Springfield Business Takes a Hit From Government Shutdown

Tuesday was the first day of the first government shutdown in 17 years. And as Congress continues to squabble over the spending bill, Staci Redmon, owner of Strategy and Management Services, Inc. (SAMS) in Springfield, is trying to continue to run her business that provides strategy, management and information technology-related services to federal government agencies.

Redmon said on Tuesday that current contracts with clients were immediately affected by the shutdown.

"Currently, the shutdown has affected three of our contracts where we have had to put employees on personal time off," she said. "Once their PTO expires, the employees will move to a temporary layoff status."

Redmon said she spent a lot of time Tuesday "putting out fires" and communicating with SAMS employees. She has not determined how long employees will be able to stay in a temporary layoff status. However, Redmon said she is committed to SAMS employees.

"We are meticulously seeking all solutions to avoid having to terminate any employee due to the government shutdown," she said.

The economy in Fairfax County is heavily tied to federal government, said Lee District Sup. Jeff McKay earlier in the week. Tuesday morning, County Executive Ed Long sent out a memo saying that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors understands the possible impact of a long term government shutdown. For now, the county will continue to do what's necessary to meet its financial obligations.

"We live in a ‘company town’ and the company is the federal government, so most of us have family and friends who are federal employees or contractors impacted by this shutdown," said Long in the memo.

In the meantime, Redmon is going through at least 20 current contracts she has with customers to determine how to move forward during the shutdown.

"We are addressing each of our contracts and employees supporting those contracts on a case-by-case customer directed situation," she said.

The government shutdown furloughed about 800,000 federal workers. National Parks and monuments are closed until further notice and surrounding businesses in the D.C. metropolitan area have been impacted by the shutdown.

Read more on government shutdown:

• County Executive: 'We Live in a Company Town and the Company is the Federal Government'
• Government Shutdown: What's Open, What's Closed
• Freebies for the Furloughed: Knitting Lessons, Booze and Pork Sandwiches (Congressmen Not Eligible)
• Government Officially Shuts Down; Congress Fails to Agree on Spending Bill
• McKay 'Mad' About Possible Government Shutdown; Springfield Business Owner Waiting for Government to Make a Decision