Entry-level public safety employees of the city of Alabaster will receive a higher starting pay as the result of City Council action Monday night.

In addition, all city employees will receive a 5 percent cost-of-living adjustment.

Councilmember Adam Moseley said the resolution adopted by the council means that only Pelham would have a higher starting pay for police and fire personnel than Alabaster in the county.

&uot;Not only are we paying more&uot; but the city will &uot;be able to retain officers,&uot; Moseley said.

Clark Boyd, personnel director for the city, said the action is the first step in developing a new pay plan.

He said the city was losing police and fire personnel to other cities in their first three years of employment.

The resolution approved by the City Council Monday directs the Civil Service Board of the city to amend its pay plan for all entry level public safety employees by abolishing steps one through four of the pay plan.

Boyd explained that public safety personnel would start at what was step five instead of step one under the old pay plan, which represents an increase in starting pay from $30,059.43 to $36,582.74.

According to the resolution, the action is a first step in this overall plan to adjust the pay grade of all employees.

City Administrator Jimmy Gould said the changes would go into effect with the first pay period in January on Jan. 14