PORTAGE | The City Council on Tuesday held a first reading on changes in the Police Department's clerk staffing.
The ordinance change only received a first reading because it was tied to some other changes, primarily clarifications to the city's salary ordinance.
One of those clarifications included adding paying crossing guards from the Redevelopment Commission budget. The line item had been accidentally omitted from the budget ordinance, said Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham.
Councilman John Cannon questioned why the city is paying for crossing guards at schools.
He was told it was something the city has done for many years. Cannon voted against the ordinance on its first reading and with the absence of council members Liz Modesto and Ted Uzelac Jr., who is a city police detective, abstaining from the vote because it included police matters, final action on the changes will be taken next month.
Police Chief Troy Williams said the secretary for the detective bureau retired last year and a clerk was moved into that position.
The city's salary ordinance, however, only provides for a chief's secretary and clerks with either eight or more or eight or less years of experience. He requested a position for the secretary of the detective bureau be created with a $1,400 increase in salary.
That person's clerk's position will be filled with two part-time employees, each working 25 hours per week at a rate of $10 per hour.
Williams said the part-time positions were necessary to maintain staffing in the clerical division, but would not cause budgetary issues for the department.
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