edingerscottJamestown (CSi) The Jamestown City Council’s Police Committee & Public Works Committee met Thursday evening at City Hall.

All members were present.

Under Police Committee business the panel considered elimination of Police recruit pay.

Jamestown Police Chief Scott Edinger said currently a recruit receives $1,022 in pay every two weeks.

He says the wage is too low, given other cost of living expenses including housing rents.

Chief Edinger presented a wage study comparing Jamestown to other North Dakota cities in police department wages.

He said Valley City Police salaries are moving ahead of Jamestown salaries.

He said eliminating recruit pay is a way to attract officers and start officers at a more competitive wage.

Two position are to be filled, soon with one starting after the first of the year.

He added that the situation with officers leaving, including through retirement, the police officer staff on patrol will have a more inexperienced staff, on patrol, and in supervisory roles, which the chief said puts the department in “crisis.”

The committee recommends eliminating the recruit pay, and move to the starting salary.

 

With Public Works Committee business

 

The committee recommends approving an agreement from CPS relating to the 2014 Annual MSWLF Groundwater Monitoring Report and ongoing work with the ND Department of Health regarding VOC issues.

Approved was recommending a request to the US Army Corps of Engineers to provide at no cost to the City of Jamestown, a proposed Scope and Estimated Costs for performing Phase II of the River Study in Jamestown.

 

The committee recommends accepting the proposal and purchase from Central Business Systems of Jamestown for the replacement of a ten year old color laser printer in the Public Works Department.

The committee reviewed an architectural and engineering proposal from Joseph P Larrivee Architects, PC regarding modifications to heat one bay of the existing cold storage building at the main Fire hall. (for the Police Department)  The committee recommends approving the contract.

The committee recommends approving advertising for Requests For Proposals to perform a solid waste study for the City of Jamestown. The study would look at curbside recycling for Jamestown as a feasibility.

The committee recommends updating the 2007 Equipment Rental Rates.

The committee recommends approving Change order No. 2 relating to the New Water Mains project, in the amount of $55,301.08 in conjunction with the southwest water storage tank . A balancing change order to close out the project.

The committee then recommended approving Change order No. 2 relating to the New Elevated Water Storage Tank.  It is a decrease of $28,000 based on the exterior paint scheme that was chosen.

The committee recommends accepting proposals  to clean “Burdick” Storm Sewer lines in the area from the viaduct, south to the oxbow.

 

 

The meeting was shown live on CSi Cable 67, followed by replays