Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kincaid committee debates police staffing levels, candidate pay and squad-car retention
Summary
Trustees reviewed options for a full-time police chief, discussed candidate salary expectations (one applicant cited at about $70,000), equipment custody and whether to keep a paid-off squad car, while staff confirmed return of departmental equipment.
Trustees at the Village of Kincaid committee meeting on March 24, 2025 discussed whether to pursue a full-time police chief and how to structure pay and benefits within the village's budget.
Lawrence, who placed the item on the agenda, said the committee should first have the finance subcommittee review the numbers and then consider hiring someone ‘‘who would like to be vested here’’. Beverly, a staff member who ran budget figures for the meeting, said the village appropriated $125,000 for police in the last fiscal year and noted that the village also receives about $8,400 annually from Tovey. Lawrence and other trustees said that with the right mix of hours and benefits the village could remain within the appropriation. ‘‘You get what you pay for,’’ Lawrence said, arguing for competitive compensation.
Trustees discussed two compensation scenarios described in the meeting: one applicant reportedly seeking about $70,000 per year, and another candidate whose requested rate was described as $30 per hour (roughly $62,000 annually if full-time). Trustees also discussed benefits costs — estimated in discussion at roughly $8,000–$8,300 per hire when the village pays into FICA and IMRF and provides vision, dental and health coverage — and whether some applicants would decline village coverage, which could reduce total employer cost.
The group debated operational priorities and local commitment. Warren and others emphasized that any officer hired should prioritize policing within Kincaid rather than outside special operations. Nelson relayed that during a phone conversation candidate Jason Marshall said he lives nearby and ‘‘he can make it in five minutes if I break the law’’ in an emergency, a detail Nelson said weighed in favor of reliability.
Officer Hubbs confirmed that officer equipment, including a taser, had been returned and secured; he warned that squad cars contain ammunition and that moving or allowing access to vehicles should be handled only by law enforcement to avoid liability. Seath stated he would not sell the village's paid-off squad car and recommended retaining it as a backup.
No formal hiring motion was taken; several trustees said a more thorough financial review and possible recommendations for the incoming mayor after the election would be appropriate next steps.
