By Michelle Kim

NEW BOSTON – The departure of yet another New Boston police officer may have opened the door for the Police Department to eventually meet its basic scheduling needs.

And that news has Chief Chris Krajenka elated.

At the Jan. 5 meeting, the Finance Committee decided to approve Krajenka’s request for a new full-time officer and also to turn a 32-hour part-time position into a full-time position as well.

“I’m extremely enthused,” said Krajenka. “I was absolutely floored. I was expecting to have to go in there and really fight for that one position.”

Krajenka said the departure of part-time officer Joe Fussell, whose last day with the department was Jan. 6, helped convince the committee of the difficulty of finding and holding onto qualified part-time officers.

“The Finance Committee and selectmen have worked to bring the pay up, but I don’t think we’ll ever be able to compete with other towns,” said Krajenka.

Fussell was sworn into the Weare Police Department during the Weare Board of Selectmen’s meeting Monday, Jan. 7.

“We had gotten very lucky,” said committee member Brandy Mitroff. “The probability of finding another part-time person that could work those hours is slim to none.” She said the Finance Committee wanted to give Krajenka more flexibility in his hiring choices.

Since it would take some time to find another qualified candidate, the position could be made full-time using the same amount of salary already budgeted for the year’s part-time position, Town Administrator Burton Reynolds explained. The only additional cost would be the benefits offered. Reynolds said he is still working on the final figures for the Police Department’s operating budget.

Krajenka estimated, with the newly requested officer and the additional eight hours from having a full-time instead of part-time position, that his department would be able to cover calls from 5 a.m. until 2 a.m. during the busy weekends on Thursday, Friday and Saturday instead of just until 11 p.m. The department currently covers 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. during the week and weekend, but has large gaps because of the lack of available officers.

“(The committee) realized the importance of needing that additional body. It’s going to take a lot of stress off the individual officer and myself and the sergeant,” said Krajenka.

The overall operating budget will go on the warrant before voters for this year’s deliberative session on Feb. 4 and at the March election.