Red Springs board approves $47,000 starting pay for police, appropriates $15,000 in youth-violence grant funds

The Red Springs Town Board voted to increase the town's police starting salary to $47,000 and to apply the previously adopted step-pay structure to current staff, officials said.

Town staff told commissioners the town had budgeted $10,000 of a youth violence prevention grant but learned the full award is $25,000; the board moved to appropriate the remaining $15,000 to the grant account. Finance staff said the appropriation would be split 50/50 across accounts because the town's financial system does not allow multiple codes for certain accounts.

A staff member who reviewed regional pay comparisons recommended the $47,000 starting salary to better recruit and retain officers in the area. "I'm recommending that we increase our pay to 47,000," the staff member said during the meeting. The presenter said the town's current starting pay was about $43,000 and that neighboring jurisdictions start between roughly $45,000 and $50,000, with an area average around $47,813.

Commissioners discussed vacancies, retirements and budget lines that could fund step increases without exceeding the adopted budget. A motion to implement a $47,000 minimum starting salary alongside the step increases passed by voice vote with members responding "aye" and no opposition recorded on the public record.

The board did not provide a roll-call tally or name a mover and seconder for the motion in the public record. Staff said the step pay plan will be applied to existing employees and to future hires as appropriate.

Next steps: staff will make the accounting adjustments needed to appropriate the grant funds and to implement the revised starting salary within the town payroll process.