Boro employees upset over contracts, equipment
Emergency personnel air grievances at
S.R. council meeting
More than 50 members of the South River emergency services groups attended the Borough Council meeting Monday to discuss problems with contract negotiations and budget constraints.
The men and women of the police department, fire department and rescue squad, along with the crossing guards, stood in unity as the council conducted its meeting, waiting until public comment was allowed so that they could voice their grievances.
At that time, South River Police Officer John McKenna, who serves as president of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association (PBA), addressed the council.
McKenna said he requested to speak to borough officials about contract negotiations one year ago, more than nine months before their contract was due to expire. After receiving no response from the borough for several months, the union filed an unfair labor practice against the borough for its inability to discuss contracts, McKenna said.
Soon after, the PBA was contacted by the borough and the first meeting took place in November, he said. Since then, there have been three other meetings; however, the two sides are unable to reach an agreement, the patrolman said.
Borough officials responded by stating there was a meeting scheduled for tonight to discuss contract negotiations with the PBA.
McKenna later said it was the first he had heard about the newly scheduled meeting.
"I hope we can resolve all our problems and stop wasting time and money," McKenna said.
According to Robert Fagella, the attorney working with the union on the negotiations, the borough proposal included a potential raise for police officers, based on job performance. The officers could possibly receive a salary increase of up to 2 percent, Fagella said. In addition, the borough proposal included eliminating raises based on longevity.
"It’s not acceptable," Fagella said. "They [the PBA] want a decent and reasonable increase which they certainly haven’t been offered by the borough so far."
According to McKenna, the borough asked officers to work for free for the Memorial Day parade. The PBA later found out from its attorney that, according to its contract, it was illegal to ask the officers to work for free, McKenna said.
McKenna said that while in negotiations, the union asked for a holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day as part of their new contract agreement. They were told by the borough that it is not a federal holiday and they would have to exchange another holiday in its place, the police officer said.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday in 1983.
The PBA’s recent contract was for a three-year period and expired on Dec. 31. All members of the South River Police Department are members of the PBA, including Chief Wesley Bomba, although the union does not handle negotiations for him since he is considered a part of the administration, the chief said.
A flier that was provided by representatives of the PBA states the police department is in need of bulletproof vests, police vehicles and accommodations to practice shooting their service weapons.
According to Councilman Richard Reichenbach, the public safety chairman, all police officers are equipped with bulletproof vests. Recently, when three new officers were hired, the vests were included as part of the clothing that was provided to them, Reichenbach said.
He added that when two police officers were injured in a 2000 shooting, the borough and Middlesex County provided a grant to help purchase additional vests.
Chief Bomba said Tuesday that the vests are part of an ongoing replacement program. Currently, five officers are in need of new vests.
McKenna said that he was trying to include the purchase of bulletproof vests in the contract, requiring one to be provided when an officer is hired and a replacement whenever it expires. He was told by the borough that the vests were to be purchased with the clothing allowance, he said. However, the funds in the clothing allowance are not sufficient enough for the vests, McKenna said, which can cost from $750 to $1,000, according to Bomba.
McKenna said he is disheartened by the borough’s inability to negotiate on such matters, especially after two of its officers were injured while on duty.
Tuesday, Borough Business Administrator Brian Valentino said that in the 2002 budget for the police department, there is approximately $13,000 in a reserved fund that is specifically set aside for bulletproof vests. This money comes from leftover grants from the state in 1999 and 2001, he said.
According to council President David Sliker, the purchase of two police vehicles is included in this year’s budget. The borough tries to provide two or three new vehicles to the police department each year, borough officials said.
While borough officials said they believe there are 16 vehicles in the department’s fleet, Bomba said Tuesday that there are 12 vehicles, including his own. Aside from two of the vehicles, a few vehicles have more than 100,000 miles, while the rest have more than 50,000 miles on them, Bomba said.
According to police officials, there have been times when five vehicles have been out of service at one time, due to maintenance needs. The only equipment purchased by the borough for the police department in recent years has been vehicles, police officials said. All other items, particularly those for community policing programs such as DARE and the bicycle rodeo, are funded through donations, police officials said.
The PBA flier also questions why more vehicles are not provided, although the borough has been able to purchase a 2002 Dodge Durango, complete with emergency lights, for use by the business administrator.
According to Valentino, the vehicle was included in his contract. The emergency lights that are affixed to it are for safety purposes when he is working in the borough, he said. There are other emergency lights on the vehicle that he uses in conjunction with the fire department in his hometown, Valentino said.
When asked about firing ranges for the officers to practice, Valentino said the borough has an agreement to use East Brunswick’s facilities for qualifying purposes. However, there are no accommodations made for the officers to practice using their weapons, he said.
According to Bomba, the police officers would like to have a membership at the local pistol club so they can get the practice time they need.
"Practice makes perfect," Bomba said.
Also during Monday’s meeting, Fire Chief Pete Swecanski asked the council about a letter that was sent to department heads from the business administrator, Valentino. According to Swecanski, the letter indicated that borough employees were not supposed to address their concerns at the public meeting.
According to a copy of the letter obtained by Greater Media Newspapers, Valentino states that "this is a meeting for members of the public, not for borough officials or employees."
Valentino said in response to Swecanski that since the focus of the meeting was to discuss the 2002 budget, any concerns that department members had should be addressed with his office prior to Monday’s meeting.
Borough employees present at the meeting argued that most of them are residents of the borough as well as employees. They said they felt the residents had a right to know how the council’s actions were affecting the services that the departments provide.
The other emergency services personnel were upset with the borough’s inability to provide needed equipment in a timely manner.
According to emergency services officials, an ambulance recently broke down while a patient was being transported.
According to Sliker, the council has appropriated money in the 2002 budget to buy one new ambulance for the rescue squad.
Ex-Fire Chief Anthony Ciulla told the council that no one in the emergency services field should be deprived of equipment. He said that the police officers, firefighters, rescue squad members and crossing guards give their time 24 hours a day, if needed, to help residents in the borough.
"These guys should be commended for their duty," Ciulla said. "Don’t be stingy when it comes to public safety."
In addition to the PBA, the crossing guards in the borough have been unable to settle a contract with the borough. According to crossing guard Linda Parillo, the borough was unwilling to give the crossing guards a raise simply as a cost-of-living increases, she said.
The guards also were hoping to get an additional sick day in their contract, Parillo said. However, they were told they would have to give up two other days in exchange, she said.
According to Parillo, the borough employs 14 crossing guards. She said she has been working with the borough for four years and makes $10.32 per hour, working 20 hours per week.
Within the 2002 municipal budget, public safety accounts for 28.92 percent of the overall budget appropriations. There is more than $3 million in the public safety budget, 82.7 percent of which is designated for the police department, according to calculations provided by the borough.
According to the documents, these numbers do not include vehicle maintenance or capital projects associated with public safety departments.
The total budget for 2002 is $18,137,217, relating to a 9 percent increase for borough residents.
The police and fire departments, together with the rescue squad and crossing guards, decided after the public meeting Monday to continue their campaign to negotiate for fair contracts and equipment. According to the PBA’s McKenna, the residents need to learn what their elected officials are doing with their money and to their emergency services.