City cops get pay hike

ROANOKE RAPIDS — City Council voted to raise the pay of police officers Tuesday night. The council also rejected the idea of paying retiring Parks and Recreation Director Chris Wicker as a part-time city consultant and heard from City Manager Paul Sabiston regarding Lafayette Gatling’s November payment on his lease of The Roanoke Rapids Theatre.

Outgoing Councilman Jon Baker raised the issue of police pay last week at City Council’s work session, but at that time no action was taken. Baker presented a study done by City Deputy Clerk Kathy Kearney to Council indicating Roanoke Rapids police personnel trail their regional counterparts by significant margins in pay. At his final meeting, Baker urged Council to take action immediately to correct this disparity.

“According to the finance office we have the money,” Baker said. “I think if we have the money available to take care of this without touching the fund balance (we should).” The fund balance is the city’s available cash reserve to be used in emergencies.

Baker acknowledged other departments in his motion to Council. “The rest of the departments need an in-house pay study done,” Baker said. In his motion, Baker asked for Council authorization of a 7 to 10 percent pay raise for city police, with City Manager Sabiston deciding on a position-by-position basis who would get what percentage increase — 7 percent being the lowest and 10 percent the highest. Baker also included in his motion authorization for in-house pay studies of all city departments starting with Public Works and finishing all departments by April 1, 2010. Pay increases for police would take effect Jan. 1, 2010. Councilman Ernest Bobbitt seconded the motion.

Councilman Carl Ferebee began the discussion. “I don’t disagree the police department needs an increase,” Ferebee said. “Not one iota do I disagree.” However, Ferebee wanted a study done of pay across the entire city payroll. When Ferebee raised the issue of the amount, Baker countered by saying the entire pay raise would cost the city $175,000.

Councilman Bobbitt added his voice to Baker’s supporting the police pay raise. “It’s not easy but we have to start somewhere, sometime and not keep putting it off,” Bobbitt, a former Roanoke Rapids police chief, told the council. “It’s a first step and I hope we can go forward with it.” He also supported the idea of pay studies for all departments.

With no further discussion offered, Mayor Drewery Beale called for a vote. Council approved the pay raises with only Ferebee dissenting.

Also out of Tuesday night’s meeting, City Council voted to reject the plant to offer part-time employment to retiring Parks and Recreation Director Chris Wicker. Council had approved the drafting of a contract at the Nov. 2 work session, but took no further action at that time. In that meeting, Councilman Bobbitt expressed unease with the idea, questioning whether the city needed a grant writer. The city contract sought to employ Wicker after his retirement to help the city write grants and engage in other special projects with all city departments as needed.

Sabiston spoke in support of hiring Wicker, outlining the initial contract provided for renewal after six months in June. The contract would then be renewable at Council’s discretion for a one-year period, but Sabiston explained the first contract stipulated six months because “I was afraid we’d scare Chris away if we tied him down for a year.”

Surprisingly, given Council’s approval of the contract’s creation, the body voted to reject approval of Wicker’s hiring. Council members Ed Liverman and Carl Ferebee approved the contract, but Jon Baker, Ed Deese and Ernest Bobbitt voted against it, killing the measure.

In his report to Council, City Manager Sabiston informed Lafayette Gatling has not made his November payment on his lease for the Roanoke Rapids Theatre. “The group managing the theater has not made their November payment at this time,” Sabiston said. “This has occurred in the past; there’s no reason to be alarmed at this point but it’s my duty to inform City Council.”

Later Ferebee informed the public and Council he’d discussed this issue with Gatling. “Mr. Gatling has indicated to me the structure (of his payment schedule) is difficult for him,” Ferebee said. “He also indicated he would like more city support in making the theater a success. He felt the candidates who were elected would continue to support him and help make this theater successful.”

Incoming Council members Suetta Scarbrough and Greg Lawson along with incoming Mayor Emery Doughtie have indeed indicated during their campaigns they would do what they could to help the Roanoke Rapids Theatre succeed.

“I know sometimes you don’t want to say things about the theater,” Ferebee added, citing the stigma attached to the project. “But there are times when you have to say those things.”

After the meeting, Sabiston said he would work with Gatling on his payment. “We don’t want the city having to pay more money,” Sabiston said. “If the bank would give us flexibility we could pass onto Mr. Gatling, we would consider that. We want to work with them as much as we can but we have tax dollars to consider.” Sabiston reiterated this has happened before and he wasn’t concerned about the November payment.

City Council also recognized Roanoke Rapids Police Officer John Taylor for receiving the Intermediate Law Enforcement Certificate from the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. Council also accepted two grants for the police department — a $4,000 COPS grant from the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety and a $14,333 Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grant. Police Chief Jeff Hinton indicated the extra money would be used for much needed equipment for his officers.

Council also approved a $2,000 donation for the Christmas parade and approved the 2010 Legislative agenda to be presented to Halifax County for presentation to the local General Assembly delegation for the upcoming session. Sabiston also presented initial findings regarding ongoing studies of a waste transfer station to be built in the city’s maintenance yard, where all city solid waste would go and then be transferred to the most cost-effective landfill available. No action was sought; Sabiston only presented the idea.

The city also voted to accept a Community Development Block Grant for $250,000 for infrastructure supporting the Chapel Ridge Apartment Development. The tax-credit housing project is anticipating site approval from the city soon and according to Sabiston they are looking to begin construction at their earliest opportunity.

When Council next holds a regular meeting, currently scheduled for Dec. 8, new Council members Suetta Scarbrough and Greg Lawson will be taking their seats, currently held by Ed Deese and Jon Baker. New Mayor Emery Doughtie will also be sworn-in, replacing outgoing Mayor Drewery Beale.