The Bremen Town Council members were presented with a wage ordinance that changes the new Probationary Police Officer pay to $25 an hour.
Councilmember Rick Graverson asked for clarification of the ordinance. He understood that Police Chief Brad Kile wanted to bring in the newly-hired police officer at a Probationary Officer hourly pay rate of $25. Graverson was under the assumption that once that pay was established for that officer, the pay rate would go back to $22.85 as this was a specific request.
Clerk-Treasurer Janet Anglemyer explained that in order to bring in this officer at this probationary pay rate, the wage ordinance had to be amended to reflect that. However, once the wage ordinance is set at a higher rate it cannot be decreased.
Chief Kile noted that it was his hope that the pay gap could be narrowed between the Probationary Officer pay and the First Class Patrolman and this ordinance would assure that.
Council President Michael Leman and members Bill Daily and Jim Leeper declared the ordinance an emergency and approved it on all three readings. Councilman Rick Graverson abstained from the vote.
