Maurice Aldermen approve pay increase for officers

MAURICE — Officers with the Village of Maurice have a little something to be thankful for this holiday season.
During its general meeting on Nov. 18, the Village of Maurice Board of Aldermen approved raises for current full-time officers as well as an increase for newly hired personnel. The Aldermen made the approval upon a recommendation by Chief of Police Guy Nerren.
The increase is $150 a month for both newly hired officers and those who are already with the department. The increase is effective for the pay period that began on Nov. 16.
Nerren, who is in his first term as chief, said this is a move that has been long overdue.
“Right now the starting salary is $1,950 a month,” Nerren said. “It has been that way for at least 15 years. That’s what I started at 15 years ago.”
Nerren stressed that officers already on staff shouldn’t be overlooked.
“I’m asking for a $150-a-month increase,” Nerren said prior to the vote. “I would like it to go across-the-board.
“If we don’t do that, the last two officers I hired will be making less than a new guy.”
The new starting salary for officers will be $2,100. After a three-month probation period, new hires will also receive an insurance allowance of $325 per month. Maurice employees are also eligible to receive a 2% raise after a year, pending an evaluation.
“We call it a hospital allowance,” Mayor Wayne
Theriot said of the $325. “It is added to the salary.”
Both Theriot and Nerren said the raises fit into the police department’s budget. Again, these raises will be approved for every full-time officer. There are currently five full-time officers who will receive the raises.
Alderwoman Phyllis Johnson said she is happy to see the move made, for both retention of officers as well as attracting new ones.
“I think if we don’t do something to increase their pay,” Johnson said, “we are going to miss out on a lot. We have turnover because they are going somewhere else.”
Alderman Warren Rost, who served as chief for more than 30 years prior to currently serving his first term on the board, agreed.
“We had the opportunity to get someone from the Lafayette park police,” Rost said. “By the time he started looking at the money, and no insurance, there was no way he could do it with his family.
“We’re not going to get those qualified people if we don’t start picking it up.”
Rost said Maurice is fortunate to have the quality officers it does. However, more is continued to be asked of those officers as Maurice grows.
“Looking forward,” Rost said, “the population is going up and this community is growing. Hopefully our tax revenue continues to grow with that, but we need to start looking at keeping our people.”
Nerren said his officers are deserving.
“I think Maurice is unique as it is,” Nerren said. “I think we do way more things that other departments don’t.
“I appreciate you (Aldermen) voting on it.”