- Vienna Mayor Randy Rapp shares his thoughts on the hiring incentives for police officers during the Vienna City Council meeting on Thursday. Also pictured is city recorder Melissa Elam. (Photo by James Dobbs)
-
- Vienna Police Chief Mike Pifer gives a presentation on the officer hiring shortage and how to incentivise certified police officers to join the Vienna Police Department during the Vienna City Council meeting on Thursday. (Photo by James Dobbs)
-
- Vienna City Council member Kim Williams gives her opinion on the hiring incentives for police officers during the council meeting on Thursday. Also pictured is Councilmember Tom Azinger. (Photo by James Dobbs)
Vienna Mayor Randy Rapp shares his thoughts on the hiring incentives for police officers during the Vienna City Council meeting on Thursday. Also pictured is city recorder Melissa Elam. (Photo by James Dobbs)
VIENNA — Vienna City Council heard presentations from Vienna Police Chief Mike Pifer about hiring incentives and Lloyd Roberts from Bike and Hike Parkersburg on Thursday.
Pifer discussed the police hiring shortage and how new incentives could be used to attract more certified police officers to Vienna.
Certified police officers that currently join the VPD receive a $10,000 bonus after their first year on the force.
“I would propose that if we have a certified officer come and take our test for every completed year of service to offer a $0.35 incentive with a cap of a maximum of five years, so it’d be $1.75 on the hour,” he said.
Pifer explained that officers receive a $0.35 pay raise every year and that his proposal would help incoming officers start with a maximum of $1.75 more on their hourly salary. He said he believed that it would help retain more certified officers coming in.
Vienna Police Chief Mike Pifer gives a presentation on the officer hiring shortage and how to incentivise certified police officers to join the Vienna Police Department during the Vienna City Council meeting on Thursday. (Photo by James Dobbs)
Pifer’s proposal does away with the $10,000 bonus and implements the hourly wage increase.
Vienna Mayor Randy Rapp suggested including a vacation-time carry-over policy for certified officers as well.
Pifer shared his concerns about that idea, saying he thought that it would be a great incentive, but thought that it could lead to newer officers coming in with more vacation time than current officers have.
Councilmember Kim Williams said the new incentive proposal would basically add up to $3,700 in wages compared to the $10,000 bonus. She suggested that the department keep the $10,000 hiring bonus on top of the proposed pay bump.
Pifer urged council to discuss this matter and make a decision soon because a new test for certified officers is scheduled for Nov. 1.
Vienna City Council member Kim Williams gives her opinion on the hiring incentives for police officers during the council meeting on Thursday. Also pictured is Councilmember Tom Azinger. (Photo by James Dobbs)
Rapp said council will try to have a decision by next council meeting.
Lloyd Roberts, a volunteer with Bike and Hike Parkersburg, gave a presentation about creating a river trail between Parkersburg and Williamstown through Vienna.
“We believe that trails are great for property values,” he said. “They’re great for making communities more economically expective and they are great for making residents healthier.”
He added that trails are also a very low-cost social amenity.
Roberts said Vienna needs to come up with a trail plan and approve of a bridge location if the city wants to develop a river trail between Parkersburg and Williamstown. The Parkersburg River Trail, which would connect to the river trail that would go through Vienna, should be completed in summer of 2023, he said.
Chris Mancuso, councilmember, thanked Roberts for his time.
“This is something that I’m really excited about,” he said. “I’m excited to see the progress that Parkersburg has been making on this and seeing how it’s grown and expanded along the river. I think that’s a really great asset for the community.”
Council also discussed a resolution requiring council members to go through liaisons when talking to department heads about their respective departments. This gives council liaisons a chance to help other council members communicate with city department heads and answer questions or concerns as needed.
Williams said she thought the resolution created confusion by not defining the different types of communication between liaisons and department heads. She also explained that this system would act more like a gate, blocking communication instead of helping facilitate it.
Jim Leach, councilmember, moved to table the resolution so he could revise it before council voted on it. The motion was passed unanimously. Rapp said the resolution will return after Leach revises it.
James Dobbs can be reached at jdobbs@newsandsentinel.com