COLUMBIANA — To attract police officers and keep current officers, Columbiana passed legistation Tuesday night that would boost wages starting the second full pay in September.

Currently a entry-level police officer makes $20.60 per hour with a police officer with eight years of experience earning $30.95 per hour.

Council members approved new Memorandums of Understanding Tuesday night that increase that to $24 per hour for an entry-level police officer and $31.50 per hour for a police officer with eight years of full-time experience.

Officials are boosted the wage differential for a detective from 50 cents per hour to $1.50 per hour and $34.02 for an entry level sergeant. The wages will increase the first full pay in 2025 depending on the officer’s experience.

There are six steps on the police officer ranking and three steps for sergeants for base pay with the detective wage just being applied to the base pay.

In an attempt to provide adjustments to assist with officer retention as well as recruitment of new offices, the city also increased the wages of police sergeants: entry level to $34.02; after one year full-time, $34.65; and after three years full-time, $35.28.

Councilman John Yenges, though in attendance via Zoom, was unable to vote on any legislation due to not attending in person as Mayor Rick Noel explained early in the meeting.

During his report, city manager Lance Willard explained that since Sept. 7, the city had received word on two grants exceeding $1.3 million for Columbiana’s downtown.

In addition to $1.3 million awarded by Ohio Department of Transportation for safety upgrades to the Columbiana traffic circle, the city received word that a downtown project received the maximum amount of funding ($50,000) from T-Mobile.

The circle work isn’t expected to begin until around July 2027. The T-Mobile funded student project looks to begin in the immediate future.

He also announced that the city is working on another T-Mobile grant opportunity, which could possibly get them $2 million for their stadium project.

In response to a query from the audience, Willard assured there are no plans to either remove the clock or touch inside the brick circle within the existing roundabout, which is such a big part of the city’s charm.

Also in the city manager’s report, Willard announced that Columbiana County is investigating the city hosting their Manufacturers’ Day festivities as well as residents utilizing the city’s gas aggregation program will see a “significant” decrease in what they pay per cubic feet (CCF) starting in December.

Members also voted to amend the codified ordinance governing vicious dogs, removing all references to pit bulls as it was the only breed singled out in the legislative language.

As Councilman Dan Dattilio pointed out during the meeting, when he checked the Angels For Animals’ adoption website, two-thirds of the dogs were either pit bulls or had the pitbull breed in them.

In other action, council also:

— Rescheduled the Citizens of the Cemetery Tour: Chapter 3 event, which had been approved by council at the Sept. 3 meeting, to Nov. 1 due to a conflict with a school football event, as requested by the Columbiana and Fairfield Township Historical Society.

— Welcomed Katie Campbell, who is the youth council representative appointed for the upcoming school year.

— Approved emergency resolutions designating Huntington Bank as a public depository for the city with council member Amanda Banner abstaining.

— Concurred with the appointment and subsequent swearing-in of Brandon Smith as a provisional full-time police officer and Benjamin Esposito as a part-time police officer for the city’s police department.

— Passed an emergency ordinance authorizing Willard to contract with Sweet Meadows Farm Drainage LLC from Beloit for $858,729.54 as the lowest and best bidder for the furnishing of all labor, materials and equipment necessary for the Crestview and Fairfield School roads raw waterline project.

— Approved an ordinance establishing rates for the Columbiana Cemetery and repealing any conflicting legislation.

The next council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1 in council chambers at the municipal building.