City officials say if retirement incentive plan is passed,it would reduce the city's budget deficit without laying off city workers.

Officials say expenses have been rising and the city is currently operating within an unbalanced deficit budget adopted in march and believe offering early retirement incentives to qualified city workers will significantly reduce the deficit.

Although the proposal seems costly at first, city officials say it will be quite cost effective in the long-run because those vacated positions won't be filled.

With 28 being the projected number of positions to be eliminated, 20 employees have already expressed interest in the package.

Employees must be at least 50 years old and have 27 years of service or have 30 years of service and qualify if they're under 50 years old.

City manager Bruce Williams says the move will benefit both the younger and older city workers.

The incentive package would mean offering qualified workers 3 years of retirement pay...Beginning September 30th.

Buying the three years of retirement benefits for those 20 employees would cost the city roughly $740,000, Which is an annual payroll savings of $800,000.

Council is expected to pass the resolution for the proposal next Tuesday.