As a means to address budget concerns, Albert Lea’s city government is now offering an early retirement incentive for its employees.

Under the incentive, the city will offer an incentive of $10,000 to all eligible employees, under the direction of the city manager, who will be overseeing the program.

The Albert Lea City Council approved the program Monday, along with a second retirement phased opinion.

This program will be available to enhance knowledge transfer to employees and to retain key staff until a replacement can be found.

During the Monday meeting, the City Council also:

• Approved a new travel and meal reimbursement policy for city employees on city business, along with a separate special expenses policy.

According to the travel policy, lodging will be covered if the employee was at a conference or meeting that was more than 75 miles away.

Employees will be reimbursed $40 a day for meals, when there is an overnight stay involved.

While employees are encouraged to use city vehicles for city travel assignments, if the employee uses his or her own personal vehicle they will be reimbursed at the current IRS rate.

The special expenses policy states that there are some expenses not covered, including restaurants or meals for routine staff meetings, employee parties, entertainment, alcoholic beverages or private club memberships.

• Amended the Broadway Ridge Renewal Grant program to change the grant amounts available based on square footage of the building facade.

Matching grant amounts are now up to $25,000 for building facades of 900 square feet or less, up to $50,000 for building facades greater than 900 square feet and up to $2,500 for small projects without a facade easement agreement.

The program will also now be administered through the Community Development Department instead of the Albert Lea Port Authority.

• Voted to table the first reading of a zoning ordinance amendment regarding signs in the city.

Albert Lea Chamber Director Randy Kehr and Albert Lea Economic Development Agency Executive Director Dan Dorman spoke out against some specific portions of the proposed amendment.

• Had the first reading of an ordinance amending reduced rates and charges for city utilities. The amendment spells out circumstances where people are eligible for reduced rates.

• Approved an ordinance amendment regarding standards the city will use in granting variances.

Variances will be granted upon a showing of “practical difficulty” rather than “undue hardship.”

This makes the standard less restrictive.

• Approved an ordinance amendment to allow greater fairness to people alleged to own dangerous dogs.

The amendment allows the dog owners to be informed of their right to have a hearing to determine the dog’s status and spells out the appeal process.

• Approved an ordinance amendment to remove the option of conditional use permits for nondomestic animals in the city.

The amendment continues to ban possession of these types of animals within city limits.

• Approved a request from the Downtown Association to have a fall festival from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 24. Closure of Broadway Avenue from Main Street to Fountain Street was approved for the event.

• Approved use of the Albert Lea Skate Park from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday for the 10 Bikes for 10 Kids event.

• Called a public hearing for Oct. 10 regarding the final assessments for the construction of 777th Avenue from East Main Street to the north end.

Final costs for the project were about $1.8 million, with city cost about $439,000, assessable costs about $426,000 and grants about $960,000.

Assessments would be at a 4.75 percent interest over 10 years.

• Called a public hearing on a series of final assessments for the 2011 neighborhood improvement project.

Final costs were about $534,000, with city cost being about $263,000 and assessable costs of about $271,000.

• Called a public hearing on a series of final assessments for the 2011 state aid street overlay project.

Final costs were about $538,000, with city cost being about $40,000, state aid costs of about $278,000, assessable costs about $207,000 and held for future assessments of about $13,000.

• Declared four civil defense sirens as surplus and abandoned property.

Three of the units are obsolete or not functioning and the fourth siren was damaged beyond repair during a lightning storm this spring.

• Declared five pickup trucks as surplus and abandoned property.

The trucks will be placed on the state’s online auction website.

• Authorized a contract with the Albert Lea Figure Skating Club for use of City Arena from Sept. 15 through March 30, 2012.

The club will pay the city $140 an hour for ice time.

• Authorized an agreement with the Albert Lea Hockey Association for rental ice time and lease of the concession stand at City Arena from Sept. 19 through March 31, 2012.

The agreement includes 700 hours of ice time at $140 an hour. The association will pay $285 per month for use of the concession area.

The city will be responsible to maintain the ice and facility.

• Renewed the lease with Albert Lea Community Theatre for the use of the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center from Sept. 1 through July 31, 2012.

The theater group will pay $10,000 per year to rent the building and to fulfill other insurance requirements.

• Called a public hearing for 7 p.m. Oct. 10 for the adoption of the parking maintenance district assessments.

• Called a public hearing for three properties that failed the sanitary sewer inspection and have requested the city complete the repairs and then assess them to their property.

• Called a truth-in-taxation meeting for 7 p.m. Dec. 12.