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Council hears mold report and staffing plan as police department slices vacancies to fund pay increases
Summary
Staff reported mold in the modular police building requiring HVAC replacement and repairs estimated over $30,000; council also heard a recruitment plan that reallocated existing budgeted posts to increase pay (patrol pay up ~16.2%), a move that produced five applications after a period of near-zero interest and prompted council questions about transparency.
Parker ' City staff told the council on Jan. 6 that the temporary modular police building has developed significant moisture and mold issues and that two of four HVAC modules likely need replacement; initial remediation and replacement quotes came in close and parts have approximately a 10-week lead time.
Staff presented mold-assessment results that showed elevated mold spore counts but said no specifically identified health-threatening species were found. Personnel working in the building have been asked to mitigate exposure (for example, using N95 masks) until remediation is complete. The project estimate exceeded $30,000 and staff said the cost would be charged to multi-building maintenance funds; staff said they intended to select an experienced HVAC contractor and proceed with cleaning and replacement.
The council also received a report on police recruitment and compensation. Sergeant Burdick said the department was authorized for 14 positions and currently employs seven, and that recruiting and retention had been a chronic problem. Staff described a short-term plan implemented in the last two weeks that reallocated budgeted headcount to increase patrol hourly pay by an average of 16.2 percent, added shift differential, and created steps to incentivize longevity and lateral hires. Grant (staff) said the change improved Parker PD's entry-level pay ranking in a regional list from roughly #89 to about #22 and that the department received five applications in two weeks after historically low interest.
Several council members expressed concern about the process and timing: some said they learned of the compensation changes via social media rather than through internal briefings and asked for a workshop to clarify the respective roles of council, the city manager and staff when making structural staffing or budget changes. Staff said the reallocation used existing budget lines (delaying some supplemental patrol hires) rather than increasing the overall budget this fiscal year, but council members asked for clearer communication and a formal review of policy and procedure.
Council asked staff to prepare a workshop on personnel/budget communication and on transparency around significant operational changes, and to return with detailed budget impact analysis and timing for remediation of the police facility.
