,” explained FitzGerald. “Transition plans are in place for each of the departments that are affected.” 

In addition, FitzGerald announced the layoffs of four members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  FitzGerald had asked all county staff, including unions, to take furlough days in order to assist in the balancing of the 2011 county budget.  FitzGerald himself also took furlough days to set an example.  The SEIU voted not to take furlough days which resulted in four employees under that bargaining unit being laid off to make up for the equivalent of what the furlough days would have saved the county monetarily. 

“During these tough economic times, we must make decisions based in the spirit of shared sacrifice,” said FitzGerald.