ATLANTA (ABP) — Deep staff cuts announced in January will help reduce the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's budget shortfall in the 2010-2011 fiscal year by more than $1.1 million, officials said in response to questions by Associated Baptist Press.
The loss of 16 jobs — mostly support staff positions spread across various ministry areas in the Fellowship's Atlanta staff — reduced personnel expenses by $383,639 for the remainder of the budget year, said Lance Wallace, director of communications. Combined with $748,300 in program cuts, Wallace said total savings for the fiscal year are $1.13 million.
Seven of the jobs were in Global Missions, two in Congregational Formation, three in Leadership Development, one in Fellowship Advancement and three in Administration. Some of the jobs were already vacant, Wallace said, and the 16 jobs — one fourth of the Atlanta staff — include one that was reclassified and two that were shifted to contract positions.
All of the cuts were effective at the end of January, except for a Korean Initiative Consultant/Assistant Specialist job that ends in May.
Wallace said each affected employee was offered "an equitable severance package."
Fellowship leaders are in the process of developing a budget for 2011-2012 anticipating revenues of $12.3 million. That is 15 percent less than the current budget of $14.5 million, making even deeper staff cuts inevitable, CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal told Coordinating Council members in February.
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Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.
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