CHIEF SAYS HIGHER PAY WILL HELP KEEP OFFICERS

SCOTT CITY -- A proposed salary schedule for Scott City police officers will help keep officers, Police Chief Danny Clubb said.

The city's administrative-finance committee is looking at a starting salary of $14,758, Scott City Administrator John Saxton said.

That is up more than $2,000 from the current beginning salary of $12,716.

In addition, the proposed schedule would give officers a raise to $15,581 after six-month review.

Clubb hadn't been officially notified, but he knows the committee has met on a better pay plan for city employees.

"If the committee is able to do what's been proposed, that will aid in holding on to our officers a little longer," Clubb said. "And if the riverboat comes in, there might be some money for some more raises."

Clubb said city officials have expressed concern about keeping qualified people.

The proposed starting pay for Scott City officers will be $848 less than what Chaffee pays its new officers, Clubb said. After six months, Scott City officers would be nearly at the same level. Officers at Chaffee start at $15,600.

Clubb knows Scott City can't pay what larger cities such as Cape Girardeau and Sikeston do, but he would like to pay as much as similar towns in the area.

Towns within 1,000 people of Scott City's population have these starting police salaries: East Prairie, $13,000; Malden, $16,640; Ste. Genevieve, $17,056; and Charleston, $17,690.