Committee backs ordinance to allow pay credit for lateral police, fire hires

HendersonvilleGeneral Committee on Aug. 12 voted to forward Ordinance 2025-15, an amendment to the Hendersonville Municipal Code (Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 4304) that would permit public safety chiefs to grant pay credit for lateral transfers from other agencies.

The ordinance, sponsored by Terry Goodwin, would allow police and fire departments to recognize up to 50% of a lateral candidate's prior years of service when setting starting pay, subject to the chiefs' discretion and available budget. Jesse Acneroff, Chief of Operations, told the committee the provision is designed as a recruitment tool for departments that are understaffed.

"It's a recruitment tool, especially, you know, when PD is struggling right now to get folks in," Acneroff said, describing how recognizing prior service can reduce the training time and cost of bringing a certified officer onto the street.

Acneroff said the credit applies only to starting pay and does not automatically grant seniority, scheduling priority or other benefits; those remain subject to department policy. He also said the rule would not obligate the city to grant credit in any given case: "This provision in no way confers a right or obligates the city to provide pay credit for a lateral transfer," he said.

Committee members asked whether the policy is limited to entry-level hires and whether the "2-to-1" language in the draft should read "up to 2-to-1" to preserve departmental discretion. Acneroff said the chiefs generally expect to use the provision for entry-level recruits but the ordinance as drafted does not strictly limit credit to entry level; he recommended clarifying language to state a maximum rather than a fixed ratio.

Members also asked for fiscal analysis. Acneroff said a formal fiscal note should be added: any increased starting pay would be borne by the affected department's budget and is most likely to be used when vacancies already reduce salary costs for the year. He said the city has sometimes offered higher starting pay informally in difficult recruitments and this ordinance would make that option part of a formal, advertised policy.

The committee moved to send a positive recommendation on Ordinance 2025-15 to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The motion passed by voice vote.

Next steps: the ordinance will appear before the full Board of Mayor and Aldermen for consideration; staff said they will add a fiscal note and can survey neighboring jurisdictions to report comparators before second reading.