Bittersweet day for Baldwin Co. workers

SPANISH FORT, Ala. - It's a bittersweet day for 200 Baldwin County school support workers. cafeteria workers and janitors, just to name a few, were eliminated to balance the system's ailing budget.

With the school keys on his hip, this is one of the last times custodian Stanley Aaron will walk inside Spanish Fort Middle School.

"Of course, I hate being laid off and losing my job," Aaron said. "I have been here a little over a year and enjoyed working with all the teachers."

Aaron is one of the 200 support workers whose jobs were eliminated because the school system didn't have enough money to pay his salary.

"Why things like that happen. Our economy is getting in worse shape. There will probably be more jobs loss in the other sectors of life. I just depend on the Lord to take care of me", said Aaron.

Parents here wonder whether more layoffs will come.

"Of course I have my children's best interest at heart, and I hope everything will be better as soon as possible," said parent Sue Ann Turnipseed.

"We got an email yesterday that there are going to be further cuts. Our governor has issued a 7.5 percent cut, it's very upsetting. I am not sure what we can do about," said parent Angie Phillips.

"That ain't fair. But that's life. You have to do what you gotta do," said parent Charles Wood.

Thankfully for Aaron, he has options.

"God has been good to me and he has got other things already lined up. I actually start another job in the morning," said Aaron.

Aaron says he loves the kids at Spanish Fort Middle and would like to stay here. But reality has set in and he is required to turn in his keys for good.