Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
The Hopewell Township Committee has approved an ordinance that includes a 2-percent increase in the salary range for non-union municipal employees for 2018.
The ordinance also includes a 2-percent salary increase for the five-member township committee – a $90 increase, from $4,335 in 2017 to $4,425 for 2018.
This is the second salary increase for the governing body in as many years. The salary for 2015 and 2016 was $4,250, but it increased by $85 for 2017.
For municipal employees, the ordinance increases the top end of the salary range. For the tax collector, the salary range is $45,000 to $87,000. The salary range for the tax assessor, the municipal clerk and the human resources director is $47,000 to $89,000.
The salary range for the township engineer, the chief financial officer, the director of Community Development and the police lieutenant is $68,000 to $143,000.
The salary range for the chief of police is $76,000 to $151,000, and for the township administrator, it is $35,000 to $121,990.
Committee member Vanessa Sandom suggested that given the number of pending retirements among township employees, it might be worthwhile to look at salaries across the board and compare them to salaries in neighboring towns.
Mayor Kevin Kuchinski said there are a lot of “hard-working” township employees, and that perhaps there could be a merit pool of funds for those who go above and beyond what is required of them.
