If the City Council offers early retirement to eligible
employees next year again, it may require that workers have several
years of service with Hollister under their belts.
If the City Council offers early retirement to eligible employees next year again, it may require that workers have several years of service with Hollister under their belts.
Many residents grumbled when former City Manager Dale Shaddox – on the heels of pushing forward a 36-employee layoff – accepted an early retirement package he had set up after only 10 months on the job.
Thirteen other employees also accepted the early retirement, which the council approved to shave more dollars off the payroll after the layoff. And some officials believe the city will offer it again next year.
If Hollister does, Councilman Robert Scattini has broached the topic of requiring a minimum number of years working for the city before someone can be eligible for early retirement. City Attorney Elaine Cass said the council could legally place such a mandate on the deal.
Scattini said Shaddox took advantage of the system he established.
“It seems to me he Jerry-rigged the system,” Scattini said of Shaddox. “They should have to be in for four or five years before they can take part in it.”
Still, Cass thinks the offer in 2004 – “generally speaking – was fair. Workers had to be at least 50 years old and had to be taking part in the Public Employees Retirement System – regardless of where – for five years.
“The purpose of it was to provide an incentive to employees who were vested in PERS to separate,” Cass said.
Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia said she would support the added restriction. She was surprised when Shaddox accepted the package, she said.
“I think it would only be fair,” she said.
The council can actually set any conditions to the offering it wants, Cass said. Scattini knows one provision he’ll pursue.
“You can rest assured, I’m on top of that now,” he said.
