The City of Indio City Council Chamber (left) and Administration Center January 1, 2010. / Wade Byars, The Desert Sun
Indio city leaders are expected to make a decision later this month on an early retirement incentive program that could help the bridge a multimillion-dollar deficit.
A detailed report on the proposed program will go before the City Council for a possible vote on Jan. 20, said Mark Wasserman, assistant to the city manager.
Meanwhile, city officials plan to meet with at least one union group next week to discuss details.
“The more employees that take it, the more savings for us — anywhere from $4.5 (million) to $7.5 million,” Mayor Gene Gilbert said Thursday. “We're trying to not have any layoffs.”
The City Council on Wednesday spent more than 21/2
Gilbert said they spent most of the time talking about the “golden handshake.”
He declined to comment on how Southard's “performance evaluation” went and whether Southard is likely to take the early retirement incentive.
“I don't know what he'll do,” Gilbert said.
Though union groups that represent city employees were listed on the closed session agenda for the “golden handshake” item, they did not participate in the talks and have not provided input, Jesse Marin, president of the Indio Police Officers Association, said Wednesday.
He said his organization is concerned about the city's finances and hopes the council makes a decision based on what is best for residents and city employees. He hopes they are able to provide input before the proposal is finalized.
“We're eagerly waiting to hear back from them to see what's the next step,” he said.
In a memo to city employees on Dec. 17, Southard said the city is allowed to offer two years of additional PERS service credit to retiring employees who are at least 50 years old and have at least five years of service credit.
While the police officers association is waiting to hear from city officials, another union has a meeting set for next week.
Manny Becerra, president of the Labors International Union of North America — which represents about 85 employees, the largest group of city workers — said a meeting with city officials is planned for Wednesday to discuss the incentive.
He declined to comment on the proposal until after the meeting.
“I (plan to) just go in there with an open mind and discuss our economy and future,” Becerra said.
The early retirement incentive is part of the city's efforts to shave $5 million in expenditures and
help deal with a reported $9 million deficit.
Southard has said that travel, among other expenditures, will also be cut to help balance the budget.
Residents have questioned the city's spending habits specifically related to the use of credit cards after a Desert Sun report on Sunday revealed that the city's 62 cardholders had spent more than $805,000 from January 2008 to October.
Southard has defended the use of cards and expenditures, saying it's the way business is done.
Some residents and at least one councilman have said that travel and eating out — expenditures that repeatedly appeared on reviewed credit card statements — should have been curtailed long before now.
Xochitl Peña covers Indio and Coachella for The Desert Sun. She can be reached at (760) 778-4647 or at xochitl.pena@thedesertsun.com.
