Edison Township Council on Thursday moved an ordinance to first reading that raises the township’s police extra-duty fee schedule and schedules a public hearing for Wednesday, Oct. 8.

Council President Harris moved the measure and asked that it “be passed on first reading, published according to law for further consideration and public hearing set down for Wednesday, October 8.” The council approved the introduction on a roll-call vote with all members recorded as yes.

The ordinance, drafted as an amendment to Chapter 2, Article 3, Section 2‑31 (police extra-duty employment), updates fee amounts charged when police officers perform off-duty assignments for private parties. A staff member explained the change as a shift of direct costs to private requesters: “This puts the cost and the burden on that private individual for the costs that would be incurred if you had someone who was on your regularly scheduled police force handling the matter.”

Council members and public speakers discussed who would pay under the revised schedule and whether nonprofit groups could receive waivers. Council President Harris said the proposal moves the hourly rate “from $50 an hour” to $80 an hour, which he called reasonable. The staff member clarified that “the only way that any fees for a nonprofit could be waived would be for them to make that request to this governing body, which you would then have to approve by a majority of your body to authorize the action and waiver of fees.”

A resident asked when the current ordinance had been last enacted; a council member responded that the ordinance in its prior form dated to 2018. The ordinance introduction package in the meeting packet was said to include the draft with historical dates.

The council’s action was procedural: introduction and setting a public hearing. The ordinance will return Oct. 8 for public comment and a possible second reading or adoption. No final fee schedule was adopted at Thursday’s meeting; the council only approved introduction and the hearing date.