For the first time in eight years, Morris police officers are getting a raise.

In fact, most full-time workers in Morris are receiving an increase in salary, as reflected in the 2015 fiscal year budget passed Oct. 28 by the Morris City Council.

In addition to raises, employees are being re-instated to 40-hour work weeks. Their work hours had been slashed to 32 hours a week for more than a year.

The changes were effective on Monday.

Mayor Joe Pylant said the raises and increased hours are possible for the new fiscal year because the town made sacrifices in 2014.

“Last year, we cut in all departments to get caught up,” Pylant said. “This year, we’re in the black.”

Also helping generate revenue is the Subway restaurant that opened earlier this year; the city is receiving sales taxes from the business, as well as from the Shell gas station that opened in October 2013.

The city anticipates a 7-percent gain in revenue for the 2015 budget, bringing the total budget to $844,000.

The raises will help morale with city employees as well as their paycheck. There are other benefits, too.

“This will give us more of an edge to be competitive with other departments,” said Police Chief Mike Nazarchyk.

In other business, the council:

• voted to pay $1,309.75 to ClasTran, in quarterly payments

• accepted a $1,593.89 bid by Lacey Paint and Body to repair a police car that was hit by a civilian driver

• approved spending up to $850 for four tires, an oil change and wiper blades for a police vehicle

• approved spending $552 for radio and air pack batteries for the fire department

• gave permission for fire Chief Rocky Bell to apply for FEMA and CAWACO grants

• approved spending up to $150 for a mechanic troubleshoot a problem with a fire department vehicle

• approved spending $489.85 for medical supplies for the fire department

• voted to spend $650 to get the hydraulic pump repaired on a lawn mower

• tabled spending money to repair a lawn mower in order to get more bids; a driver recently collided with the mower. The city employee was not seriously injured

• announced that the city is still searching for a council member to replace Phillip Dillard, who had to step down from the position recently

• read a letter from the Warrior Police Department commending Nazarchyk and Sgt. Larry Bumpers for their help in the recent police-involved shooting in Warrior

• announced that the cities of Morris and Kimberly will combine their Christmas parades this year, with the parade starting in Morris across from the city park and ending at the city park in Kimberly for Kimberly’s annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. The parade is scheduled for Dec. 6 at 4:30 p.m.