up for voter approval Nov. 5
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
When they go to the polls on Nov. 5, voters in Manalapan and Englishtown will be asked to approve a benefits package for volunteer members of the Englishtown-Manalapan First Aid Squad.
"We hope to be able to serve our community and neighbors for at least another 60 years," said Gary Mortman, president. "We are strictly volunteers. We have approximately 70 active members covering 33 square miles of township, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
"All of our members are fully trained as emergency medical technicians. All are certified in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), emergency first aid, defibrillation and many other facets of first aid. But, with the increasing influx of people moving into (Manalapan and Englishtown), we handle over 3,000 emergency calls per year," he said.
The squad president asked residents for donations to support the squad and for support on Election Day, when a ballot question will seek approval for a Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP).
If approved by voters and then by the Manalapan Township Committee and the Englishtown Borough Council, LOSAP will provide tax-deferred income benefits to active volunteers of the first aid squad, Mortman said.
"The LOSAP program is basically an annual contribution by (Manalapan and Englishtown) to a deferred income account for each volunteer member that meets the criteria that has been established," he said.
The squad president said the annual contribution to each active volunteer member is a maximum of $1,150. Manal-apan would be responsible for $1,050 of the contribution and Englishtown would be responsible for $100 of the contribution. The amounts are based on the number of calls to each community, he said.
The LOSAP appropriation would become an annual expenditure in each town’s municipal budget. If approved, the plan will start on Jan. 1.
"We have devised a point system criteria for the volunteer members who may be eligible for this plan," said Mortman. "The point system is based on a total of 100 points which include the following criteria: each eligible member must be on a certain amount of crews per year; they must attend monthly meetings and committee meetings; they must attend special events; and they will also get credit for being an officer of the squad."
According to Mortman, the squad will keep track of each member for the year and then submit the list for municipal approval to determine LOSAP eligibility.
"We have been fighting for this plan for years and now it’s up to the people who will decide whether this plan is approved or not on Nov. 5," said Mortman. "What we do takes a great amount of dedication. Every member we have loves what he or she does and loves helping people. We have never asked for anything in return. This is the first time that volunteers can be rewarded for the generous work they do."