LISBON — Town councilors unanimously approved the police budget Tuesday night, setting the stage for hiring another patrol officer.
The budget of $1.63 million is an increase of $180,548 over this fiscal year, which ends June 30.
“Right now we have bare minimum coverage,” Chief Marc Hagan said. “We are running at overtime rates.”
The additional patrol officer will bring the department to 13 full-time officers.
“We need to be proactive instead of reactive,” Hagan said.
The additional officer will also enable the department to have two officers on duty for each shift.
Half of the council pushed for hiring a second officer, following Hagan’s recommendation that the department should be staffed at 14 full-timers.
Hiring two patrol officers allows for a second school resource officer for 2018-19, the chief said.
“We need to focus on the patrol first and then move on to school safety,” Hagan said. “We need to meet our basic needs of the community first and then (school resource officer) second.”
Councilors will continue to discuss the potential for hiring a second patrol officer, but agreed to let Hagan begin looking for one officer immediately.
Councilors also took up budgets for the School and Fire departments.
The 2018-19 school budget is $16.41 million, a 4.3 percent increase over this fiscal year.
The Fire Department’s proposed budget is $466,258, a 4.2 percent increase over this fiscal year.
The council will adopt the municipal budget June 26.
The next council meeting is at 7 p.m. May 15 at the Town Office.
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