On February 25th, more than 50 people squeezed into the taproom at Shine to share stories of sudden terminations from the US Forest Service.
Arianna Knight says she is one of a dozen boots on the ground trail workers that lost work in the Bozeman and Yellowstone Ranger Districts.
“I had 7 years on the Yellowstone Ranger District, I had 4 years of experience in trails beforehand. My entire adult life and prior to that is in trials and that has been taken away from me ” Knight said.
Dr. Andrea Shiverdecker is a disabled veteran who earned her PhD while working as a federal employee and was 25 days away from the end of her 2 year probationary period.
“I specialize in historic mining sites and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems prehistorics. I am so specialized in my career that now I do not know what I am going to do for a job ” Shiverdecker said.
Mary Erickson stepped down from her role as the Gallatin National Forest’s Forest Supervisor last year, but she stepped up onto a barstool to kick off Tuesday’s meeting.
“Every administration over my 40 year career, the pendulum swings. But this time is beyond anything I have ever seen or experienced ” Erickson said.
On February 14th, federal workers classified as probationary workers across the country received termination letters–firing them from their jobs immediately.
A spokesperson for the US Department of Agriculture said about 2,000 Forest Service employees were fired nationwide.
Erickson said she heard 10% of the Federal workforce was being cut, those numbers didn’t sit right locally.
“There’s 118 people left for a 3 million acre national forest for all that range of responsibility and 43 people got letters - one person I think got a letter rescinded , so there are 42 people directly affected who no longer have permanent positions. That’s 26%” Erickson said.
Local business owners came out to the taproom event too, looking for ways to support fired federal workers and combat the bigger impacts they say will come with layoffs.
Dale Sexton is the owner of Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop in Livingston.
“The businesses of this region who rely on our resources who rely on your efforts as stewards of our public lands, you guys are instrumental and foundational to my livelihood, to our communities." Sexton said.
He says that could include building a coalition of local businesses to reach out to lawmakers.
“It’s the least I can do is to do everything in my power to get your jobs back “ Sexton said.
