Council introduces ordinance for 3.25 percent hike.
By: Lea Kahn
Township Council plans to give itself a 3.25 percent pay increase annually for the next three years, along with identical pay hikes for department directors and nonunion employees at Town Hall.
The 3.25 percent pay increase is the same amount that is being negotiated for the members of the five unions that represent municipal employees. Last week, Township Council approved a three-year contract for the members of Local 2257 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Tuesday night, the council voted 4-1 to introduce a salary ordinance that would raise the pay for the mayor and Township Council, plus more than two dozen employees who do not belong to the unions representing township workers.
The ordinance will have a public hearing on April 22, with council expected to take action on it that evening.
Councilman Rick Miller, who cast the lone dissenting vote, had asked Mayor Greg Puliti, Deputy Mayor Mark Holmes and Councilwomen Pam Mount and Doris Weisberg to reconsider the salary increase for themselves.
Mr. Miller suggested that the elected officials should forgo a pay hike in a symbolic gesture to keep down expenses. The 2003 municipal budget contains a 1-cent tax rate increase, and the school board is preparing to ask voters to approve an increase in the tax levy to support the 2003-2004 operating budget.
Mr. Miller made a motion to keep the mayor and Township Council salaries at the 2002 level, but there were no takers. Because no one would make a second to the motion which is needed for a governing body to take a vote there was no action on his proposal.
Under the terms of the ordinance as introduced, the mayor would receive $14,170 for the part-time job in 2003. This is a pay increase of $446. In 2004, the salary would increase to $14,631 and it would be $15,107 in 2005.
The deputy mayor and three Township Council members would earn $10,940 in 2003 or a pay increase of $344 over the 2002 salary of $10,596. In 2004, they would earn $11,296 and they would receive $11,663 in 2005.
The ordinance also increases the salary range for more than two dozen department heads and top administrators at Town Hall. Their salaries, however, are set by the municipal manager. The municipal manager’s salary, in turn, is set by Township Council.
The salary range for the municipal clerk is $62,693 to $74,072 this year. It increases from $64,731 to $76,479 in 2004 and from $66,835 to $78,965 in 2005.
The chief financial officer, the director of Public Works and the municipal engineer would earn between $86,185 and $99,518 this year. It would increase from $88,986 to $102,752 next year, and from $91,878 to $106,091 in 2005.
This year, the assistant municipal engineer and the assistant director of Public Works would earn between $53,303 and $73,715. The salary range would be $55,035 to $76,111 next year, and $56,824 to $78,585 in 2005.
The superintendent of recreation and the health officer would earn between $74,592 and $94,138 this year. The salary range would be $77,016 to $97,197 next year, and $79,519 to $100,356 in 2005.
Under the terms of the ordinance, the executive director of the Office on Aging and the payroll supervisor would earn between $42,478 and $54,811 this year. In 2004, the salary range would be $43,859 to $56,592 and in 2005, the range would be $45,284 to $58,431.
The tax assessor would be paid between $61,863 and $82,656 for 2003. Next year, the salary range would be $63,874 to $85,342. In the final year of the ordinance, it would be $65,950 to $88,116.
The deputy tax assessors would earn between $42,479 and $58,211 this year, and between $43,860 and $60,103 next year. In 2005, the salary range would be $45,285 to $62,056.
Other employees covered by the ordinance include public defender, Municipal Court judge, chief of police, director of planning and redevelopment, fire sub-code official/director of emergency management, tax collector, fire official, Municipal Court director, senior planner, assistant comptroller, confidential secretary, secretary to municipal manager, assistant planner, deputy municipal court director, fire prevention specialist/fire protection inspector, municipal prosecutor, as well as seasonal and part-time employees.