Nine WSRC staffers to get layoff notices

<span>Two days before the start of the Amateur Trapshooting Association's Grand American, one of the organization's marquee events, nine Illinois Department of Natural Resources employees at that the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta were notified they were to be laid off effective Sept. 30.</span>

<span>The layoffs are part of 171 announced by Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration. The first-year governor has previously threatened to "suspend operations" at the complex effective Sept. 1 if no state budget is in place.</span>

<span>In a statement emailed to the Herald Tribune, State Rep. Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton) - who has been actively fighting to keep the WSRC open - said he delivered more than 10,000 signatures to Rauner on Wednesday, along with an invitation to join him at the Grand American.</span>

<span>"The layoff notifications given to nine IDNR employees at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex are only the beginning of the economic fallout that would occur if the complex were to close," Costello said. "Small businesses throughout Southern Illinois would suffer and some that rely on tourism money brought in through events held at the complex may even shut their doors permanently."</span>

<span>Also affected by the layoffs include 33 conservation police officers, 54 Illinois State Museum staffers and four employees in the state's coal promotion office. Ninety-four of the layoffs are members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union.</span>

<span>"Most of these layoffs stem from Governor Rauner's rush to shutter the Illinois State Museum sites, destroying a vital resource for learning and the preservation of cultural heritage and putting professional museum curators, librarians and support staff in the unemployment lines," AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said in a prepared statement.</span>

<span>AFSCME's release said the notices all cited a lack of funds as reason for the layoffs.</span>

<span>"Instead of holding hostage the public services Illinois residents rely on and eliminating jobs of public service workers who provide them, the governor should drop his extreme political agenda that would hurt the middle class and work with legislators to pass a budget that prevents these cuts," Lynch said.</span>

<span>In a separate email, IDNR Communications Director Chris Young said his agency notified public employee unions on Monday of the agency's intent to lay off a total of 107 employees.</span>

<span>"Affected employees may not have received their individual notices, yet," Young said. "Once all notifications have been made, I can provide a breakdown of IDNR divisions affected."</span>

<span>The ATA's Grand American runs through Aug. 15. Opening Ceremonies are scheduled for Aug. 10 at the grandstands.</span>

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