Some Naperville workers taking unpaid vacations

Naperville employees are taking some extra time off work this year to help ease the city's budget woes.

Roughly 50 city workers volunteered to take up to a week of unpaid vacation, saving the city slightly more than $100,000, City Manager Doug Krieger said Thursday.

"It was a popular program because it allowed people ... to do something ... a very personal decision to help out with the budget situation," Krieger said.

He said the move saved one more employee from being among the 20 who lost their jobs in January. Those cuts were on top of eliminating 23 vacant positions.

Employees signed up for the vacation program in December and are allowed to use their additional time until the end of April. Krieger said the time off will not affect city services.

"The request for participation had to be approved by immediate supervisors who could ensure there wouldn't be any reduction in service levels," he said.

Last fall, city officials announced they were facing a $5 million budget hole that was going to grow to $11 million in the coming fiscal year that begins in May. The shortfall is due in large part to sales taxes and real estate transfer taxes coming in much lower than anticipated.

Through cuts to jobs and other spending reductions, city staff has come up with a balanced budget that includes a $1 million cushion while keeping the property tax rate flat.

The budget proposal is being analyzed by the city council over the course of three budget workshops and still must get its final approval.

The next workshop begins at 3:30 p.m. Monday, March 9, at the municipal center, 400 S. Eagle St.