City officials discuss pay for next police chief
After receiving a proposal about what Charlie Sewell wants if offered McMinnville?s chief of police job, city officials are examining the proposal to get an idea about what filling the position will mean financially.
The first snag is Sewell is requesting a contract. According to Mayor Royce Davenport, contracts are not given to department directors and that?s not likely to change.
?I don?t see how we can treat one department head different from the other department heads,? said Davenport. ?We have the same policy for everybody.?
During his interview process, Sewell said he would have no problem working in Tennessee, which is an at-will employment state. Elected officials are hoping contracts will not be an issue with the three applicants.
After discussing the contract request, elected officials addressed the pay request. Although the amount was not disclosed, elected officials said it was more than what was being offered for the position. Realizing pay might be an issue given the applicant?s experience, elected officials are considering offering the step five salary which is $54,662 instead of step four which is $53,081.
Although this slight change still doesn?t get the pay for McMinnville?s chief of police up to what Sewell has earned in the past, Sewell said he doesn?t need insurance or retirement. He already has retirement and he can receive insurance through his wife?s employment.
In lieu of supplying insurance or retirement, elected officials discussed giving the equivalent in salary which will not cost the city extra.
The discussion brought up a good question from Vice Mayor Patti Nunley who asked what would happen if other department directors wanted salary instead of insurance or retirement.
?Are you setting a precedent you want to follow through with?? Nunley asked.
According to city recorder Shirley Durham, the retirement is a requirement by law and it isn?t possible to give salary instead. As far as the insurance, the cost to the city for single plus one is over $5,000 annually. Once added to the salary, the insurance would bring the pay up to $60,000 annually.
As for vacation time, Sewell requests three weeks. Standard vacation for department heads is one week to start, two weeks after three years and three weeks after 10 years. Consideration will be made to offering more vacation time given the applicant?s experience.
Sewell also requests that the city pay for all his moving expenses which could total $6,000. Sewell currently lives in Georgia. Officials say they won?t consider paying all the moving expenses.
One request that didn?t raise an eyebrow was for a car. Police department officers have assigned cars they are allowed to drive home. These cars are for department use only, a condition that will be stressed to the next chief of police.
Elected officials are still discussing exactly what pay and incentives to offer Sewell, saying they will not meet all his requests. According to Alderman Donald Hillis, the Safety Committee could present a recommendation to hire Sewell at the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 22.