CORTEZ, Colo.—Cortez Police Department employees and others on the city payroll are getting raises after a survey found they were earning less than the recommended minimum.
The Cortez Journal reports ( ) that nearly half the city’s 100 employees will get raises ranging from 1.25 to 5 percent starting July 1.
Mayor Dan Porter says Cortez sometimes loses police officers to higher-paying departments after the city provides them with the certification they need.
Police Chief Roy Lane says higher pay will help attract better-qualified officers.
The wage survey by Mountain States Employers Council found that raising all employee wages to the recommended minimum will cost the city more than $100,000 annually.
City officials commissioned the survey to address high turnover.
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Information from: Cortez Journal,
