Frederick County will eliminate a government department and reorganize another as part of a plan to save $360,000 that also includes the exodus of two top directors.

The Board of County Commissioners announced the elimination Wednesday of the county’s Management Services Division, including the resignation of its director, Austin Abraham.

Abraham served as the director of the Management Services Division since Sept. 2001.

His resignation was followed today by the reorganization of the county’s Office of Economic Development and the resignation of its director, Laurie Boyer, who has held that role since 2007. She also served as the deputy director for five years.

Commissioners’ President Blaine R. Young (R) said the changes are intended to help the government operate more efficiently and save taxpayer dollars.

As commissioners begin to look at the proposed $443-million fiscal 2013 budget, the board wants the county to be in the best financial position, he said.

Since the all-Republican board took office in 2010, they have cut costs by $10 million, through other department reorganizations and employee layoffs. Commissioners have reduced the county workforce from 2,500 employees to 2,130.

Young said only Abraham and Boyer lost their jobs in the latest round of reorganizations.

Abraham was unable to be reached for comment. Boyer did not return phone calls.

“No one has to worry about layoffs,” he said. “This is strictly management [layoffs]. We were looking at the directors and how they operate. This board is looking at the management teams. We’re looking at the chiefs and not the Indians. We’re looking at directors. There were no other layoffs and there will be no other layoffs.”

The 100 employees in Abraham’s department, which was eliminated, will transfer to other divisions.

Abraham’s employees handled the maintenance of county vehicles, buildings and energy conservation programs. Those duties will now be taken over by other departments.

“At one time we needed this department,” Young said. “It’s not needed now. It may be needed at another time, but not now. The [duties] have now been split up among the various departments.”

The county’s Division of Public Works will take over the maintenance of vehicles, and the county manager’s office will oversee all building security.

Abraham earned an annual salary of $122,000. But with salaries and benefits, his pay reached close to $160,000, Young said.

The Economic Development department includes three full-time employees and one part-time employee. Boyer made an annual salary of $119,714, which did not include benefits.

The Office of Economic Development has been renamed the Business Development and Retention Division.

Young said the name change reflects the board’s pro-business, pro-employment philosophy. They want to help businesses operate more efficiently, by streamlining government regulations and policies, he said.

Young said Boyer resigned as part of changes to the division.

“We felt we needed to go in a different direction,” he said. “We thank her for her service.”

Commissioners also plan in March to eliminate the position of business development-retention administrator, Ron Tobin. Tobin, who has worked at the county for one year, helped navigate county requirements and regulations.

A new director, who has not been hired, will handle that job.

Boyer’s resignation and the elimination of Tobin’s position will save the county $200,000, Young said. Along with the savings from Abraham’s salary, the county will save $360,000 through the reorganization.

The latest changes in county government follow a slew of cost-saving measures by the board.

Commissioners voted one year ago, to cut the county’s share — $2.3 million — of the $4.4-million federal Head Start program. It was the first cut of many commissioners were forced to make to eliminate an $11.8-million deficit in the $448-million fiscal 2012 operating budget, which ends June 30.

Previously, the county has eliminated 311 employees and reorganized the county’s Division of Fire and Rescue, Community Development, Interagency Information Technology, County Manager’s Office and GIS Service in an effort to cut about $10 million from government expenses.

sgreenfield@gazette.net