SHADYSIDE– After several meetings discussing the difficulty of finding and retaining police officers due to comparatively low pay, Shadyside Village Council on Monday approved an increase.

Mayor Bob Newhart said the change would make the village more competitive and attractive to officers.

“It went from $17.50 to $20.50,” he said of the hourly rate, adding that this is for full-time officers. The rate for part-time officers will remain in the $15 range.

Police Chief Don Collette introduced the newest full-time officer, Jonathan Young. Collette said Young brings 10 years of experience.

Newhart said this brings the police force to a total of five full-time officers, including the chief.

“We’ll be able to cover almost everything. We’re still looking for another full-time officer,” Newhart said.

“Our benefit package is one of the best in the valley,” Collette said.

Also, the village will be placing a renewal of the five-year, 2.5-mill police levy on the Nov. 7 ballot.

“A renewal. No increase in taxes,” Newhart said.

In other matters, Councilman Nick Ferrelli suggested using the remaining $376,000 of American Rescue Plan funding for various projects, including $90,000 for matching funds for a potential paving project with Pultney Township if the Ohio Public Works accepts it; $5,000 for wear rings for influent pumps at the sewer plant; $10,000 for wiring for the wells; $2,000 to fix a well leak by Ohio Environmental Protection mandate; $106,000 to rehabilitate and paint the wells to meet EPA mandates and correct prior neglect; and $8,000 for reservoir inspections by EPA mandate.

“Hopefully this stuff’s not going to cost that much,” Ferrelli said, adding the issues have been neglected for years. He also said the north reservoir has been leaking for years and could potentially prove a problem in the near future. The south end lift station may also need work.

Councilman Robert “Bushwacker” Gorrell asked if it was legal for the village to use these funds to pay EPA fines. Ferrelli said the village is making repairs to avoid paying fines. Gorrell asked Village Attorney Tom Ryncarz for his opinion, and Ryncarz said he would look into the matter. Village Administrator Erica Tamburin said she had spoken with Fiscal Officer Jerry Elliott, who said there should be no problem. Ryncarz said he usually consults with Elliott about fiscal questions.

Newhart said Elliott is meticulous.

“Jerry dots his i’s and crosses his t’s,” Newhart said.

Ferreilli said the village has never been fined by the EPA, but prior to dissolving the Board of Public Affairs in February and shifting to a village administrator system, the board would have paid fines or made repairs with its funds. When asked after the meeting, village leaders were unsure how much money remains in those funds.

“We’ve got repairs coming up and the water department does not have enough funds,” Newhart said.

Also, Councilman Sam Carpino said there have been issues of road damage caused by workers subcontracting for gas companies.

“These out-of-towners coming in and digging up these holes in our streets and not patching them up in a timely manner has got to stop,” he said.