Highfill increases salaries, adds full-time police officer post

HIGHFILL -- The city council in Highfill, at its Aug. 9 meeting, created a position for a new full-time police officer and approved a 9 percent salary increase for all its city employees, with the exception of the mayor. The salary increase will begin in September.

The salary increase comes at the recommendation of the JER HR Group, which did a study of Highfill's employee jobs, skills and competitive salaries and found that the city was paying its employees approximately 14 percent less than the median salaries offered for similar job positions in the region. It was suggested that the city give a 9 percent increase this year and, anticipating that level would increase by another 4 percent next year, another 9 percent raise next year to bring the city up to the median market salary level for the region.

Bruce Johanson, a consultant with JER HR, presented the firm's report to the council prior to the action on Aug. 9. Johansen's report took into account the job descriptions for all 12 of Highfill's employees, their education and skillsets, and the market for such employees in the Northwest Arkansas Region.

Michelle Rieff, Highfill's mayor, said the council needed to consider whether Highfill would continue to train employees only to lose them to other employers paying better wages.

"Are we going to be a training ground or keep our employees?" Rieff asked the council, adding that the city now has good, quality employees and is moving in the right direction in regard to work that needs to be done in the city.

In a related matter, Blake Webb, Highfill's police chief, said that the department was in need of another full-time officer due to the city's growth and all the nighttime calls for service -- a good number of the calls require more than one officer to respond, he said. Webb said his officers have been great about doing all the extra work related to calls and investigations but that it was time to hire another officer and move a step closer to having 24-hour coverage in the city.

"I really need two more full-time officers," Webb said, adding that he would like to hire one now and perhaps another next year.

The council approved creating another full-time officer position. Webb said he plans to promote a part-time officer so there would be no additional cost for a vehicle or equipment.

In the case of the salary increases and the new officer, money will be added to the budget line items when the budget is adjusted at the close of the year. The likely source to cover the costs is tax revenue the city is receiving that exceeds previous budget expectations. Rieff said the city is receiving far more city and county tax money than anticipated, with the surplus expected to be more than enough to cover the costs of a new officer and salary increases. Mayor Rieff said she anticipated a $350,000 surplus in tax revenue this year.

Voting for the salary increase and the new officer were council members Justin Allen, Jeremy Rogers, Jack Loyd and Toby Lester. Council members Chris Holland and Jayme Thompson were absent.

Gene Holland, Highfill's fire chief, said he would have to look at the income limits for volunteer firemen to determine whether employees in the fire department could accept the 9 percent raise.

In other action, the council passed on its first reading an ordinance authorizing the fire department to purchase five Scott 3X air packs, 10 air bottles and related equipment. Justin Allen voted against suspending the rules to allow the ordinance to be read by title only and passed on three readings with a single vote, so the ordinance was read in full and could only be passed on its first reading. The ordinance will be brought back to the council for subsequent readings in September.

Chief Holland said the price might change before the ordinance and emergency clause are adopted since the bid was only good for 30 days. He said he would bring back a corrected price next month should the price change.

A resolution was passed transferring $2,332 from incoming water revenue to the fire equipment fund.

It was reported to the council that figures which had been used for a comprehensive study on the sewer system were inaccurate and that a new study and rate evaluation were needed. Rather than do a full rate study now and then be required to do another when the city connects to Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority, per Arkansas Act 605, that a less extensive rate evaluation be done now and the full rate study be done in connection with joining NACA.

City attorney Jay Williams advised the council that state law required it to request statements of qualifications from engineering firms able to do the required work and then select a list of three to be used to negotiate the terms of a contract for the work. That would also be the requirement when the city does its complete rate study to comply with Act 605.

It was reported that work would need to be professionally engineered before the city makes repairs to Douglas Cemetery and Duke Hill roads. Williams again pointed out that, unless the city already has contracted with an engineer for such services, the city would need to go through the steps of requesting statements of qualifications and selecting a slate of engineering firms for the mayor to use to negotiate a contract for those services.