Hollister City Council members Monday approved a voluntary early retirement program for nine employees.
Council members unanimously approved the “Voluntary Separation Incentive Program” offering participants a lump sum of $25,000 plus $500 for each year of service with the city.
The idea came up recently when outgoing Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia – whose daughter works for the city – proposed exploring the possibility of an early retirement incentive. Her daughter, Diana Hillstock, is not on the list, City Manager Bill Avera confirmed.
The goal is to save money by letting those longer-term employees go while bringing on new workers under less-costly compensation packages.
Council members approved a $497,858 allocation for the payouts and other costs, such as vacation accruals. Avera told the Free Lance he would provide a list of employees taking part.
Look back for more.
