Council OKs early retirement incentive

The Long Beach City Council has approved an early retirement incentive program for members of its largest union, a move that could save millions of dollars, City Manager Jack Schnirman said.

Of the city's 250 Civil Service Employees Association members, 52 are eligible for the incentive, Schnirman said.

Employees who choose to retire early would receive 50 percent of their unused sick time instead of the standard 30 percent, if they leave within 90 days.

If 13 employees took the incentive and the positions were left open, Long Beach would save about $490,000 in the first year, city spokesman Gordon Tepper said.

If all eligible employees participated and their positions weren't filled, the city would save $2.4 million in the first year.

"There's no way to predict accurately how many individuals will be interested in taking the incentive at this time," Schnirman cautioned.

The council on Tuesday also passed a resolution to retain the Uniondale-based law firm Harris Beach for consulting while the city creates a local development corporation, a nonprofit private entity meant to spur economic growth, Schnirman said.

"It serves as a tool for the city to manage and deploy local economic efforts and projects," he said, adding that the cost of retaining the firm would be between $10,000 and $15,000.

The council also passed a resolution to create a public safety commission, composed of two city employees and six residents.

The resolutions all passed unanimously, 3-0, with councilmen John McLaughlin and Michael Fagen absent.