RES NO 04-02-2025 CITY OF VAN BUREN,ARKANSAS
RESOLUTION Not - 69-�2025
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, FOR THE CITY OF VAN BUREN,
ARKANSAS,A RESOLUTION TO BE ENTITLED:
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A REVISED
COMPREHENSIVE PAY INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR
THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF VAN BUREN,
ARKANSAS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, The City Council approved incentive and longevity pay plans for
employees by passage of Resolution 03-03-1985,Resolution 12-04-
2003,Resolution 12-01-2006 and Resolution 08-04-2018; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City Council to revise the description and
definitions with the belief that the revision will more clearly define
the expectations of incentive and longevity pay for the employees of
the City of Van Buren,Arkansas.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF VAN BUREN,ARKANSAS, THAT:
SECTION 1: The incentive and longevity pay plans for the employees of the City of Van Buren,
Arkansas adopted pursuant to Resolution 03-06-1985, Resolution 12-04-2003,
Resolution 12-01-2006 and Resolution 08-04-2018 is hereby abolished and
replaced by the Comprehensive Pay Incentive Program attached hereto as Exhibit
A.
SECTION 2: The following changes will be made to the Comprehensive Pay Incentive Program:
Current: "NO EMPLOYEE WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS INCENTIVE PAY
PROGRAM DURING THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT"
Proposed: "NO EMPLOYEE WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS INCENTIVE PAY
PROGRAM DURING THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT.
INCENTIVE PAY WILL BEGIN ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH
FOLLOWING 12 FULL MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF LONGEVITY PAY WHICH IS ADDRESSED BELOW."
Current: 1. Longevity Pay: The city will pay $5.00 per month for every year of
service. This is to be calculated annually in April and added to the employees'pay.
Proposed: 1. Longevity Pay: The City of Van Buren will pay longevity pay at a
rate of$2.50 per pay period, which is equal to $5.00 per month for every year of
eligible service. Longevity Pay will be calculated on April lst of each year and
added to the employees pay. Employee must have completed 12 full months of
employment as of April 1st of any given year.
Example of calculation:
Employee Date of Hire is: April 1,2025
Longevity Pay will be effective: April 1, 2026
Employee Date of Hire is: April 2,2025
Longevity Pay will be effective: April 1,2027
SECTION 3: All current employees shall receive a copy of the revised policy.
SECTION 4: This will be effective immediately upon passage of this Resolution.
IN WITNESS WHERE the City of Van Buren,Arkansas, did pass, approve, and
adopt,by a vote of W for and Oagainst,the foregoing Resolution at.its regular meeting held
on the 28th day of April 2025.
G\eTk Trees
City of Van Buren J seph Nurst
y
ATTESTED: County,P` h Zomey
AS TO FORM:
Shawnna Reynolds
City Clerk/Treasurer = _
EXHIBIT A
COMPREHENSIVE PAY INCENTIVE PROGRAM
Updated 04.28.2025
NO EMPLOYEE WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS INCENTIVE PAY PROGRAM DURINGTHE FIRST 12
MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT. INCENTIVE PAY WILL BEGIN ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH
FOLLOWING 12 FULL MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT,WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LONGEVITY PAY,WHICH
IS ADDRESSED BELOW.
ALL EMPLOYEES
1. Longevity Pak The City of Van Buren will pay longevity pay at a rate of$2.50 per pay period,which
is equal to $5.00 per month for every year of eligible service. Longevity Pay will be calculated on
April 151 of each year and added to the employees pay. Employees must have completed 12 full
months of employment as of April 1 st of any given year.
Example of calculation:
Employee Date of Hire is: April 1,2025
Longevity Pay will be effective: April 1,2026
Employee Date of Hire is: April 2, 2025
Longevity Pay will be effective: April 1,2027
2. Language Incentive: Employees who are proficient in a second language shall be eligible for$75
monthly incentive. The second language must be beneficial to the city based on the employees'
assignment and must also be a language that could be used at any time based on the city's
demographics. Languages included in this incentive include but are not limited to: Spanish,
Vietnamese, Laotian, and Sign Language. Other languages will be considered on a case-by-case
basis. To be eligible for this incentive,the employee must prove their competency in a second
language by being tested by a testing service approved by the office of the Mayor.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
1. College Incentive Pay: The city will pay an incentive of$25.00 per every 25 hours of college per
month as long as the officer is working toward a law enforcement related degree. The maximum
an officer could earn under this incentive is$125.00 per month which would equate to 125 hours
of credit toward a law enforcement degree. The Police Chief will be responsible for verifying the
college credit and will ensure that a Personnel Action Form is submitted to the City Clerk-
Treasurer's Office along with the appropriate documentation before the officer receives this
incentive.
2. Certificate Level Pay: There are five levels of law enforcement certification now available to
police officers of this state. The city will pay$25.00 per month per certificate to each officer as
he/she earns a level of certification up to all five levels of certification, plus one extra instructor
certificate. This instructor certification is based on the needs of the department and discretion of
the Police Chief. The maximum an officer could earn under this incentive is$150.00 per month.
3. Police Field Training Officer: The city will pay an incentive to each certified Field Training Officer
(FTO)who acted as an FTO in the thirteen-week FTO program of a newly hired police officer. The
incentive will be paid on the following scale:
Up to four weeks of provided training $ 70.00
Five weeks to eight weeks of provided training $140.00
Nine weeks to thirteen weeks of provided training $210.00
The number of weeks an FTO is eligible for will be determined by the number of weekly evaluations
submitted by an FTO. The FTO program coordinator will be responsible for the scheduling and the
recordkeeping of the FTO program and will ensure the at Personnel Ation Form is submitted to the
City Clerk-Treasurer's Office and the appropriate eligible weeks are included before an FTO
receives this incentive.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
1. College Incentive Pam The citywill pay an incentive of$25.00 per every 25 hours of college per
month as long as the firefighter is working toward a department related fire specialty degree. The
maximum a firefighter could earn under this incentive is$125.00 per month which would equate to
125 hours of credit toward a fire specialty related degree. The Fire Chief will be responsible for
verifyingthe college credit and will ensure that a Personnel Action Form is submitted to the City
Clerk-Treasurer's Office along with the appropriate documentation before the firefighter receives
this incentive.
2. Certificate Level Pak There are six levels of fire fighting certification now available to the fire
department personnel:
Step 1: Two Years Firefighter 1 &2 or Standard Course
Step 2: Four Years Pump Operations and Emergency Driving
Step 3: Six Years Leadership 1,2 and 3
Step 4: Eight Years Officer 1 or MCTO 1,2 and 3
Step 5: Ten Years Haz-Mat Tech or Arson Investigation (80 hrs)
Step 6: Twelve Years Associate Degree Fire Science or 5 years of supervisory
experience with a fire-related organization as Assistant
Chief or Chief
The city will pay$25.00 per month per certificate to each firefighter, as he/she achieves the level of
certification up to all six levels of certification. The maximum a firefighter could earn under this
incentive is$150.00 per month.
3. Hazardous Material Technician Pay: The city wilt pay$40.00 per month to each firefighter that
receives state certification as a Hazardous Material Technician. The certification must be current,
and the firefighter must recertify in accordance with the state requirement(currently every two
years).
4. Emergency Medical Technician: The city will pay$50.00 per month to each firefighter that
receives state certification as an Emergency Medical Technician. The certification must be
current, and the firefighter must recertify in accordance with the state requirement(currently
every two years).