The Warrior City Council once again discussed retirement benefits for long-term employees at their meeting Monday night.

At the last meeting, the council had discussed implementing a policy that spelled out exactly what the city expected to pay for. Previously, according to employees and council members, the city had paid for insurance for an employee who retired with 25 years of service, regardless of their age at the time, but the policy was never actually written out.

The newly-adopted handbook was intended to get all of the city’s policies in writing.

During that process, the council realized employees who retire under the age of 65 cost the city approximately $880 a month for insurance. Retirees 65 or older cost the city just $425 a month.

The council members asked the city clerk to look into what other surrounding cities provide, as well as other cities of comparable size. The results, presented at the pre-council meeting on Monday, showed that no other cities are offering these benefits to retired employees.

The council then agreed to make the retirement requirement for insurance, 25 years of service and at least 65 years of age.

The employee handbook, including the new retirement policy, will now be printed and distributed to city employees.

In other business, the council:

•agreed to hire Phil Sims to help promote, plan and organize the annual Warrior Day event. Sims assisted the city on the event last year as well.

•agreed to send Police Chief Ray Horn to the annual police chief conference.

•agreed to continue their engineering contract with Insight Engineering after the city engineer, Frank Spencer, sold his business to the company. Insight will use the same pay scale Spencer had been under.

•approved $2,500 to stripe the city’s second ambulance.