DES MOINES - State budget cuts affecting the Department of Corrections are still up in the air.

Preliminary plans to meet the state's mandatory 10 percent budget cut continue in negotiations between the governor and union representatives, but no new information has been released, according to Fred Scaletta, a spokesman for the Department of Corrections.

Scaletta and Department of Corrections Director John Baldwin addressed the Iowa Department of Corrections Board Friday morning at its meeting in Des Moines.

"Unfortunately we're not there yet," Scaletta told the board about releasing information. "There just isn't anything we can say at this time."

In the preliminary plans released by the state this week, the North Central Correctional Facility in Rockwell City proposed eliminating nine positions to meet the budget cuts. The Fort Dodge Correctional Facility proposed eliminating 46 positions. The proposed effective date of the layoffs for the Fort Dodge facility in the preliminary reports is Jan. 7, 2010, according to the plans.

Charlie Wishman, a spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said in a phone interview that he does not know how long it will be before final plans are available.

"We are talking to the governor about whether or not it would be beneficial to open those contracts," Wishman said. "We are still talking to the state at this point ... with the goal to save as many jobs as possible."

Until the negotiations are finalized, Baldwin said the Department of Corrections is being as frugal as possible.

"We are watching expenditures, but in our line of work, we can't just stop in most cases," Baldwin said.

At this point, there have been no layoffs or furloughs, Baldwin said. There are very few people being hired department wide.

"We are waiting until further conversations happen, but we are operating as we have for months now, and trying to be as restrictive in our expenditures as possible."

Baldwin and and Wishman did not offer time frames for the finalization of their plans.

Baldwin did say that in the case of past budget cuts, it has taken as many as 60 days just to get a plan approved and have all of the proper authorities sign off on it.

"It really becomes a very long process," he said.

Contact Angela Burch at (515) 573-2141 or aburch@messengernews.net