The specter of layoffs is hanging over Lancaster County government.

Department heads were told during their monthly leadership meeting last week to advise their staffs about possible personnel cuts before the end of the year.

"I think we're all kind of braced for that possibility," said Leslie Hyson, executive director of the county's Human Relations Commission.

Commissioner Craig Lehman confirmed that the county might consolidate or eliminate some positions to help make up a projected $1.2 million shortfall in the 2010 budget. He also said he expects some of the savings to come from cuts unrelated to personnel.

"I would be reluctant to put a time frame" on the process, Lehman added.

And, asked whether across-the-board cuts are in store, he said no.

Speculation about what departments or positions might be impacted by layoffs is just that until efficiency studies are completed later this month, said Lehman, Commissioner Scott Martin and board Chairman Dennis P. Stuckey.

All departments had been asked to review staffing levels and services — some examinations were conducted in-house, while others were done by consultants. A study of the Human Resources Department is due Monday.

A McCullough Consulting Group study of whether to fold some, or all, of the Department of Parks and Recreation into the county's new Facilities Management Department was due last week.

"I think they're in the process of submitting it," said Lehman, who added that a public session to go over the results will be held sometime in the next few weeks.

James Hackett, county parks director, said he had no idea who might be eliminated from the employment rolls.

Dory Crater, who heads the county's Records Management Department, referred questions about layoffs to the commissioners. "They're the ones making those determinations," she said.

County Administrator Charles Douts Jr. briefed the department heads on the budget situation last week, Martin said. Douts did not return a call to his office Friday.

Martin said another reason the commissioners have held off announcing layoffs outright is that other budget "wild cards" are still out there. The county does not know yet how much state funding it will get for its drug and alcohol program, for example, he said.

"We don't want to create any alarmism" for county employees, Martin added. But, in this tight economy, "you don't want to be passing along costs" to struggling taxpayers.

The county usually adopts its budget for the following year in the third week of December. "By law," Martin said, "we have to pass a balanced budget."

The commissioners, who approved an updated severance policy during a work session last Tuesday, have scheduled a public meeting to discuss the budget at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 150 N. Queen St.

The county employs about 1,600 people full time and 300 part time, according to its Web site.

Several county employees, speaking on condition on anonymity, said they were worried about their jobs.

It was unclear last week how many employees had been informed of the situation by their supervisors.

"I've only heard rumors," one worker noted.

Said another, "There may be other departments that must make tough decisions. ... Maybe we got lucky, but I think we are already doing more with less."