Since her employer began closing on Fridays, Dawn Gilmore has turned her photography hobby into a money-making business that is helping to offset her lost income.

Without a lot of new real estate development, business has been slow for the Houston Cuozzo Group, a landscape design firm in Stuart. After laying off one-third of the staff of 18 last year, the firm started closing on alternate Fridays last September as a way to reduce workers’ hours and cut costs. In March, the firm started closing every Friday.

Across the Treasure Coast, many residents who have avoided layoffs are facing reduced hours — which means less money in their wallets. Some are spending their new-found spare time with family, home improvement projects or hobbies. Others are looking for ways to make up the lost income, such as a side business or a second job.
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More than 300 government employees on the Treasure Coast earned $100,000 or more in the 2008 budget year, prompting some watchdogs to question whether taxpayers can sustain those pay levels in a declining economy.

The local governments in Martin County accounted for 140 of the $100,000-earners, with 103 on the County Commission payroll, including 81 emergency services workers. Twenty Martin County Sheriff’s Office workers also earned $100,000 or more.

Much larger St. Lucie County had 22 fewer $100,000-earners than Martin County, and comparably sized Indian River County had almost 100 fewer.

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