Council Gets Down to Business on Fiscal Plan : Economy: An early retirement offer, an altered City Hall workweek and aid to local merchants are among the steps taken.

Facing both a budget crunch and new clean-air requirements, the City Council on Tuesday took several steps to trim city spending and the number of vehicle trips taken by its workers.

Beginning Feb. 1, City Hall offices will be closed on alternate Fridays. In the interim, officials will offer an early retirement bonus designed to cut 75 workers from the payroll. And a business development program will be initiated to lure more businesses to town and help existing businesses survive the bleak economy.

“The City of Glendale is not immune from the significant problems facing the California economy,” City Manager David H. Ramsay said. “Given the critical role that economic growth plays in the city’s financial well-being, it is essential that we take an aggressive position in creating a positive business environment.”

The city’s $288-million budget is down $8 million from the previous year because of a decline in sales tax revenue, interest earnings and building permit fees. An additional $3.2 million has been lost because of the state budget deficit, and city officials predict a further $2.5-million decline in revenues next year.

As a result, the city plans to launch a business development plan to boost sales tax revenues while working to cut costs through an early retirement incentive.

On a separate front, the change in City Hall hours is being made to comply with state clean-air rules that call for a reduction in the number of employee trips to the Civic Center.

Employees will compensate for a day off every other Friday by working more hours during the week. Most offices will be staffed from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on alternate Fridays, officials said.

Police, fire, library and other operational services such as trash pickup will not be affected. Some departments also are considering implementing evening service hours to accommodate the public, said Robert McFall, assistant city manager. The Friday closures will not go into effect until Feb. 1, but City Hall offices will close at noon today in observance of Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas.

Ramsay said a change in work schedules also is expected to cut energy costs, reduce the amount of paid overtime and allow field crews more time to complete a day’s work.

In an ordinance introduced Tuesday, employees 50 and older are eligible to receive three months’ additional pay if they agree to retire by March 15, 1993. Vacated positions will remain frozen until July, 1994, to save the city money, Finance Director Brian Butler said.

A hiring freeze imposed a year ago--plus fewer than a dozen layoffs ordered last summer--reduced the city’s staff by about 100 positions to a current total of 1,566. As many as 75 more positions could be trimmed as a result of the early retirement incentive, officials said.

Normally, the city has an annual attrition rate of about 10%, but that rate has fallen to only .5% this year, which Ramsay called “a sign of the times.” The city currently spends about 85% of its $82 million in general fund revenues on employee wages and benefits.

The council Tuesday also approved long-and short-term programs to stimulate retail sales and lure more businesses to town. A “business development office” will be established to streamline the approval process for new businesses, which currently takes eight to 10 weeks. Ramsay said he hopes to cut that process to five days.

The city will provide assistance in retail promotion throughout the city, market analysis, job training and technical counseling in loan referrals, accounting and financial forecasting for both new and existing businesses.

The programs require changes in services provided by the offices of the city manager, redevelopment, community development and planning. City employees will be retrained to serve as advocates in cutting bureaucratic red tape to resolve problems, Ramsay said.

An additional annual cost of $318,000 is projected, but that expense is expected to be recovered by increased revenue to the city, officials said.

Councilwoman Ginger Bremberg voted against the business plan because she said it places an added burden on an already overloaded staff and could provide special treatment for major new businesses. The four other council members, however, endorsed the proposal.

“We are real serious about a healthy business climate,” Councilwoman Eileen Givens said.

“Given the aggressive posture of our competitors, it is essential that we be proactive as well,” Ramsay said. “We believe that such a comprehensive strategy is an investment in Glendale’s future.”