It could be parks, health, engineering, or it could be police or fire. Mercy Health Partners said the move occurred because Hamilton could not support two full-service hospitals with more than 400 beds combined, when the city needs only a hospital with 135 beds. The network plans to find jobs for the 630 employees at its other regional facilities, including Mercy Franciscan at St. Raphael Social Service Center and Mercy Franciscan Schroder Retirement Community, both in Hamilton. Other jobs could be absorbed by Fort Hamil ton Hospital.
City officials say it's difficult to calculate the full financial impact of the decision.
Vice Mayor Tom Nye said it's premature to discuss what, if any, services will be reduced before hearing from each department on how they will be affected by the loss of jobs through attrition, and a hiring freeze. The deficit, resulting largely from lost payroll taxes, after hundreds of jobs were cut by Ohio Casualty Group and International Paper, was absorbed in part by cuts to city programs and a hiring freeze. The Cincinnati Enquirer , a Gannett Co. Inc. newspaper.