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Brunswick staff propose 10% pay increase for officers; council agrees to place revised FY27 salary scale on June 9 agenda
Summary
At a June 2 workshop, police leaders told the City of Brunswick Mayor and Council that salary and retirement benefits are hindering recruitment and retention. Staff proposed holding two vacancies and a 10% across‑the‑board pay increase for sworn officers; the council asked that the updated FY27 salary scale be placed on the June 9 agenda for a vote.
The City of Brunswick Mayor and Council heard a presentation June 2 from Police Chief Kevin Grunwell and Police Captain Andy Crone on current staffing, historic hiring, and recruitment challenges facing the department. Chief Grunwell and Captain Crone told the council that “they stated challenges have been identified with filling and retaining officers because of salaries and retirement benefits.”
City staff recommended keeping the department’s current number of authorized officers on the FY27 organizational chart but not filling two vacant positions and using those vacant‑position salary savings to support a 10% across‑the‑board increase for all sworn officers. Staff also recommended contracting a LEOPS actuary later this summer or fall with the goal of entering the LEOPS program in FY28; the transcript does not expand the LEOPS acronym.
Council members expressed general support for the options presented and consented to place an updated FY27 salary scale on the June 9 Council meeting agenda for a formal vote. No formal vote or vote tally was recorded at the June 2 workshop; the staff recommendation was presented as the preferred option and the council’s response was described as generally supportive.
The administrative details — including the specific salary tables, estimated fiscal impact in dollars, and which department budget line would fund any increase — were not specified in the workshop record. The next procedural step is the June 9 Council meeting, where councilors will consider the updated FY27 salary scale and any accompanying budget adjustments. The workshop adjourned at 7:19 p.m.
