Lincoln employees were rewarded by the city council Thursday night, which approved $2-an-hour raises for the police department, auditor and maintenance director.

Discussion on the raises started at 50 cents a hour at the recommendation of Mayor Glenn Christmann, who said that this is what the city doled out last year. But council member Helen Magilke argued for giving police chief Tiffany Harr and officer Jerry Wutzke $2-an-hour raises.

"Our police department is doing a good job and provides 24-hour-a-day coverage, and they never complain about it," Magilke said. "I want to keep them around; they're good employees."

Council member Mary Ann Filibeck pointed out that towns similar in size to Lincoln are paying their law enforcement officials better than Lincoln is, concurring with Magilke, who proposed the $2-an-hour raise.

Christmann said that similar communities have stronger tax bases to draw on and are able to afford higher salaries. The mayor offered a compromise of a $1 an hour for the police department, feeling it wasn't within the city's budget to provide more.

But Magilke contended the money is available, pointing out several areas where the police department has been able to save money, particularly in the case of buying a police car where they saved about $4,000. The raises for the remainder of the year would cost about $4,200. She made the motion to give the officers the $2-an-hour raise and it was approved unanimously.

Discussion then turned to a salary increase for maintenance director Tom Dickson and auditor Kim Kramer. Christmann maintained that since two of the city's four full-time employees had received $2, the others also should to avoid conflicts. While the council approved the maintenance director's $2 salary increase on a 4 to 2 vote, the vote on a similar raise for the auditor was more problematic.

Three council members voted against the raise, and two favored it, with Filibeck abstaining. According to city attorney Steve Vogelpohl, the abstention was to be considered the same as a yes vote in this situation, allowing Christmann to cast the tiebreaker, which he did in favor of the raise.

The council wasn't finished with the salary increases, also approving a $1- an-hour raise for the part-time administrative assistant and doubling the city assessor's $150 monthly salary to $300 until the end of the year when they will review the assessor's salary. The council also provided $150 for supplies for the auditor. The assessor's appointment ends this month, and the council reappointed Pam Whitely for two more years.

In other business, the council:

3 Held a first reading of an ordinance allowing the sale of alcohol until 2 a.m. and allowing on-off sale of liquor on Thanksgiving. While state law allows alcohol sales until 2 a.m. beginning Aug. 1, Lincoln license holders will not be able to do so until the ordinance is approved, following a second reading of the ordinance on Aug. 4.

3 Discussed possibly moving council meetings to the public building at the park and using the commission room for additional office space.

3 Heard that the Bismarck school district has acknowledged Lincoln's request for a school, but is not planning any action to build one.

3 Heard that a series of public meetings regarding development of a road between Bismarck and Lincoln will be scheduled, but no dates have been set. It's expected the first will be held at the beginning of August.

3 Heard a request from the Lincoln Park Board to deed Centennial Park and Lincoln Park to that jurisdiction rather than just providing a 99-year lease. Park board chair Dan Cox said this would make it easier to get grant money. The council asked the city attorney to draw up the necessary agreement.

3 Approved final payments on improvement districts for water and sewer.

3 Requested the governmental advisory board to provide the council with a written report on its progress on the city administrator position by the council's next meeting.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)