COURTLAND—Southampton County supervisors have agreed to offer incentives for employees wishing to take early retirement.

Should the three eligible employees accept, the county expects to save about $37,000 over three years, said County Administrator Mike Johnson. Right now, each of the three employees costs the county about $46,000 annually in wages and benefits.

Employees who are at least age 50 and have 10 years service, or 65 with five years service would receive 1¼ week’s pay for every year with the county. Dec. 1 is the deadline to apply.

The offer is made to employees in the offices of the sheriff, commonwealth’s attorney, clerk of courts, treasurer and commissioner of revenue. These offices employ 100 people.

In other matters, supervisors agreed to suspend a program that provides streetlights to communities until county finances improve.

The action was taken after a request was made to install five streetlights along Lakeside Drive in Darden Mill Estates outside Courtland at a cost of $13,354.

In June 2002, supervisors agreed to install the lights there, but it never happened.

“Perhaps it was cost, perhaps it was lack of communication, or perhaps it was something else,” Johnson said.

A request was made to Jerusalem District Supervisor Dr. Alan Edwards to look into the matter.

“My concern is the cost,” said Franklin District Supervisor Barry Porter. “We really don’t have money in reserve and I can’t see the need for this. Unfortunately I think this is a bad time.”

It was agreed should the program be reinstituted, Darden Mill Estates would be the first in line to get lights.