Elon’s town council has agreed to amend the town’s personnel policies to provide long-time employees with something more than a commemorative wristwatch when they retire.
Elon’s town manager Richard Roedner presented a proposal for this $5,000 retirement bonus on Monday, urging the town council to extend this potential new benefit to any staff member who retires from the town with at least 25 years of service.
“This is a way to give retirees something on the way out,” he added, “which they can then put toward insurance or whatever they want.”
Roedner went on to stress that, under the terms of this proposal, the bonus would only be paid out to staff members who are still on Elon’s payroll when they enter the state’s local government retirement system.
It would explicitly not apply to former employees who leave Elon for another jurisdiction before they put in their 25 years. Roedner added that he can think of only three retirees from his own 5 1/2-year tenure who would’ve been eligible for the bonus under these terms.
In the end, this proposed payment seemed like a gracious-enough gesture to the members of Elon’s town council.
“I think this would be a good thing, and I think it’s the right amount,” declared councilman Randy Orwig.
“When you have people who have given their entire careers to the town,” agreed councilmember Stephanie Bourland, “this is the least we can do for them.”
The council went on to vote 5-to-0 in favor of this addition to the town’s employee benefit package.
