The Kenai City Council will convene for a work session next week to brainstorm ways to increase the number of people applying for vacant positions with the City of Kenai.

During the work session, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on May 3, council members will consider a slew of recommendations proposed by a city working group created last year. That group included City Manager Terry Eubank, as well as the city’s human resources director, police chief, fire chief, library director and assistant to the city manager. Former City Manager Paul Ostrander also participated while employed at the city.

The initiatives proposed include establishing an employee referral program to encourage current staff to refer qualified employees for positions and adding a half-day holiday on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. Other proposals include allowing eligible employees to work remotely for two weeks per year and postponing a scheduled increase to city employee’s share of health care premiums.

Eubank wrote in an April 18 memo to city council members that the group met regularly to review recruitment and retention challenges, with the goal of developing recommendations that were within the “fiscal capacity” of the city. He cited “current economic conditions and trends” and Kenai’s competitiveness in explaining why the working group was created.

“The City is not alone in experiencing workforce challenges,” Eubank wrote.

The work session comes as the City of Soldotna works to implement similar initiatives.

The Soldotna City Council is in the process of adopting policies that similarly aim to boost recruitment and retention among city employees. An ordinance given initial approval by council members last week would authorize the city manager to implement hiring bonuses, a relocation assistance program and an employee referral program.

Next week’s Kenai City Council work session will immediately precede the council’s regular meeting.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.