LOWELL | Just in time for the holidays, town employees will be getting the pay raises due them this year.

"Last year, we budgeted 5 percent across the board," Clerk-Treasurer Judy Walters said. "We were waiting to receive our (2008) budget from the state. We got it two weeks ago."

Walters said all increases are retroactive to Jan. 1.

The salary ordinance also includes a "one-time bump" of $2,000 for sergeants, corporals and patrolmen in the Lowell Police Department, Walters said.

The Lowell Town Council approved that end-of-the-year bonus in two readings of the salary ordinances to allow it to become immediately effective.

Councilman Shane Tucker, D-2nd, a police lieutenant, abstained from voting.

In other business, Walters said the town now will be paying for Internet service that RTL Systems has provided free to the town for years.

One of the company's founders, Tom Felder, a former Lowell police chief, now deceased, saw it as a community service, Walters said. His wife, Jan Felder, and part-owner Cassie Smith continued the practice following his death.

RTL Systems is going out of business.

The council ratified an agreement with Comcast to provide Internet services to Town Hall, the Police Department, parks department and street department at a cost of $59 monthly for each location.

Walters said she still is trying to find a provider for the water and wastewater treatment plants that Comcast cannot serve.