The City of Carroll is implementing a bonus incentive as they look to fill two openings on the police force. City Manager, Mike Pogge-Weaver, says this recruitment tool will allow them to offer a hiring bonus of up to $5,000 for certified officers.
This is a form of compensation and is subject to collective bargaining with the police union. The existing officers are willing to make this change to the current agreement that runs through June 30, 2023. The Teamsters Local Union No. 238 has also requested that changes be made to the schedule to allow for some full weekends off.
The change would require a move from a 40-hour work week to an 80-hour work period. Pogge-Weaver says that too will need to be added as an amendment to the current collective bargaining agreement. However, overtime is to be treated differently.
Another change encompasses frequency of pay. The current pay period is every two weeks. Pogge-Weaver says they did run into some issues with this fiscal year coming up that would have had them going from 26 pay periods to 27 next year. The new language offers more flexibility to twice per month pay periods. The local union representative has approved the memorandum of understanding. It was also subsequently approved by the Carroll City Council after discussion on adding language to the contract of new certified officers that they will be required to remain with the department for a set number of years, typically two, if they accept the hiring bonus.
