Kennett police officers may be seeing an increase in pay. It was brought to the council's attention Tuesday night by councilman Jake Crafton that the city can find a way to pay the officers more if it is willing to make some changes in other areas and departments. [Click to enlarge]

Although mentioned a few times over the past year, the council agreed that the city's officers were deserving of a raise but how to go about getting the funds to do so was the problem.

Councilman Jake Crafton brought the idea before the council again, reminding it that the idea has been tossed around and the council agrees something should change but a resolution has never come forth in order to find a way to give the officers their much deserved raise.

"As a citizen of this city and as a member of the council who serves on the police committee, I am down right disappointed to say that we have some of the lowest paid officers in the state of Missouri," Crafton said. "It concerns me that we can't figure out a way to pay our police officers more for what they do."

Crafton did his homework, presenting the council with a few proposals for ways to compensate the city's officers, after reviewing a draft of the city's 2008/2009 budget.

"I have contacted several surrounding cities to see what they pay their officers," Crafton said, "and the numbers actually embarrassed me."

Crafton advised the council that the City of Kennett falls way behind other cities including Paragould, Ark., Blytheville, Ark., Hayti, Caruthersville, and even the small southernmost Dunklin County town, of Cardwell, Mo.

Crafton said when you start comparing the numbers, the revenue the City of Kennett's officers bring in surpasses that of the other towns by far. "But yet, those cities have cared enough to come up with a way to pay their officers more money.

According to Crafton's information and calculations, the city could amend its budget, and by eliminating or adjusting funds designated to specific areas the city would gain enough revenue to increase each officers pay.

"Right now, new officers start out at only $22,212," Crafton said. "That is approximately $3,000 less than some of the next highest paid cities."

Crafton recommended that the council look into changing areas such as the time of the city's yearly City Wide Pick-up. "We pay $45,000 for the one week city clean-up," Crafton said. "If that alone was eliminated, we would have enough money available to be able to start our officers out at $25,000, and give raises to those who have been serving our city for a long time as well.

"It's my understanding that, if you make over $23,000 a year, you are to get a three-percent cost of living increase, which I propose we give our veteran officers in addition to a raise they so deserve," Crafton said. "These men and women put their lives on the line every single day. I think we can hold off and not choose to get our trash picked up at a certain time in an effort to see that we are making every effort to pay our officers accordingly."

Councilman Tracy Smith agreed with Crafton, adding that, "I agree that we have been lagging around, settling for the same reasons, that we didn't have the means for funding an increase in pay," Smith said, "but it is definitely time to stop lagging and come up with a solution."

Every councilman, including Mayor Roger Wheeler, expressed their gratitude for Crafton's concern and research, adding that, if he, Crafton, could meet with members of the financial committee and others on the police committee and come up with a formula that will be suitable and present a more in-depth review at the July 1 council meeting.

"I want to pursue your line of question," Wheeler said to Crafton. "You have definitely touched on something that we've been needing to address," he added, "but we really need to accept the budget as presented, but with the understanding that it can be amended at any given time."

City Administrator Ken Goslee informed the council that although it would approve a budget for the entire year, changes could be made every month throughout the year, if need be.

"Approving the budget is something we have to do," Goslee said, "but it can be amended every single month for 12 months straight. This is simply a guideline for us to go by," he said.

With knowing that, the council agreed to approve the budget and to table the discussion on police officers pay until the next council meeting and after the financial committee and police committee could meet.

Other business included passing an ordinance prohibiting smoking in city parks except in designated areas. The council also approved an ordinance approving the placement of a stop sign at the intersection of Fourth and King Streets; it approved an ordinance changing the area requirement for septic tanks within the city, and it approved an ordinance establishing a $25 fee for demolition permits and a mandatory refundable deposit of $250 for demolition.

At the request of the Kennett Chamber of Commerce, the council approved to renew two of its contracts with the Chamber, with the total amount of both totaling $40,000.

Chief of Police Barry Tate informed the council that, during the month of May, six officers from the Kennett Police Special Response Team (SRT) attended the Response to Suicide Bomber's training class in New Mexico.

"This class is sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security," Tate said. "During this course, these officers received certification and materials to provide training for fellow officers. "We've learned that terrorist aren't just going to the big cities now. "They are among us."

The council was also given brief updates from Kennett Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jan McElwrath, Fire Chief John Mallott and Street Commissioner Randy Carter.

The next regularly scheduled meeting has been set for 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 1, 2008, at the Kennett Municipal building.