Council approves pay increase for Anderson police administrative staff

Ken de la Bastide, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

Oct. 22—ANDERSON — After wanting to eliminate the pay increase for the police department's administrative staff, Anderson City Councilman Jon Bell voted for the ordinance.

The Anderson City Council on Thursday approved the 4% salary increases for all elected officials, department heads and nonunion employees.

The council also approved the 2022 general fund budget of $37.7 million.

Last week Bell wanted to eliminate the 4% pay increase for the police administrative staff to encourage action on the police reform resolution adopted in 2020.

Bell said Thursday that he talked with the Fraternal Order of Police union.

He said the Anderson police and fire department budgets are similar.

"The police department has not acted on the resolution," he said. "I want to work with the city administration and the executive staff of the police department to enact some provisions of the resolution.

"There hasn't been any progress," Bell said. "I'm going to support the raises because I want to support the police department to best serve the community."

Bell said he will challenge the administration of Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. in 2022 to implement some of the reforms including accreditation of the police department, more transparency and changes in the citizen complaint process.

"There will be no excuses next year," he said.

The salary ordinance for the administrative staff passed by 8-1, with Council President Ty Bibbs voting no.

2022 budget

The council will also approved the 2022 general fund budget of $37.7 million, with projected revenues of $36.7 million with the additional funding for paving coming from the city's operating balance of about $16 million.

City Controller Doug Whitham said the budget is balanced, and there are sufficient cash reserves in each of the city's various funds for 2022.

Councilwoman Rebecca Crumes wanted to know how much was included in the 2022 budget for the 4% pay increase.

Whitham said the pay increase, including benefits, will be about $1.2 million in the general fund.

Crumes was the only council member to vote against adopting the 2022 budget.

"We're going to approve a budget with general amounts," she said. "There is no plan. The average citizen has no input in the budget."

She also asked how much money the city spent on contributions to nonprofit organizations.

Whitham said that through June, the city had provided $105,000; in all of 2020, because of the pandemic, the contribution was $37,896.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.