"We will be asking for a special appropriation of $75,000 for salary and wages," said commission Chairman Robert Cerosky. "The plan is that a lieutenant will be appointed to the ranks of deputy chief."
Cerosky noted that a page-and-a-half revised job description would be included with the funds request.
"It is a general statement about the scope of the job," said Cerosky. "The job description takes various items and gives the allocated time spent on each item, and we have them arranged in order."
At a joint meeting of the three boards held early in June of this year, board members said that the commission failed to prove that the deputy chief position as a necessity for Madison.
"You've demonstrated the desire for it, demonstrated with what you've put together that you have the right to ask for it, but what isn't here is the demonstration of need," said First Selectmen Tom Scarpati at that gathering.
The new description of the deputy chief's positions have been tailored to show exactly what the need for the deputy chief would be in Madison by detailing what the deputy chief's responsibilities to Madison would be.
According to the job description, the deputy chief will be an appointed, management position by the Board of Police Commissioners, who will be accountable to the Chief of Police in all matters pertaining to this position and rank.
"The deputy chief will be doing the same things that the lieutenant does now," said Heaney. "But he will no longer be a member of the union and be able to function in every respect as the chief."
Heaney said there is currently no authorized second-in-command for the police department. Under the current system, one of the lieutenants assumes over the duties of the chief if he or she is on sick leave or on vacation, in addition to continuing duties as lieutenant.
"The deputy chief would be able to help out around the edges, and become the acting chief if need be," said Heaney.
Heaney said this is important in case the chief is out on sick leave, on vacation, or also in the event of retirement.
The deputy chief will be "on call" 24 hours a day and there will be a town vehicle provided for this purpose. The description of duties has been broken down into the estimated percentage of time that will be spent on each, which is as follows:
Grants procurement and administration: 25 percent, which includes securing funding from outside state and federal sources for the police department and the accounting of these funds.
Accreditation process: 25 percent, which includes updating and revamping department policies and procedures to obtain state and national accreditation.
Records administration: 15 percent, which includes work on personnel issues, records management and quality assurance.
Radio and telephone communication systems: 10 percent, which includes oversight of the communications operation, quality review of the dispatcher performance, repair and maintenance on telephone and police radio systems.
IT services: 10 percent, which includes supervising the Department IT system, and administration of the computerized scheduling program.
Public information officer: five percent, which includes clarifying press releases and providing information to new outlets and venues.
Fleet maintenance: five percent, which is accessing and maintaining all of the vehicles for the police department, record keeping, and bid specification development.
Building maintenance and custodial services: five percent, which includes coordinating with the town building maintenance staff for building repairs.
"The percentages are guidelines, but not permanent by any means," said Chief Paul Jakubson. "That percentage may be adjusted due to what the day-to-day activities demand."
Jakubson said these duties and percentages were determined by the request from the town to have a detailed list of what the deputy chief would do.
"It is important to have someone to sit down and discuss issues with who is not involved in the union," said Jakubson. "It is a management position that other towns have employed, such as Guilford and Branford."