Possible budget cuts in Athens for 2009 ATHENS, OH (WOUB) - In what could be a sign of trouble ahead, Athens City Council is getting an early start on preparing a budget for next year.

And Finance and Personnel Committee Co-Chair Jim Sands says departments heads are being asked to plan for budget cuts of up to five percent.

At a committee meeting last night, Sands said he hopes to identify areas where money can be saved, perhaps by delaying projects for a year.

One thing council doesn't want to do, says Finance Co-Chair Nancy Bain, is layoff any fulltime Athens City workers.

Bain expects electric, natural gas and gasoline costs to go up and says 2009 is "going to be tough." © Copyright 2012, WOUB