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Two employees of the Allegheny County Republican Committee, including its executive director, have quit, reducing the paid staff to one.

Eileen Watt, a Republican member of County Council from Cheswick, had served as the committee's executive director since Jan. 1. Previously, she worked for the party as political director and as a paid money-raiser.

Monica Douglas, 34, of Elizabeth Borough, the committee's political director, will succeed Watt, county Chairman Bob Glancy said Monday. He sent an e-mail on Friday notifying party leaders of the changes.

Glancy acknowledged that money-raising for a political committee "is always a struggle," but he disputed rumors that the county committee is nearly broke.

"We've had some people step up to the plate and make major contributions in the last several weeks," he said.

Watt, 40, said she quit because contributions to the committee are down, and "I needed to cut the budget."

The county party's major money-raiser for the year, the traditional Lincoln Day event, has been delayed because of scheduling conflicts with potential speakers. Plans are now being finalized for a dinner, Glancy said.

Douglas, the vice president of the Elizabeth Borough Council, is the former chairwoman of the county Young Republicans. She was campaign manager last year for the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair.

Douglas will be paid $856 a week.

Meghan Fisher, a part-time paid intern from Philadelphia, is the other staffer who quit. Douglas said both Watt and Fisher, who wanted to return home, left on good terms. Four new unpaid interns, all college students, are now working for the committee, Douglas said.

Glancy and Douglas both praised Watt's work for the party.

"I very much enjoyed my time there," Watt said. "I'm looking at a few different options."

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