By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

The City of Hillsboro will apply for a federal grant for a new police officer.

Police Chief Dan Kinning said he was originally hired with a grant from the same program. Hillsboro City Council approved the application in special session Tuesday afternoon.

The grant provides entry-level wages and benefits for one full-time officer, Kinning said. It pays for three years, and the city would be obligated to retain the officer for one year after that. Hillsboro also would be responsible for providing equipment to the officer.

Kinning estimated the cost of equipment at $10,500, plus a vehicle.

Grant recipients likely will be announced in September.

In other business:

• Tabor College received clearance to host a music event later than Hillsboro’s sound ordinance allows. Taborstock is expected to last from 1 to 9 p.m. April 18, but the college asked permission to host bands from noon to 10 p.m. In the event’s first year, it ended at about 10:30 p.m.
• The city will pay $7,060 to Reiss & Goodness Engineering of Wichita for design work on Hillsboro Business Park for pond and drainage improvements.
• Council met in closed session for 10 minutes with City Administrator Larry Paine and City Attorney Dan Baldwin for attorney-client privilege. No action was taken on return to open session.
• Council then met in closed session for five minutes with Paine to discuss personnel. No action was taken on return to open session.
• The next council meeting is 4 p.m. April 21.