The Maplesville Police Department will continue to operate with three full-time officers and a group of part-time officers for at least the next month as the town council spends more time reviewing the department’s budget.

Police Chief Todd Ingram recommended at Monday’s meeting that the council hire two more full-time officers, but council members were hesitant to proceed without knowing exactly how this would affect the police department’s budget.

Ingram recommended Keith Avery and Bridgette Ellis, both of whom were approved by the council to be hired as part-time officers in March after full-time officer Casey O’Farril resigned.

The council met in executive session Monday to discuss the two town employees, Avery and Ellis, as candidates for the fourth and fifth full-time officer positions.

When the meeting resumed, Ingram recommended hiring both Avery and Ellis as full-time officers, but the council did not make a motion to do so.

Ingram then recommended the department retain Avery and Ellis as part-time officers and continue working with three full-time officers for another month while Town Clerk Sheila Haigler gathers budget numbers and information for the council to review before the next regular meeting May 13.

Council member Sheila Hall made a motion to do so, and council member Richard Davis seconded it. Council member Hal Harrison also voted in favor of Ingram’s recommendation, while council members Hilda Atchison and Patty Crocker abstained from voting in accordance with the council’s code of ethics.

For more from Monday’s meeting, see the Wednesday edition of The Clanton Advertiser and check for updates to the online story at ClantonAdvertiser.com.