Floyd County Commission to meet Friday on public safety pay

♦ The called session follows indications that the city of Rome wants to give raises to its police and firefighters.

The Floyd County Commission has called a planning session for Friday to discuss compensation for public safety personnel.

The meeting is in advance of its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday and before the Rome City Commission meets Monday to consider a recommendation to raise the pay of firefighters and city police officers.

County commissioners will hold their planning session at 11 a.m. in the upstairs Berry Shorter Room of the Forum River Center, 301 Tribune St.

The meeting is open to the public. Everyone may be screened for COVID-19 exposure prior to entering. Attendees are asked to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet apart during the meeting.

Rome’s Public Safety Committee recommended on Tuesday that the base pay for firefighters and certified city police officers be increased to $40,000 from $34,000 a year. It also called for the raise to be effective Aug. 1.

The county splits the cost of the Romefloyd Fire Department and would have to agree to absorb its share of the pay hike there. City Manager Sammy Rich said it would cost an additional $407,966 through the end of the year — $203,983 from each government.

Additionally, police departments locally and in the surrounding area are competing against each other for certified officers, which are in short supply.

Rich said he supports the pay raise, even if it means a tax increase, with the city department sitting with 14 open slots.

While he wanted to present the recommendation to the full Rome City Commission, seven of the nine commissioners attended the public safety meeting and concurred with the recommendation.

Last week, county commissioners deferred action on a proposed shift-differential pay and sign-on bonus policy for their first responder departments, following a lengthy discussion on how to improve employee retention.

County Manager Jamie Mccord said at the time that there are vacancies in the police department, sheriff’s office and 911 Center.