By Ray King
By two separate 6-2 votes, the Pine Bluff City Council on Monday adopted legislation to create the position of Group Violence Intervention Director and create a fund to pay that person.
The first resolution provides that the Group Violence Intervention Director will work “a team of other project partners to provide day to day coordination and management support,” while the second resolution appropriates $500,000 from the American Rescue Plan for the salary, benefits and incidentals associated with the position, which will be placed in the police department.
That funding will be for a five-year period or until all the money runs out.
After the meeting, Council Member Bruce Lockett, who sponsored the legislation, was asked about it by Deltaplex News.
Council members Joni Alexander and Glen Brown Sr., cast the only two no votes with Alexander saying she could not support either piece of legislation because she was not comfortable creating a position within the police department when the person who fills the position makes more than a Lieutenant.
Voting yes were Lockett and Council Members Lloyd Holcomb, Glen Brown Jr., Steven Mays, Ivan Whitfield and Steven Shaner.
According to the legislation, the job will pay $65,000 annually plus benefits and the position will be advertised.
Also approved was a resolution amending the 2022 city budget to increase the salary of a Legal Secretary 1 in the City Attorney’s Office from $30,138 to $35,151. The resolution said a salary survey recommended an increase from the minimum salary once an employee has worked a minimum of 10 years and the person holding that position will reach the 10-year mark Oct. 11.
That resolution was approved 7-1with Brown Sr., casting the only no vote.
