Selma Mayor George Evans told Selma Police Department officer Monday that they along with all city employees will get a pay raise in the budget year that starts Oct. 1.

Patrol officers continued their sick out Monday for the fifth consecutive day and didn’t comment after the meeting.

About 15 officers met with Evans at the police department. Earlier in the day, the mayor met with members of the fire department.

He promised employees a raise in next year’s budget and said the city was looking at setting the starting salary for patrol officers at $32,000.

“There will be a raise this year for all our employees, not just public safety,” Evans said. “The intent has always been to give our employees a raise. We always wanted to do that. It just hasn’t happened.”

Evans said he hoped savings from refinancing the city’s bond issues in 2009 and 2011 would provide funding for the raises. Evans said the refinancing process would take four to six weeks.

A half-cent sales tax was approved in 2013 and has provided one-time bonuses around Christmas for all city employers.

Evans said he didn’t know if the bonuses would be given if permanent raises are put in place.

The city is working on a payment plan that would write job descriptions for every position in city government and outline what employees need to do to earn step raises.

“Public safety will be first to kick off the pay plan we are working on. All other departments will be fazed in accordingly,” Evans said.

Officers wrote an unsigned letter last Tuesday to Evans and the Selma City Council demanding immediate pay raises and a meeting.

That meeting happened Thursday afternoon after the morning and afternoon patrol officers called in sick.

Before Thursday’s meeting, officer Michael Kiser read a prepared statement that addressed comments about the timing of the move ahead of the municipal elections.

“We the members of the Selma Police Department would like to say we love and care about the citizens of Selma. Our first priority is the safety of this community. Any statements or assertions this is only about the money and this is only about an election are absolutely false,” Kiser said.

Kiser said officers are concerned about the safety of the community, fair pay, a safe working environment, needed equipment upgrades, fair promotions and hiring, professionalism and the chain of command, among other issues.