Village staff presented changes to chapter A124 of the village code to clarify vacation accrual caps and impose a yearly limit on vacation buyouts. Under the proposed language, employees may not exceed their designated cap at their anniversary; the resolution also caps buyouts to 10 days per calendar year by default, with board members amending that cap to allow 15 days for calendar year 2026 and 10 days in 2027 and subsequent years as a transition.

Staff said the goal is to prevent accruals from effectively doubling at an anniversary date and to give long-tenured employees a clear timeline for using accrued time. The resolution requires personalized letters to affected staff explaining their current balances, upcoming anniversaries and the amount of vacation they must use by a specific date or lose it; employees may choose to buy out up to the cap (15 days in 2026) during the transition.

Board members discussed budget implications if many employees buy out accumulated time and agreed the policy should balance fiscal responsibility with staff well-being. Finance staff noted that some prior-year liabilities had been paid from current fiscal accounts and that clearer controls will help budget forecasting.

The board adopted the amended resolution by voice vote. Staff will implement notices and a calendar-year approach to buyout tracking as directed.