Lucas Council approves step-pay plan for police and fire, tied to training standards

The Lucas City Council unanimously approved a public safety step-pay plan designed to standardize pay progression for firefighters and police officers and to make pay increases more transparent and objective.

City staff explained the plan sets a seven-step progression for entry-level firefighters and patrol officers based on market midpoint comparisons to peer cities, with a range of roughly ±15 percent. Councilor (speaker 4) said the plan is intended to reduce subjective merit variability and to publish the minimum training and testing standards necessary for progression.

Under the adopted policy, employees on the step plan will become eligible for step increases on their anniversary date if they meet published training objectives, written-test requirements and disciplinary standards established annually by the respective chiefs. Step increases replace merit increases for positions on the plan; COLA adjustments would still apply in addition to step progression, though council retains authority to postpone steps during severe budget constraints.

Agency officials (speakers 11 and 12) emphasized many training standards are mandatory under Texas oversight bodies (for example, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for police and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection for firefighters) and said the departments will publicize the specific metrics used to evaluate eligibility for steps.

Councilor (speaker 7) moved to approve the step plan and corresponding policies to become effective Oct. 1, 2026; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Staff said chiefs will finalize the department-level training standards and publish them for employee and public review. Council framed the change as a retention and equity measure intended to reduce perceived favoritism in pay decisions and to align Lucas with surrounding jurisdictions.