Town is asking New Jersey for $200,000 in extraordinary aid
By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
WEST AMWELL — Officials are taking a number of steps to balance the township’s budget, ranging from giving up their own salaries to seeking extraordinary aid from the state.
West Amwell is asking the state for $200,000 in extraordinary aid. That’s the amount of the legal fees the township is facing, with about half of that stemming from litigation. The township is defending itself in a lawsuit filed by a former township mayor and his family.
If the state grants the aid and no unexpected expenses pop up, the township’s taxpayers likely would not see a tax increase this year, according to Mayor William Corboy.
If the application for aid is denied, a tax hike of 2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation is probable, the mayor said.
However, there is “very little margin,” Mayor Corboy said. Something as mundane as a blown engine in a Public Works truck, for example, could upset finances this year.
”We’re still open to whatever comes down the road,” Mayor Corboy said. “You don’t know what’s going to hit you.”
The Township Committee has slashed police overtime by about 50 percent, for a savings of about $45,000. Layoffs in the Police Department could be on the horizon, according to the mayor.
The township had asked its officers to voluntarily give up part of their contractual 4 percent raise this year, but the request never took hold.
”When push comes to shove and we need more money, I’m probably going to have to look to them, and they won’t like the results,” Mayor Corboy said.
Tim McGuire, president of PBA Local 188, said last month the PBA was willing to enter into discussions with the township.
”As of this date, Mayor Corboy has not contacted me and I can only assume that the mayor and council reconsidered their decision to reopen negotiations,” Officer McGuire said.
Officer McGuire, a patrolman for the town of Clinton, has said no other municipality where the PBA’s members work has asked officers to forgo a contracted raise.
”There are other solutions to their budgetary problems besides laying off police officers,” he said of West Amwell. “If they decide to layoff or furlough any of the township police officers, the PBA will address the issue at that time.”
The township was asking for a giveback that would have totaled less than $15,000, according to Mayor Corboy. The mayor and the two other members of the Township Committee recently voted 2-1 to give up their own salaries for serving on the governing body. The mayor is paid $3,391. Other committee members are paid $2,844 each.
The vote also included a measure to cut nonunion township employees’ pay 10 percent. However, because the cut did not begin until April, it is actually less than 10 percent for the year. The pay cuts will be accomplished through an unpaid day off every two weeks.
Committeeman Thomas Molnar cast the no vote.
”There are two separate issues here,” he said. “First, the budget issue. I voted no because I did not want the shortfall in the budget to be placed upon the backs of only a few full-time and part-time employees. Losing a 4 percent raise and then taking a 10 percent hit on their regular wages is an unpopular thing to do, especially in today’s economy.”
Concerning the committeemen’s salaries, Mr. Molnar said, “We also decided to take the 10 percent cut as the other employees were mandated to do. I was OK with that. I also suggested to have our pay cut by an additional 10 percent. I was just shocked to have my salary involuntarily taken away. Now I get a better understanding for the way the other employees have been affected.”
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