CAPE MAY CITY — The City Council has approved pay raises ranging from 15.9% to 19.8% for the police chief, fire chief and deputy fire chief.

In a series of three resolutions, all adopted unanimously, the council on June 18 approved new employment agreements for Fire Chief Alex Coulter, Deputy Fire Chief Michael Eck and Police Chief Dekon Fashaw, bringing their salaries to the market rate, Mayor Zack Mulloch said.

Coulter’s initial salary is set at $152,345; it previously was $127,345, for an increase of 19.6%. Eck’s new salary is $142,200, previously set at $118,700, a 19.8% increase. Coulter and Eck will have their five-year agreements effective retroactively, to Jan. 1.

Fashaw’s initial salary under the new agreement is set at $175,000; his salary currently is $150,982, for a 15.9% raise. His four-year agreement is effective July 1.

Mullock said the contracts bring the three positions into line with the market rate for the equivalent positions around the county. Both Mullock and City Manager Paul Dietrich said that making the salary levels for the positions equal to those of other towns’ positions was an important goal in the contract negotiations.

The mayor asked the public to focus on the need to bring the three individuals’ salaries up to par with those of their peers in the county. “The focus should not be on the percentage increases we needed to make to get them paid what they should be earning,” he said.

He added the salaries would increase by 3% per year going forward.