Township committee members took raises of half that amount.
By: Carl Reader
WEST AMWELL With the Super Bowl coming up, the Township Committee had its own big game to deal with working on the budget for 2002.
The committee hashed out salaries and the percent of increase most employees would get as raises in preparation for presenting its budget at the next regular meeting, and it decided its own raise would be less than it gave for the other township employees. The committee proposed a 3½ percent raise for everyone but itself and several other township workers.
The committee gave itself a 1¾ percent raise after some discussion about the pointlessness of raising its pay rate at all.
"This has been a political football for a number of years," Committeeman Peter Buchsbaum said.
The committee’s talks ranged from giving itself the same 3½ percent as everyone else got to giving itself nothing. In the end, the committee settled on the compromise of one-half of what everyone else got.
"I don’t see why we should give ourselves a raise," committee member Nance Palladino said.
She added there is a process by which the committee members can get reimbursement for their expenses, but said few members ever use it. The raise committee members would get would only be a few hundred dollars, she said, adding committee members don’t do their jobs for the compensation.
"I agree with you that we’re not doing this for the money," Mayor Gary Bleacher said.
The mayor now makes $3,224 a year and the two committee members, $2,704 each. The raises will bring the mayor to $3,280 and the committee members to $2,751 each.
Once the committee decides not to take any money, though, the salaries fall behind, Mayor Bleacher said, and there comes a time in the future it might give itself a big raise, creating a bad appearance of taking a huge chunk of money at one time. He suggested the committee didn’t need to get the same percent raise as the other township employees.
"What we need to do is every year bump it up a little so that it doesn’t appear to be a big lump," Mayor Bleacher said.
The committee decided on that formula for itself for the new budget.
"It’s purely symbolic," Ms. Palladino said.
For Public Works Supervisor Randy Hoagland, the committee decided on a raise to $24 an hour from $18. Mr. Hoagland was characterized as a valuable employee who was underpaid for awhile.
"We get quite a bit of value out of Randy," Mayor Bleacher said.
Township Clerk Betty Jane Hunt pointed out Lambertville Public Works Director Paul Cronce gets $24 an hour and said she didn’t think any of the other West Amwell employees would have a problem with Mr. Hoagland getting more.
"I think it’s absolutely essential we have him up to where he should be," Ms. Palladino said, adding the committee was going to give Mr. Hoagland a more equitable salary last year but then put it off. She said it was unfair to keep him at his present salary when he was so good-natured and so committed to what he does.
"When I came into the township, I looked at some of these salaries, and I felt like Simon Legree," Mr. Buchsbaum said.
Board of Health Secretary Lora Olsen had her pay raised in the proposed new budget to $2,000 from $1,760. She was commended by Ms. Palladino for doing a good job. The committee, in its budget proposal, met Construction Secretary Sharon Hartpence halfway. Mrs. Hartpence requested a pay hike to $13.50 per hour from $12.51. The committee set her rate at $13 per hour in its new budget.
Also, the committee proposed Planning Board Secretary Katherine Park be paid $100 for special meetings.
"I don’t think that it’ll be a problem," Mayor Bleacher said. "It should only be $400 or $500 per year."
In other business related to how the township will spend money, West Amwell discussed joining Lambertville in a partnership with its recycling truck.
Monday night, Lambertville opened bids on the truck, which would save the city money on its recycling collections. With West Amwell in the mix, it was projected both would save money.
"It looks like we’ll be going in with Lambertville," Mr. Buchsbaum said.
The committee concluded it would need hard numbers before making the leap, and Mr. Buchsbaum said he would meet with Lambertville Mayor David Del Vecchio to discuss the issue and firm up some numbers. Mr. Buchsbaum said the cost to recycle through Hunterdon County could go up to $50,000 next year. He said with the truck, the cost for West Amwell should be held in the $20,000s.
The committee also discussed obtaining a machine for shredding plastics, but noted the cost could be $30,000 for the machine, and a building would be needed to store the shredded plastic. That might be too expensive, said Ms. Palladino, compared to the present cost of $2,000.
"For $2,000, why bother?" she asked.
In other business, the committee appointed Brian Fitting to fill a spot on the Board of Adjustment as the second alternate. Regular member Barbara Gill resigned for health reasons.
"He has an interest in town and is well-balanced," Mayor Bleacher said of Mr. Fitting.
Moving up from his position of first alternate to a regular position will be Hal Shute. Bill Comly will move up from the second alternate position to first alternate.