Soldotna to spend an additional $70,000 on policing this year
Published 9:30 pm Monday, September 22, 2025
The City of Soldotna will spend roughly $70,000 more on policing than originally anticipated this year after ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement with the union that represents Soldotna officers.
Members of the city council unanimously enacted an ordinance on Sept. 10 that increases funding for the city’s police department in the current fiscal year by $71,109. Of that total, nearly $53,000 is an increase in salaries, while the remaining funds are directed toward various benefits like personal leave and insurance.
Per the city’s approved budget for the current fiscal year, the city expected to spend roughly $3.844 million on its police department, making the increase a bump in spending of nearly 2%.
The new contract, the ordinance reads, was negotiated by the city and the Public Safety Employees Association. City Manager Janette Bower said during the meeting that it calls for 2.5% raises for officers and sergeants in Soldotna’s police department.
The ordinance was enacted unanimously with no discussion from the council.
A full recording of the meeting and the text of the ordinance can be found at soldotna.org.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/peninsulaclarion.
