Council OKs 15% raise for city employees; adds skate park, splash pad to new park

The regular meeting of the Shafter City Council was canceled Monday night; instead, a special meeting approved a new pay schedule for city employees. The raise includes a budgeted 15% cost of living increase and new benefits.

The pay raise covers all city departments. Under the new pay schedule, police sergeants will be paid between $3,749 and $4,229 biweekly. Police captains will receive between $5,107 and $6,207 biweekly. Dispatchers receive up to $2,504 every two weeks.

Shafter police officers begin at $2,659-$3,232 biweekly.

The police chief will receive about $7,000 in biweekly in salary, not including benefits.

The council also received a report on the design progress of the new Northern Shafter Community Park that will be located off of Fresno Avenue. According to Public Works Director Michael James, the construction of the park should begin in early 2024. The park will include a playground area, a gazebo, a multisport court, as well as lighting and pathways in the park. There will also be a fitness area, as well as a new skate park

The skate park will have permanent structures that will be installed and maintained by the city. There also will be a parking lot with lighting, as well as a soccer field and at least two shaded structures on site.

Tim Smith, of the firm Wynn-Smith Landscaping, did the presentation for the council. When asked why a skate park, playground and splash pad were requirements for the project, Smith said that those provisions were made after the attendees at community feedback sessions requested them. "We took the community's concerns and needs and made the adjustments to include what the community wants in their new park," Smith said.