The Biddeford City Council will vote Thursday on a reorganization plan proposed by the city manager that would combine several departments and save the city nearly $177,000 a year.

The plan simplifies the chain of command in city government without reducing city services, according to City Manager Jim Bennett. The city’s Personnel Committee voted 4-0 last week to recommend that the City Council endorse the plan.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on the plan during a special meeting at 8 p.m. Thursday. The meeting in the Little Theater at Biddeford High School will begin after a 6 p.m. budget workshop.

The reorganization plan would eliminate one of three deputy fire chiefs and the director of the Health and Welfare Department. Vicky Edgerly, the director of the Heath and Welfare Department, will lose her job if the plan is adopted. The deputy fire chief position is currently vacant.

The General Assistance and welfare program that is now part of the Health and Welfare Department would continue to be administered by two current employees but would be placed under the supervision of the city clerk. Other responsibilities of the Health and Welfare Department – including things such as responding to bedbug issues and restaurant complaints – would be handled by the Code Enforcement Office, which already does those types of inspections, Bennett said.

The reorganization plan would also combine information technology, the geographic information system and public access into a single technology department. Bennett recommends that the department be overseen by Brian Phinney in a new chief operating officer capacity. Phinney is currently the environmental code officer, but that position would be eliminated under Bennett’s proposal.

Other changes under the proposed reorganization plan include having the city manager handle labor negotiations instead of a hiring a contractor. Bennett said that will save the city an estimated $20,000 in the next year. Additional projected savings include $104,374 for the deputy fire chief position and $97,804 for the health and welfare director position.

Edgerly, the health and welfare director, was placed on paid administrative leave after Bennett informed her of the plans to eliminate her job. She spoke against the plan before the Personnel Committee voted to endorse the proposal.