Brainerd Approves Wage Increase for City Interns, Community Service Officers

Community service officers and interns for the City of Brainerd will now earn at least $14 per hour. The Brainerd City Council approved the wage increase during their city council meeting after hearing the challenges staff had experienced hiring people to fill those positions.

The issue was a topic of discussion earlier in 2021 as employees hired earlier in the year earned a lower wage than employees hired later in the year that were working similar positions.

The conversation about pay increase did not just include those at city hall, it transitioned to whether community service officers in the police department should also be making the same amount.

Brainerd Police Chief Mike Bestul said he recently learned that the $12-per-hour wage community service officers started at is less than some work study programs offer law enforcement students at Central Lakes College.

The city council says the move to $14 an hour will cost the city less than $5,800.