A construction update on the Annie Glidden Road project, downtown maintenance and city management staff benefits will be discussed Monday night at the DeKalb City Council workshop.

The council will be updated on the progress of the $12 to $15 million Annie Glidden Road construction project between Fairview Drive and Lincoln Highway.

Maintenance of the downtown area has been the responsibility of the city since 1998. Now, city operations staff has decreased, while the need for maintenance has increased, City Manager Jim Connors said.

The workshop will examine the issue of contracting an outside company to take on some of the maintenance responsibility, such as daily litter pickup; sweeping of the sidewalks and parking lots; and mowing and weeding landscapes in the downtown area.

Connors said the city has had summer staff and juveniles performing community service to help keep downtown DeKalb clean. He said contracting outside services for some maintenance tasks may be more efficient than the current situation.

City management benefits also will be discussed at the workshop.

Connors said city management employees do not enjoy the same level of some benefits as unionized employees do, and he is requesting the council consider changing certain things to make them more equal.

He gave the example of sick days. Unionized employees have three times the amount of sick days as compared to management employees.

The changes would work to reward, retain and recruit city management staff, Connors said.