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Trustees hear police retirement and pay comparison; no change made
Summary
Police Chief Hernandez presented PERA contribution history and asked the board to consider moving certified officers to PERA Plan 4 and other compensation changes to improve recruitment and retention; the board discussed budget implications and took no action.
Police Chief Hernandez presented information about the Anthony Police Department's retirement contributions and a salary-and-benefits comparison with nearby agencies, but the board took no action.
The chief reviewed the department's PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association) participation, stating the department currently participates in PERA Plan 1 and outlining contribution rates from 2022 through 2026. He asked the board to consider moving certified officers to PERA Plan 4 to enhance retirement benefits and make Anthony more competitive in lateral recruitment.
Chief Hernandez also presented a survey of similarly sized agencies, saying some departments hire only certified lateral officers and citing Sunland Park as an example that offers starting pay of about $26.00 per hour while participating in PERA Plan 3. Trustees and the mayor discussed staffing vacancies, hiring incentives and potential salary adjustments, and noted the budgetary implications of changing compensation or retirement participation. The board characterized the item as a discussion for future action and said any proposed salary or benefit changes would be brought back under a future consideration-and-action agenda item when budget information is available.
No motion or vote was recorded on PERA participation or salary changes at the May 21 special meeting.
