City of Anderson extends offer of early retirement to employees

aleasha.sandley@heraldbulletin.com

ANDERSON - City employees will have another chance to take an early retirement option that officials hope will decrease looming layoffs.

The City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance allowing employees to sign up for the option by April 17 and work their last day by May 1. Employees will receive $800 for each year of service in addition to accrued vacation and sick pay.

Personnel Director Steve Priser said he had been approached by employees who wished they had taken an identical buyout option earlier this year.

He expects four to five employees to consider the new option.

Ten employees took advantage of the first buyout, which saved the city about $162,000, Priser said.

Anderson will have to cut its budget significantly by next year as a result of state legislation that instituted property tax caps, reducing local government funding.

"We're striving to achieve a $2 million reduction," Priser said.

The more people who take the buyout, the fewer employees who likely will be laid off to make up for the budget shortfall.

Other options have been discussed, such as voluntary layoffs and charging city residents for trash pickup fees.

Mayor Kris Ockomon said the city had been meeting with union representatives and would know in about two weeks how many employees would be laid off and what other measures would be taken to save money.