By Joanne Degnan, Staff Writer
HIGHTSTOWN The Borough Council this week unanimously approved new 2011 employment contracts for its top two public works employees in a move criticized by Republican mayoral candidate Rob Thibault as a bad deal for taxpayers.
Larry Blake, whom the borough says earns $89,960 as the superintendent of both the Public Works and Water departments, is retiring at the end of the year after 31 years of service. Under the new contract approved Monday, Mr. Blake will start working part-time, without benefits, Jan. 1 as the borough’s Water Department superintendent at a wage of $43.25 per hour for 20 hours a week.
According to the state’s online Public Employee Retirement System records, Mr. Blake’s reportable salary for 2009 was $94,960. Borough Administrator Herb Massa was not immediately available before deadline Thursday to comment on the discrepancy between the state’s salary figure and the borough’s.
Kenneth Lewis, the assistant superintendent of Public Works and a 23-year borough employee, will be promoted Jan. 1 to the full-time position of superintendent of public works at a salary of $74,640 an 11-percent salary increase. His employment contract calls for him to receive an additional 10-percent raise in 2012 that would raise his salary to $82,140.
The Borough Council voted 4-0 to approve two resolutions authorizing the appointments. Councilman Dimitri Musing was absent and one council seat is vacant due to resignation this month of Mike Theokas.
Prior to the vote, Mr. Thibault took issue with the appointments, specifically the two-part raise being given to Mr. Lewis and the failure of the resolution to spell out the annual cost of Mr. Blake’s hourly contract.
”I think the borough has a responsibility to taxpayers to put the real cost of resolutions and ordinances on those resolutions and ordinances,” Mr. Thibault told the council in reference to the resolution pertaining to Mr. Blake.
”Look at that resolution concerning Larry Blake and $43.25 an hour well how much is that? Well if you look at it times 20 hours a week and times 52 weeks a year that’s about $45,000 a year,” Mr. Thibault said. “That’s significant. It’s almost 1 cent on the tax rate.”
Mr. Thibault said that instead of hiring Mr. Blake as a part-time public employee after he retires, the borough could have saved itself thousands of dollars in future payroll taxes by hiring Mr. Blake as an independent contractor.
As for Mr. Lewis’ contract, Mr. Thibault said the 10-percent raise in 2012 coming on top of the 11- percent raise in 2011 is excessive.”The contract would give Mr. Lewis an 11.2 percent raise (in 2011) and I assume that’s because of a promotion and that’s fair,” Mr. Thibault said. “But he’s also slated in the contract for an automatic 10-percent raise from 2011 to 2012. Why a 10 percent raise? Nobody’s getting 10-percent raises these days.”
Councilwoman Isabel McGinty raised a different issue, questioning why Mr. Lewis’ contract gives Borough Administrator Herb Massa sole discretion in determining whether Mr. Lewis’ job performance merits the second raise in 2012. Council should have input in that decision as well, she said.
Councilman Jeff Bond disagreed and said the language of the contract should be left alone. He noted that as a nonunion employee, Mr. Lewis hasn’t had a raise in two years, and even with the 2011 and 2012 salary raises tied to his promotion and subsequent job performance, Mr. Lewis still would not be earning what Mr. Blake is now earning as superintendent.
”This is a promise to Mr. Lewis,” Mr. Bond said. “Therefore, the promise is stated (in the contract). A future council could renege on that promise.”
Ms. McGinty said she had “great faith” in Mr. Lewis and no concerns about his future job performance. The underlying issue, she said, was that his contract gave the council no room to maneuver if there is a budget crisis in January 2012.
”We may have no money then,” Ms. McGinty said. “I ask that we not waive the council’s role in issues related to the budget. I would hope that we not have this in future contracts.”

