Parowan reviews comp‑time policy as police accruals rise; council weighs caps and payout rules

City staff presented a personnel‑policy review focused on compensatory (comp) time accrual and payout rules after the police department recently exceeded five officers and began accruing comp time under federal rules. The city's current written policy sets a city cap of 80 hours for most employees; federal FLSA provisions allow higher accruals (240 hours for non‑public safety and up to 480 hours for public safety).

City Manager Dan explained the accounting and budgetary liability that accumulates when comp hours are banked and paid out at separation, noting historical large payouts prompted a prior city cap. He proposed cleaning up confusing policy language, deciding whether to cap public‑safety accruals at a local figure below 480, and clarifying whether employees may request a payout (currently policy language is ambiguous).

Payroll staff and local police officers described how comp time functions operationally: officers use accrued comp to cover extended time off and schedule flexibility, which helps a small department provide shift coverage without excessive overtime. One officer said comp time "gives us motivation to help each other out" and that routine payout is not the point — it enables coverage and time off.

Councilmembers expressed concern about potential large payouts to departing employees and the unequal impact on smaller departments without overtime budgets; several recommended staff refine the draft, consult employees and the police chief, and return the item to the next meeting for possible action. The council directed staff to circulate the draft, gather employee feedback, and bring a revised policy back for action within two weeks.