EVANSDALE — After the City Council discussed the police department’s current Teamsters union contract Tuesday, Mayor DeAnne Kobliska said elected officials have agreed on a pay bump for officers.
She expects the Aug. 16 meeting to include a contract amendment for the council to formally consider and approve.
The $22.84 base rate would go up $2.16, or about 9%, to $25 per hour.
That hike, she said, will apply across the board to the other pay scale steps in an officer’s second, third, fourth, fifth, eighth, 10th, 12th and 15th years.
Those years will remain the same, despite one of the previous proposals having the scale top out at the 10th year.
Additionally, Kobliska said the council agreed to offer $1,500, $1,500 and $2,000 bonuses after their first, second and third years, respectively, once they complete their in-house police training.
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Developer Nick Graham had considered deviating from the familiar name, but decided against it for brand recognition.
In addition to other minor incentives, another perk will be a “lateral transfer” clause. That means an officer coming from a different department would carry their years of service over and apply it to the Evansdale’s pay scale.
Police Chief Mike Dean made it clear last month leading up to this latest development that the council needed to do a better job attracting candidates for positions in his department, or else it’d be at risk of not having a 24/7 department because of not having enough officers to work the streets.
A couple of hundred people attended an hour-long celebration of life ceremony for Tyler and Sarah Schmidt and their six-year-old daughter, Lula. The Cedar Falls family members were found shot to death July 22 in their tent at Maquoketa Caves State Park.
Councilors have discussed bringing about changes in recruitment across all city departments, after having struggled to attract viable candidates to fill its city clerk position.
Before settling on a $25 per hour base, the previous proposal had officers starting at $26 per hour, and then guaranteeing officers reach 3% salary hikes each of their first three years, and then 4% the fourth, fifth, eighth and tenth years.
Instead, council agreed with 3% across the board until the 15th year.
PHOTOS: Clarksville museum hosts Rail Safety Week
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Displays at the Trains on the Farm museum in Clarksville on Sept. 23, 2019.
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Blue placards attached to railroad safety features at every crossing include a phone number to call for vehicles stuck on the tracks and other hazards.
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Blue placards attached to railroad safety features at every crossing include a phone number to call for vehicles stuck on the tracks and other hazards.
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Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg addresses the crowd during the National Rail Safety Week kickoff at Trains on the Farm museum in Clarksville on Sept. 23, 2019.
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Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg addresses the crowd during the National Rail Safety Week kickoff at Trains on the Farm museum in Clarksville on Sept. 23, 2019.
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Displays at the Trains on the Farm museum in Clarksville on Sept. 3, 2019.
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Francis Edeker, Iowa president for Operation Lifesaver, at the mock railroad tracks outside his Trains on the Farm museum in Clarksville on Sept. 23, 2019.
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Francis Edeker, Iowa president for Operation Lifesaver, addresses the crowd during the National Rail Safety Week kickoff at his Trains on the Farm museum in Clarksville on Sept. 23, 2019.
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Francis Edeker, Iowa president for Operation Lifesaver, at the mock railroad tracks outside his Trains on the Farm museum in Clarksville on Monday.
