With the addition of a part-time officer to its ranks, Walnutport will next turn its attention to bring another full-time officer into the fold.

On a 5-0 vote, borough council on Thursday hired Matthew Hutchins as a part-time officer.

Immediately afterward, council agreed to advertise for a full-time police officer.

Councilman David Wentling and council President Michael Gaston were absent.

Council’s action comes following a series of moves approved last month.

At that time, borough Mayor Wayne Weidner announced that police Chief Pete Wayda would be leaving the borough as of June 28.

Wayda had been with the department for 40 years.

As a result, Weidner said at that meeting he would like council to put an officer-in-charge until the borough gets a regular police chief, and suggested Sgt. Jason Nothstein, effective June 29.

Nothstein’s rate change is now effect. Nothstein was earning $32.10 per hour but the pay compensation for officer-in-charge was not available as of press time.

Wayda, who said after last month’s meeting he isn’t planning to retire until March 2025, will use accumulated time after June 28.

Wayda was hired as a patrolman in April 1984, and promoted to sergeant in November 1989. He then became borough police chief in 2014.

Counting Wayda, the department has four full-time officers and four part-time officers.

Nothstein has been with the department since 2000 and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2013.

In December, council agreed to raise the part-time police officer rate by $2 an hour, from $20 to $22 an hour, effective the start of this year.

In September, council approved a new four-year contract with its police department.

The contract spans from Jan. 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2027, and calls for salary increases in each of the four years for full-time officers.

Full-time officers got a $2 per hour bump this year, and a $1 an hour raise in 2025, 2026, and 2027.