Members of the Westland City Council approved a $1,000 bonus for both police and fire officers during the July 20 meeting.
The funds will be paid to the first responders and public safety personnel in August as a hazardous-duty pay in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The bonus will be a single addition to the normal salaries paid to the emergency personnel. The hazard pay is expected to cost the city about $141,000.
“I've already received a few texts from some of the union employees who are thanking us for that,” Councilman Mike Londeau said at the end of the meeting.
The vote to approve the $1,000 bonus was unanimous.
Mayor William R. Wild said the city is pursuing reimbursement from the Michigan Department of Treasury under the First Responder Hazard Pay Premium Program. That reimbursement is disbursed by the state on a first-come, first-served basis.
Officials said that if the funding is not reimbursed by the state, the expense would be funding from the current police and fire budgets.
