Ft. Stewart commanders are considering sweeping budget cuts that could reduce operating expenses by about 50%.

The cuts are part of Army-wide budget reductions.

At Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, that means about $90 million in government spending that's not going into the area economy.

Liberty County Commissioner John McIver says, commanders have assured him, the cuts will have a minimal impact on surrounding communities.

"The area that may be affected could be contractor services," McIver says. "Some maintenance and ground maintenance will not be performed very regularly so that the contractor probably will be somewhat impacted."

Construction dollars are not affected.

Neither are support services to soldiers and their families.

Previous Army-wide budget cuts resulted in the elimination of plans to station another brigade at Ft. Stewart.

Tags: Fort Stewart, Kevin Larson, Savannah, budget cuts, Hinesville, Liberty County, GPB News, John McIver, Liberty County Commissioner