Spring Valley police will receive bonus pay

The Spring Valley City Council approved a bonus Monday for the city’s police department in recognition of the department’s efforts at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the outbreak of the pandemic, all Spring Valley city employees, except for the police department, received two weeks off paid for the period from March 22 to April 4, 2020. Utilizing funds allocated to the city by the CARES Act, the council authorized a one-time bonus payment to employees of the police department equal to two weeks pay.

The lone opposition to the resolution came from Alderman Greg Campbell, who said police department employees “weren’t shorted pay,” and called for further discussion about other potential uses for the funds. Mayor Melanie Malooley-Thompson said more than enough time had been permitted for discussion and reiterated the police department employees were the only city employees not to receive the additional vacation time granted at the start of the pandemic. The measure passed by a 6-1 vote, with Campbell as the sole dissenting vote.

The council also authorized the expense of up to $30,000 toward the emergency purchase of a dump/plow truck for the street department and approved an engineering service agreement with Carle’s Engineering and Consulting, LLC for the development of a registry program for rental properties.

The council’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 17.