FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The City Council approved a new organizational chart for the Fairhope Police Department this week that created two new positions, clearing the way for the promotion of two current department employees to those jobs.

Chief of Police Bill Press asked the council at a work session Monday prior to the regular meeting to approve the chart, so those two men could receive the job titles for work he said they had already been doing.

“We’ve got an individual who’s been doing this (work) for years and not getting paid for it,” he said, regarding a current lieutenant that Press would like elevated to captain rank. Only one other employee carries that captain rank now, according to the organizational chart.

He said the two new positions and salary increases were not included in his budget for the fiscal year that started Oct. 1. The councill did not ask how much of a total annual salary increase the jobs represented.

The council’s approval of the charge does add new positions in the FPD organization for a captain in charge of the patrol division, and one for a sergeant as municipal jail supervisor.

At a Nov. 12 personnel board meeting, Press identified the employees as Lt. Joe Pettus and Cpl. Danny Beaver.

“I’ve brought this to the mayor, and for whatever reason, the mayor doesn’t want this to happen,” Press said at that meeting, referring to the requested promotions. “I want Lt. Pettus promoted to the rank he deserves, which is captain. (Pettus) has been with this department for a number of years, and at times he’s been virtually running this police department.”

At Monday’s council meeting, an ordinance was introduced to establish that no raises, promotions or non-budgeted employment would be allowed without the approval of the council.

Council President Lonnie Mixon indicated the ordinance would be considered in two weeks at the next council meeting.

No mention was made Monday or at the earlier personnel board meeting whether the police department’s request for the non-budgeted promotions would first be presented to the new Financial Advisory Committee. That committee was created by the council to consider financial requests among other duties and make recommendations to the council.

Shortly after Press was hired as the new chief this summer, he received approval from the council to appoint Terry Sanders to a newly created assistant chief position. That position was created with little discussion by the council, and the job was filled without it being advertised.

Sanders had served as interim chief since January, when former Police Chief Mike Comalander, was not reappointed to the job by the council. After not being reappointed, Comalander received the title of captain. At that time, there was another captian in the department, Steve Griffis, who also sought the chief job but did not make the list of finalists. He retired shortly before a disciplinary hearing on charges that have never been disclosed by the city, despite repeated open records requests for that information by the Fairhope Courier.

If promoted, Pettus would join Comalander as the only other captain in the department at this time.