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Joyce proposes $6K raise for police officers in Parkersburg budget

By Evan Bevins 3 min read

PARKERSBURG -- Police officers would receive a $6,000-a-year pay increase and other city employees a 4.2% cost-of-living adjustment in the 2024-25 fiscal year budget Mayor Tom Joyce presented to Parkersburg City Council Tuesday evening.

The $37.7 million spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1 includes no fee hikes but a $1.3 million boost in revenue, largely based on projected business and occupation and sales tax receipts, Joyce said in an interview this week.

The flat increase for police officers is in lieu of the cost-of-living adjustment for other employees, excluding elected officials, and will raise the starting salary for a patrolman to $54,800 a year. Joyce said it's part of the ongoing effort to improve recruitment and retention of officers.

"We've got to remain competitive," he said. "Parkersburg Police Department remains the busiest, by far, of all the law enforcement agencies in the Mid-Ohio Valley," averaging five times as many calls for service.

As of March 15, the department will have 61 officers, 11 fewer than the number budgeted. To help fund the raises, the budget reduces the number of officer slots from 72 to 68, Joyce said.

Health insurance costs are projected to rise 14% due to changes in the state's Public Employee Insurance Agency system, Finance Director Eric Jiles said. That accounts for approximately $300,000 in additional expenditures.

There is $2.17 million budgeted for street paving and improvements from the street infrastructure fund established last year with revenue from the sale of the Memorial Bridge.

The budget includes about $1 million for capital expenditures, including $270,000 for four equipped police cars, $95,000 for an air compressor and utility truck for the Streets Department and $62,500 for materials to permanently close five floodwall gates that have been blocked off for decades, Jiles said.

In addition, the budget allocates $100,000 toward future mechanical repairs to the Southwood Park waterslide and $50,000 each to build toward purchasing a new fire truck and recycling truck.

It does not include additional funds for the planned $13 million activity and recreation building in City Park. The $4.4 million already set aside for it is "more or less a down payment, if you will," Joyce said, with the city planning to finance the rest using the debt service fund created with $10.4 million that had been designated for demolition and maintenance of the Memorial Bridge.

Council voted 7-0, with Councilwoman Jesse Cottrille and Councilman Zach Stanley absent, to receive and file the budget and refer it to the Committee of the Whole, consisting of all nine members, for hearings.

Council Vice President J.R. Carpenter will chair the budget hearings, which begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, in council chambers. Subsequent hearings are scheduled for the same time and place March 7, 13, 14 and, if needed, 19.

After the meeting, Carpenter noted the six days between the second and third hearings, saying, "There's a big break so we'll have more time to assimilate" the information.

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Parkersburg City Council will meet as the Committee of the Whole to consider the proposed 2024-25 budget. Hearings are scheduled for 6 p.m. in council chambers on the following dates:

* Wednesday, March 6

* Thursday, March 7

* Wednesday, March 13

* Thursday, March 14

* Tuesday, March 19 (if needed)

Starting at /week.