The council approved a amendment to the pay plan for police officers. The tentative agreement proposed a 23% increase in starting salaries, from $53,361 to $65,532, and a 7.6% increase for maximum salaries. This move is seen as critical for maintaining competitiveness in hiring and retaining law enforcement personnel. The financial impact of these increases is projected to add an additional $557,000 to the 2025 budget. Council members recognized the importance of public safety and the need to adequately compensate law enforcement personnel, with one member emphasizing that “public safety is our number one responsibility.”

In conjunction with the salary increases, the council discussed a newly proposed incentive program aimed at improving the pay scale for incoming police officers. This program includes financial support for candidates attending the police academy, covering up to eight weeks of salary and tuition and testing fees. The proposal also introduced a point system for experienced incoming candidates, which considers various criteria such as years of experience and special team memberships to determine the appropriate pay step for new hires with prior experience. This objective metric system was developed by the police chief and his team.

A representative from the Fraternal Order of Police commended the unity among city council members, the mayor, and city management regarding police support and compensation. The council also discussed the necessity of communicating these improvements to residents, including launching a new recruitment campaign to promote Jacksonville Beach as an attractive place to work for law enforcement. The campaign is set to include a video and a Facebook page announcement.

Another major topic of discussion was infrastructure improvements, particularly upgrades to the city’s electrical system. The council approved a contract with ABD Inc. for replacing outdated distribution breakers with new vacuum circuit breakers at a local station. The project, costing up to $722,500, aims to enhance the capability to clear faults on the line and reduce response times. These upgrades are expected to improve the reliability of the city’s electrical infrastructure.

Additionally, the council accepted a $1.75 million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for a filter replacement project at the Water Reclamation Facility. The current filters require manual maintenance and are deemed high maintenance, prompting the need for more efficient technology to ensure consistent water quality for municipal uses, including irrigation for a local golf course. The new filters will provide ultra-fine filtration. The project is part of a broader effort to comply with legislative requirements and improve the city’s water management systems.

The council also reviewed a paving and milling project involving 14 different areas around the city, with a total budget of over $6.2 million. The contract was awarded to Hubbard Construction Company, the lowest bidder, with a 10% contingency for unexpected costs. Questions arose regarding the timeline for project completion, which is estimated to take six to eight weeks. Council members expressed appreciation for the project, noting that residents had long requested improvements to road conditions.

Concerns were raised about specific neighborhoods, particularly around Penman and Tanglewood areas, where road conditions were reportedly poor. The city’s pavement condition index (PCI) software was mentioned as a tool being used to assess road quality, providing ratings from 0 to 100.

The meeting also included the approval of a non-exclusive easement for fiber optic communication cables at the Samson substation, crucial for the city’s electrical infrastructure. The substation, managed by Beaches Energy, requires upgrading to improve communication and operational efficiency. The council discussed the necessity of these communications and the partnership with JAA to establish a dual redundant fiber optic scheme.