Osceola Tourism Bureau in Kissimmee Experiencing Layoffs
Tags: No Tags.The Osceola Tourism bureau is undergoing significant internal changes, eliminating almost 20 of 59 positions and tightening up budgets for operations through 2008. The cut is largely due to increased expenses for projects that were not budgeted appropriately, and the Tourist Development Council announced that its advertising budget would undergo the most serious changes.
A few strategies to overcome ongoing expenses are to complete most of the advertising, marketing, and strategic planning initiatives in-house and cut clerical positions as needed. A total of $4 million will be cut when the budgeting process is finished.
Layoffs are sad but understandable if budgets aren’t there. How they did it lacked any humanity and whoever decided how to do it should receive the exact treatment.
Everyone knew layoffs were coming. They were called to a company-wide meeting. Those who were being let go were named and asked to stay, while the rest were asked to go back to work and presumably happy about it. Security was in the room. Those let go had to leave immediately. At least one of those had been an employee for over 20 years. There were a few single moms in the bunch. Can you imagine their fear, compounded by this humiliation?
If the attorney general can’t get away with this kind of behavior, a county manager sure shouldn’t be able to either.