SAM Magazine-Killington, Vt., June 26, 2007-Powdr Corp.'s new management at Killington and Pico has restructured its workforce, laying off many longtime, year-round employees as a result. Officials said the job cuts touched all departments and levels. The company did not release numbers, but affected employees estimated that 30 to 90 people lost their jobs.

"We look at the folks who were released today, they were all very good talented people, members of our family," Killington marketing director Dave Rathbun told the Rutland Herald. He added that the management had not initially planned a broad round of cuts, but described the move as "a major change" that was essential for the resort to invest in needed improvements and meet its financial goals. Killington president Chris Nyberg noted that within Powdr Corp., each resort must fund improvements from its own resources.

Rathbun told the Herald that no further cuts were planned. Some of the eliminated positions will become seasonal jobs, while others are being consolidated into other continuing positions, he added.

One now-former employee told the Herald that many of the terminated thought their jobs were safe because the area was already operating with a skeleton crew.

The firings are the most recent in a series of aggressive and controversial steps taken by Powdr Corp. to improve the bottom line. Earlier, the company had eliminated a class of "lifetime" passes that had been granted to early investors in the resort. More recently, Killington released new pass prices that are up to $380 more than last year's, though they are still competitive with many neighboring areas.

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