Columbus City workers may soon work a 4 day week

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus City workers could be in for an extra day off come the first of the year.

At its Tuesday night meeting, the Columbus City Council discussed going back to a 4 day work week for city employees.

For several years they worked 10-hour shifts 4 days a week.

A couple of years ago, the council voted to bring back the 5 day work week with 8-hour shifts.

The 4-day schedule resurfaced at the council meeting, and Mayor Keith Gaskin sees how it could be attractive to employees and beneficial to the city.

“It looks like the city was saving money from a fuel standpoint and electricity. It looks like we had fewer people taking off during the week for, like, doctors’ appointments and stuff because people could schedule their stuff on Friday because they knew. Also, because we’re a government entity, and we don’t have unlimited funds for salaries this is another kind of perk that you can have to attract really good people,” said Mayor Gaskin.

The Council also took up a proposal for an updated noise ordinance that would include maximum decibel levels, and equipment to measure them. The current ordinance has been criticized for being too vague and unevenly enforced.