BONNERS FERRY — The Bonners Ferry City Council unanimously approved additional paid time off for city employees Nov. 4. to add the days after Christmas and New Year’s.  

Mayor Rick Alonzo said the calendar occasionally provides a break between the weekend and the holidays, which provides an opportunity to give additional days off to city employees. 

“It’s kind of nice to do something a little extra for our employees when we can,” Alonzo said. 

Records show the city offered the days after Thanksgiving and Christmas as additional days off in 2014. However, the day after New Year’s was not included at that time. 

In 2021, the council made the day after Thanksgiving a permanent day off for city employees because discussion regarding whether that date would be given off occurred annually. 

"We used to do this every year for Thanksgiving,” Alonzo said. “Three or four years ago, we just made it permanent because every year we did the same thing.” 

Alonzo noted that if significant snowfall occurs during the holidays, employees who work to clear snow will be allowed to take a day off at a later date.