WELSH — Police Chief Marcus Crochet will have to wait a little longer before he knows if he’ll receive a $15,000 pay raise.

The Board of Aldermen met in a brief special session Thursday to set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Welsh Community Center to reconsider an ordinance to amend the police chief’s annual salary to $55,000.

A July 11 vote approving the raise was deemed invalid because Mayor Carolyn Louviere cast the deciding vote. Town officials later learned that a recent revision in the Lawrason Act prohibits mayors from casting a tie-breaking vote on proposed ordinances.

The vote to increase the salary ended in a 2-2 vote with Aldermen Lawrence Mier and Rodney Trahan voting “yes,” Andrea King and Colby Perry voting “no,” and Bob Owens abstaining.

On Thursday, the board voted unanimously without discussion to introduce the measure and set the hearing. Alderman Lawrence Mier, who is in the hospital, was unable to attend the meeting.

Louviere said she hopes the hearing will allow more residents to voice their opinion before the council makes its decision.

“We did it last time but there are so many people that have come forth — for and against — that we feel we need to hear more from the public,” she said.

“We want to try again, one more time, to give everyone an opportunity to speak before we make this very important decision.”

Louviere said she hopes the hearing will allow more residents to voice their opinion before the council makes its decision.