ELGIN -- The city Tuesday released information on 13 full-time positions it cut this week to save $1.2 million in its 2010 budget. And Elgin will be considering having business licensing fees to generate revenue next year, too.

From public works, the city cut four engineering inspectors, an automotive service worker, cemetery grounds worker, and a land management grounds worker at Lords Park Zoo.

The grounds worker's duties "will now be shared, and the zoo can still stay open," Elgin public information officer Susan Olafson said.

The city initially had said up to 17 more full-time positions would be eliminated this week, but was able to hold the number to 13.

Laurie Faith Gibson-Aiello, one of Elgin residents behind efforts to keep the zoo operating, said Tuesday the advocates are still waiting to hear from the city manager's office on budget numbers for the zoo. And Gibson-Aiello noted that zookeeper Dwight Armistead has been transferred to Wing Park.

"We can raise $30,000 for 2010 and have told the city this numerous times the past month," she said.

On Monday, the city also let go a paralegal in the code enforcement department, a code enforcement officer, a code enforcement technician, a principal account clerk in the finance department, a parks department community outreach specialist and a Hispanic outreach coordinator.

All were union positions covered under the city's contracts with Service Employees International Union Local 73. The cuts Monday also included two part-time police records clerks and three part-time finance clerks.

To balance its project ed $277 million budget, the city also will look at initiating a business licensing program. City Manager Sean Stegall said the idea came from discussions with the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce and could generate $540,000 for Elgin.

The licensing would not apply individually to professionals already licensed by the state -- such as doctors and lawyers -- but might apply to the offices holding their practices, Stegall said. And, with construction projects continuing downtown until 2014, businesses there would be exempt until that time.

The proposed budget has such licenses based on the square footage of the office and range from $35 to $600 annually. Chamber President Leo Nelson said the money would be use to help fund economic development efforts in Elgin. A firmer licensing plan will be presented to the chamber's board for its consideration on Nov. 19.