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Harrisville discusses police promotions and code‑enforcement funding as part of budget updates
Summary
Council members and staff discussed creating a lieutenant position within the police department in advance of an anticipated retirement, increasing part‑time officer wages and funding ongoing code‑enforcement work. Staff said some part‑time wages were omitted in last year’s budget and must be accounted for in FY2026.
City staff and council members discussed police staffing and code enforcement as part of the FY2026 budget work session. The police chief (presenter not named on the record) said the department expects a retirement next January and recommended moving an existing staff member into a lieutenant role to begin training; the presenter framed the move as an internal promotion and said the assistant‑chief position would be reactivated when the current assistant chief leaves.
“Moving someone into a lieutenant position that's already in that mid... to start training for Dennis is expressing that he's gonna retire probably in January,” a presenter said, explaining the timing and training rationale.
Staff also acknowledged an oversight in last year’s budget: part‑time officer wages were not included and must be added this year. The presenter said the part‑time wages and additional code‑enforcement costs will increase the salary line and that staff currently pay code enforcement from other line items; they proposed reallocating within personnel budgets rather than requesting new funds.
On retirement contributions, staff discussed that employees fall into multiple retirement tiers, which affects the city’s retirement contribution obligations and staff said the differences depend on individual employee tier elections.
Council did not take formal action; staff said they will adjust line items to reflect corrected part‑time wages and to support the planned lieutenant training and code‑enforcement continuation.
