Scottsville council approves $13,200 reallocation to boost police starting pay to aid recruiting

The Scottsville Town Council voted to reallocate $13,200 within the police department budget to increase starting pay for two full-time police positions, a move town leaders said is intended to help recruit and retain officers.

Chief Jenkins, who addressed the council at length, described recruiting challenges and said advertising showed the town was roughly $3,500 below regional averages for comparable positions. Jenkins proposed splitting the $13,200 line-item between two officer starting salaries (about $6,600 each) and said the move would allow the advertised starting salary to be more competitive. "We're just not gonna need followers," Jenkins said, adding the town must offer flexibility to attract certified officers.

Councilors discussed practical details, including prorating the reallocated funds over the remainder of the fiscal year and timing: the vacancy's effective last day was identified as June 6 and the police academy referenced in the discussion begins in early July; Jenkins outlined that academy training is 20 weeks and noted training costs and background checks would follow candidate selection.

Several councilors expressed support for using the existing CTAC reimbursement/contractual overtime line item to shore up salary offers while urging continued attention to long-term salary competitiveness. The council moved to approve shifting the $13,200 to officer salaries, authorized staff to advertise the vacancy with a higher starting range, and approved the action by roll call.

Council asked the chief and staff to consult with counsel about the reallocation and to keep the council informed during the hiring process; no change to the overall personnel policy was adopted at the meeting.