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Princeton council agrees to two half-day holiday observances, defers full-day decision
Summary
Council agreed in principle to keep Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve as half-day observances (effectively adding two half-days to employee time) at an estimated one-day cost of about $25,000 and deferred a decision on adding Good Friday/Easter as a full holiday until the second January meeting to gather more data for union negotiations.
City staff presented proposed updates to the benefits and personnel manuals ahead of four upcoming union negotiations. Theresa (city staff) said the city currently has about 80 full‑time employees and estimated that adding a paid holiday costs roughly $25,000 per day for payroll and related costs; council members discussed trade-offs and comparability with nearby communities.
Council expressed support for granting two additional half‑day observances — Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve — to employees and agreed to defer a decision on adopting Good Friday/Easter as a full holiday until after staff compiles comparative data and prepares for union negotiations in January. Several council members said they preferred a cautious approach so the city does not inadvertently set a precedent that could be mandated later.
Theresa also described a technical amendment to paid leave (PLOW) to ensure part‑time firefighters accrue leave so that when a shift is taken it equates to a full shift; council accepted the clarification. The council voted to approve updates to the benefits handbook concerning separation of employment and paid-leave adjustments; the motion carried unanimously.
Next steps: staff will assemble comparative holiday data from other communities and email council members a summary; the council will revisit the full-holiday question at the second meeting in January in advance of union negotiations.
