MACON, Ga. — Bibb County commissioners say they want to fund a $40,000 starting pay for Bibb County deputies.
After a weekend of shootings, stabbings, and robberies, commissioners discussed possible raises for public safety personnel.
Commissioner Virgil Watkins says the answer starts with a pay scale.
"Just about everything we're seeing bad in our community right now, the answer is that that department is short-staffed," said Watkins.
A pay scale would detail every county employee's job description and their salary. Watkins says they need to start with public safety personnel, at the fire department, and sheriff's office.
"I believe in this community. We need to be paying our officers our minimum what the market is, if not better, because I feel like we are better than Jones County and Monroe County," said Watkins.
He sponsored a proposal to raise public safety personnel salaries to around $40,000.
Sheriff David Davis says now that Monroe County announced plans to raise their deputies' pay, he doesn't think they can compete.
"We've been lagging behind the state, and now, we're lagging behind local agencies," said Davis.
It's not just other law enforcement agencies, Davis says he's losing people to other companies like Amazon, which has hired more than 1,300 employees.
"Macon-Bibb is on the move -- look at Amazon and Irving Tissue. Look at the people they're hiring. Macon-Bibb government has got to get on the move now," said Davis.
Commissioners unanimously voted to support the plan for a pay scale in their pre-commission meeting. Davis pledged to pay the $160,000 for the pay scale study.
Other commissioners like Valerie Wynn and Larry Schlesinger calling for this to be voted on quickly so that they can find the money in next year's budget to pay for the raises.
"We needed to make sure we're committed to our budget to get this implemented," said Wynn.
The pay scale study option will be up for a vote next week. That study would still cost the county millions. If they choose to implement it, they'd have to find those funds in their budget.
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