PORTERDALE, Ga. – Porterdale City Council members are expected to consider a pay raise for the city’s cops when they meet Monday night at city hall.

Police pay issues came to light last month when Chief Jason Cripps told the council recent salary hikes in surrounding jurisdictions have left salaries for his officers lagging behind. He said staying competitive is necessary for recruitment and retention.

Councilmember Linda Finger who heads the council’s finance committee said at a Jan. 24 work session her committee supports giving the lowest paid officers an immediate $1 an hour raise with another dollar an hour in July.

“What we agreed on was that we would start immediately with the bottom end pay to add $1 per hour and in July add another dollar an hour,” she said.

City Manager Bob Thomson told members the immediate raise would be funded by salary savings from two vacant positions in the police department.

“We are short two officers now and the cost savings from those positions being unfilled will make up the difference with the dollar increase,” he said. “We hope to take a look at the budget and see what we can do for the police department and others, but, particularly the police department in July.”

Thomson said the council could also vote to award the contract for renovating the old city hall into the city’s new police headquarters at Monday’s meeting.