During a Wednesday work session, Chapel Hill Town Council members also decided not to eliminate biweekly trash pickup service to commercial businesses in Chapel Hill. Presently, the pickup service is free to both residents and businesses.
Town Manager Cal Horton said the town is committed to avoiding having to lay off the four employees.
"The council eliminated any options of Public Works Department layoffs," Horton said. "There have been no layoffs in the town of Chapel Hill since the Depression."
Robert Humphreys, director of the Downtown Commission, said the possible layoffs came second to the issue of eliminating commercial trash pickup.
"However, if commercial business pickup service would have been eliminated, it is possible that the senior employees would have been laid off or transferred to another department," he said.
Eliminating the jobs would have saved Chapel Hill nearly $2 million.
Horton said Public Works Department officials presented council members a memo during the session that focused on the possible elimination of commercial trash service -- a potential alternative way for the town to save money.
Public Works Department Director Bruce Heflin said one possible alternative for saving money is a tax cut. "The council has an initiative to reduce the tax burden on the citizenry," he said.
Heflin also said he is aware the council is looking for ways to reduce taxes for residents, by charging businesses for garbage pickup. "They are looking at ways to (reduce taxes in Chapel Hill), and charging Chapel Hill commercial businesses a fee for picking up their garbage is one possible way to achieve their initiative," he said.
