LAPEL — Lapel Town Council approved pay increases for town employees, ranging from 3% to more than 12%, with the passage of its 2022 salary ordinance.
Lapel Police Department employees received raises of between about 5% to 12%, while other town employees received 3%.
A factor in the increase for law enforcment was Madison County’s recent passing of a LIT (Local Income Tax) specifically for public safety.
One of the reasons for pushing the tax was to help bridge the gap in pay between officers in Madison County versus neighboring areas.
“With the LIT public safety tax passed, this is a great opportunity for us to use that increase in funding to bring our officers pay a little more in the line with our neighbors,” Lapel town council President Chad Blake said.
Chief Kelly Naselroad received a 5.49% increase from $53,560 to $56,500.
Captain John Buffington is receiving a 12.7% increase from $43,919.20 to $49,000. Three officers are receiving 8.4% increases from $39,208 to $42,500.
Blake suggested Buffington’s increase from a requested $48,000 to $49,500 would put him right in the middle of the chief and the patrolmen.
“I’m fine with putting the captain right in the middle between the chief and the patrolman. I don’t have a problem with that,” councilwoman Teresa Retherford said.
“If that’s what Chad and Chief Naselroad think that’s what’s best, I’m all for it, as well,” council Vice President Tom Marvel said.
“I hope our residents understand, because these are big increases, it does benefit our town in the long run. Every time we lose an officer and hire a new one we spend thousands of dollars in training those new officers,” councilman Jason Kleinbub said. “Our goal here is to try to be more competitive, retain our officers and eliminate the training and waste of money in the future. I’m in favor of these pay raises, as well.”
The council voted their own salaries to remain the same as in 2021.
Council president is paid $8,000, vice president $6,000 and members $5,800.
Town Hall still closed
The council voted unanimously to extend, indefinitely, a local emergency declaration to close Lapel Town Hall.
Initially, the emergency, which was declared earlier this month after COVID-19 was detected among Lapel town employees, was to last until Dec. 20.
With some town employees still not feeling well as of the board’s Dec. 16 meeting, the council thought it best to extend the declaration indefinitely.
Thursday’s council meeting, as well as a special council meeting conducted Monday, Dec. 13, took place virtually.
The local emergency, which can be viewed on the Town of Lapel Facebook page, read that all public meetings of town agencies and boards would be conducted virtually.
Additionally, it stated, with the exception of Lapel Town Hall, all town departments, including first responders, are to continue to operate as normal during the pendency of the emergency.
Many residents go to town hall to pay their gas, water and sewer bills. During the emergency, the town has instructed residents to use the drop box attached to the town hall or to make utilities payments online.
Dormant funds moved
The council voted to transfer funds from multiple dormant accounts to active accounts.
Two dormant funds of $2,786.28, including $2,485.82 from the Employee Risk Savings Account Fund and $300.46 from the Farmer’s Market Fund were transferred to the general fund.
In three other resolutions, the town transferred money from dormant savings accounts to active checking accounts.
An amount of $5,740 was transferred from the sewer customer deposit savings to sewer customer deposit checking. A total of $12,631.33 went from water meter customer deposit savings to the water meter customer deposit checking. A transfer of gas meter customer deposit savings account of $31,022 was moved to the gas meter customer deposit checking account.