NATCHEZ — Natchez Police Chief Walter Armstrong asked city aldermen Wednesday to consider creating a deputy police chief position during a special-called meeting.

“The Natchez Police Department hasn’t had a deputy chief or an assistant chief, whichever one you want to call it for a really long time,” Armstrong said. “I always felt that we needed one.”

Armstrong said he brought the matter to the board because the police department is set to lose four employees within the next two to three months.

“Having this position would alleviate those losses,” Armstrong said. “Normally what you would have with a department this size, you would have two deputy chiefs.”

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis asked if the position would work within the city’s budget and where the money would come from.

Armstrong said the position would come with a $60,000 salary and Armstrong said if he hired the man he has in mind, the city would need to budget an additional $15,000 to pay him the full salary.

If the board does approve, the deputy chief position would come into effect on Oct. 1 with the new fiscal budget year.

Ward 6 alderman Dan Dillard said the board should take this proposal into consideration.

“I see this as a service improvement,” Dillard said.

Ward 2 alderman Billy Joe Frazier said he agreed with Dillard in that the board needs to consider creating a deputy chief.

“When a previous chief left, two people were put in charge. One was a captain and the other a lieutenant,” Frazier said. “We need at least someone, in case Chief Armstrong is sick or if he leaves, we need someone in that position to be able to run the department. We need to take this into consideration because I would hate the department to go down the road (without a chief) and see it fall apart.”

The board unanimously approved the consideration with Ward 5 alderman Benjamin Davis being absent.

In other business at Wednesday’s Natchez Board of Aldermen special meeting:

* The board approved with a 5-0 vote the payment of $11,618.10 to Natchez Electric to replace decorative light poles that were hit by cars primarily on John R. Junkin Drive.

* City Clerk Megan Edmonds announced her resignation, saying she plans to help run her family’s business. The board approved advertising for the position.