Muscle Shoals: Those 3% Raises for Police Officers

 

From a Concerned Citizen:

As a concerned citizen I just cannot understand why our First Responders (Police & Fire Dept) underwent a Study with the University of Auburn which would base their pay on certain factors. Apparently it was told that the departments would receive an increase in pay after the study but until then they would not be receiving any type of raise. These two departments received a small raise of a little over 3%. BUT....this wasn't just for those two departments.....it was City Wide! 3% was IT!

From what I understand, the Muscle Shoals City Council and others advised these two departments that the salary (the one determined by the Study) would only come in step raises. But here's the kicker....Not one person from the Council, Clerk or HR can give information on what those step raises will be!

How can anyone offer a career to someone and let them know there are step raises but cannot explain how someone can get those step raises. Does that make sense to you? It sure doesn't make any sense to me and some of the other citizens here in Muscle Shoals.

Also, can someone look into why the employees in the Street Department make the same, if not more than our men & women that sacrifice their lives and family 24/7 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our First Responders deserve to be in a totally different category than the Street Department. The Street Department gets the luxury of going home every night to their families & enjoying those holidays off. 

Want to know why there isn't a large number of interest in these two departments? Well, why should there be any interest when you can work in the same city for the same pay and have your weekends, nights & holidays off? That's a no-brainer especially for the upcoming generations.

Also, from what I hear through the city grapevine, Mrs. Brittney Walker has some sort of distaste for our First Responders in the city & it's been displayed in many situations and events. Her nasty demeanor towards these departments and lack of knowledge shows in meetings & outside of those walls she calls "work"! I feel like Mrs. Walker needs to understand what all these men & women do for our city & maybe get a taste of what it's like to fill their shoes. I'm sure her taste would change.

*****