Elko New Market adjusts holiday schedule
The City of Elko New Market made adjustments to its holiday schedule during its meeting Thursday, Jan. 22.
Council member Dennis Mellgaard had questioned the number of paid holidays that city staff gets and asked whether some of them could be eliminated.
In researching the matter, City Administrator Tom Terry reported to the council that the city currently follows state law in observing the 10 days that they are required under state statute to be closed: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, as well as either Columbus Day or the day after Thanksgiving.
He said the city currently observes both Columbus Day and the day after Thanksgiving, along with Christmas Eve day, making 12 paid holidays.
During discussion, council members decided to continue the day after Thanksgiving as a paid holiday, but not Columbus Day. They also changed Christmas Eve to a half-day off and made New Year's Eve Day a half-day as well.
Terry also presented information on paid time off policies from other comparable cities which found that Elko New Market falls behind other cities in terms of paid time off. The council will look at this information and discuss it at a future meeting.
Fire officers appointed
Also at Thursday's meeting, the council the council approved Fire Department officers for 2009. The are Todd Friedges-chief, Rob Kaufenberg-assistant chief, and Robert Hanna and Kevin Seurer-captains. Hanna, who is on the council, abstained from the vote, as well as another vote increasing firefighters pay by 50 cents an hour to $9.50 per hour. The raise was already part of the budget, but needed separate approval by the council.