Dewey police chief contract approved

Dewey Beach commissioners unanimously approved a five-year contract extension for Police Chief Sam Mackert during their Nov. 14 meeting.

Commissioner Dale Cooke and town attorney Noel Primos worked with Mackert and his attorney to hash out details of the contract.

“I believe this contract is good for everyone,” said Cooke.

The contract approval comes nearly a year after the chief’s previous contract expired in 2014. The annual base salary begins at $81,657.30 and calls for a minimum 3-percent cost of living raise each year. The contract expires Dec. 15, 2020.

Commissioner Courtney Riordan questioned why the annual cost of living adjustment was a straight 3-percent increase and not a number based on the consumer price index.

“You don’t get 3 percent if you’re on Social Security,” he said.

Cooke said that’s the way Mackert’s past contracts had read and that he was happy with it.

The contract makes clear the chief reports to the town manager, acting on behalf of the commissioners, and says Mackert will cooperate with any independent expert’s organizational analysis of the department.

Mackert did not attend the meeting, but as a sign of good faith, had signed the document prior to its introduction.

With the chief’s contract negotiations finished, Cooke will now turn his attention Town Manager Marc Appelbaum’s contract, which expired in February.