The Butler City Police Department will be fully staffed for the first time in several years.

Butler City Council voted 3-1 to fill former Sgt. Bill Mayhugh's position at Thursday's meeting at the city building.

The new hire will bring the department to 23 officers. Council had previously voted to hire a 24th officer, which will bring the department to full capacity.

“We are ecstatic about it,” said Deputy Chief David Adam.

According to Lt. Chad Rensel, the department has not been fully staffed in about four years.

Mayhugh was fired in February for misconduct. The department was not at full staff at the time of Mayhugh's termination, and two more officers were hired since then.

Mayor Tom Donaldson and councilmen Kenny Bonus and Michael Walter voted in favor of the motion. Councilwoman Kathy Kline voted against it. Councilman Corey Roche was absent.

Kline said she voted “no” because council had previously voted to wait until Mayhugh's appeal of his termination was resolved.

“It was just semantics,” she said. “It was just the fact that Sgt. Mayhugh's case is still pending. If his name hadn't been a part of the motion it wouldn't have been a problem.”

Donaldson said support of the department should continue to be emphasized.

“Hopefully whoever comes in behind me (as mayor) does the same thing, because the problems that the city has aren't going to change with any of the faces at this table changing,” he said.

Walter said there is enough money in the city's current budget to fund an additional officer, but he also voiced a concern about the availability of money for the officer in future years.

“I don't know where we're going to get the money,” he said.

However, he said he prioritized public safety in his vote.

“Safety is always the No. 1 thing with me,” he said.

Bonus said funds could come from evaluating the city's business privilege tax. He said he spoke with Butler Township Manager Ed Kirkwood, who Bonus said informed him that the township was able to gain $60,000 by analyzing its business privilege tax to find out which businesses weren't paying the tax.

“I believe that if we can do an analysis on business privilege taxes, we can fund that money (for the officer),” Bonus said.

Adam also mentioned police grants as a source of income. He said the department has not been eligible for certain grants because it was not fully staffed.

Rensel, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 32, was one of several officers who attending the meeting in support of the motion. He addressed the council.

“It's our contention that any efforts to revitalize the city cannot be done without a strong, fully-staffed, proactive police department,” Rensel said.

Adam stressed that the department's management and union have been working together to convince city council to hire more officers.

Police Chief Ron Brown said they have available candidates, and could get an officer on the streets within six weeks.

Following that, there will be a six-month probationary period for the new hire before the department will be considered fully staffed.