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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Clanton City Council made several personnel-related updates for the Clanton Police Department during the Dec. 9 meeting.

The Council approved posting within the department for applications for the assistant police chief position. Filling this position had been discussed between the Council and CPD Chief Keith Maddox in the past, but a formal recommendation has never been made.

Only applications from current CPD employees will be accepted.

Starting pay for Clanton Police officers will be increasing to $17 per hour in January 2020. The increase was unanimously approved. City Clerk Debbie Orange said the starting pay had been $15 per hour. Part-time officers will be paid $13.50. Council members Awlahjaday Agee, Jeffrey Price, Bobby Cook and Mary Mell Smith voted in favor of the increase for part-time officers. Councilman Sammy Wilson voted against.

How the city gives raises is also set to change in 2021. Agee, Price, Cook and Smith voted in favor of the motion officers. Wilson voted against, stating he had not seen the form that would be used for the evaluations.

Orange said in the past everyone has received the same percentage amount increase. However, the city will move to a performance-based model. Orange said each department head will develop an evaluation sheet to use for their department. A minimum increase of 2% and a maximum increase of 4% was also discussed.

Also during the meeting, the Council passed a resolution to enter into a contract with L.P. Campbell Company to administer a Community Development Block grant the city received. Campbell will receive $18,000 for administering the grant, according to the resolution.

The CDBG grant will fund tearing down dilapidated buildings in the city. Orange said the list of structures is houses that have been officially condemned or where the house has suffered severe structural damage.

The Clanton City Council will meet again on Dec. 23 at 5 p.m. at Clanton City Hall.

City Hall will be closed on Dec. 25-27 for the Christmas holiday.