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The four-member Lakes Area Police Commission unanimously adopted the 2016 budget increase, presented at four percent,  last week.  

The funding formula remains 50 percent Chisago City’s responsibility and 50 percent Lindstrom’s.  There will be a special meeting of the commission at Lindstrom City Hall August 19 to discuss a “funding memo” being developed by the two city administrators.  They said it’s in draft form now,  and suggested a workshop meeting with only this item on the agenda.

The police commission had directed staff a few months ago to review issues of cost-sharing for the department.  

Lakes Area P.D. was created when the two city operations blended into one service territory about 11 years ago.  

The original agreement called for funds to come equally from both cities, but in recent levy discussions Lindstrom commission members have questioned if the imbalance in population now justifies revising the cost-sharing equation.  Chisago City has annexed township parcels in at a faster rate and now has a greater headcount than Lindstrom.   Under the action taken last week each city contributed $661,128 in 2015 and this goes to $689,465 for 2016.

About  2.5 percent of the four percent overall tax revenue increase for next year is needed for wage increases.  

Referring to the new contract, with simplified starting wage scales and incentive pay, Chair Mayor Bob Gustafson remarked, “It looks like some time went into working on this.”

Highlights of the wage scale: starting pay for an incoming officer for 2016 is $50,414.  At six years tenure this officer pay would be about $62,396.

A sergeant would enter at $64,456 and would be $69,686 after two years.

Single health insurance is covered. All staff get $15,000 term life insurance,  and 65 percent of family health policy coverage is paid for by the department.  The department pays $33 per month towards dental policy.  On duty employees get a $650 clothing (uniform) allowance annually.

And, with regret, the commission accepted advance notice of Investigator Tim Tougas retiring. His last day will be towards the end of September.   Tougas was with Taylors Falls Police when it had its own department, and then went to Lindstrom and stayed with Lakes Area when Lindstrom and Chisago City municipal departments merged. He also held the position as chief of police for Randall, MN.

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