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Will Ewing cops give up salary to keep their jobs?

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

By JOAN GALLER

Staff Writer

EWING What would it take to avert the impending Aug. 18 layoff of 24 township employees, including six

cops?

Theyd have to agree to a one-year pay freeze and contribute 1 percent of their salaries toward the cost of

their health benefits.

Thats the offer that was put on the table last March by the Ball administration in the face of a $2.5 million cut

in state aid for Fiscal Year 2011, which started July 1, two weeks ago.

But as of Tuesday nights council meeting when Ball faced a crowd of 80 residents and endured withering

criticism, badgering and one local womans shrill, obscene-laced tirade only one of the eight unions

representing township employees had responded positively.

Two other unions, now engaged in negotiations, learned after their respective contracts expired recently that

their members are required by a new state law to pay 1 percent of their pay toward health costs.

Im deeply disappointed in the lack of union response, but I still remain optimistic that we can prevent these

jobs from being lost, the mayor told the crowd at the council session, including members of PBA Local 111,

firefighters and other unionized workers.

Ball drew groans when he replied no and said his administration, including business administrator and

acting chief financial officer, are just starting the process.

A woman resident labeled Balls layoff plan a scare tactic to pressure the unions to accept givebacks in

these tough economic times when many police officers have young families or just bought new homes.

You dont even have the money to give the crossing guards a $1 raise! she said.

The mayor said the township considered furloughs and worked up a plan for last year when Ewing lost

$315,000 in state aid plus had to start paying on the deferred pension.

But furloughs were not workable, he added, they would have reduced township employees to a 4-day work

week and 20 percent pay cuts. Only the police, firemen and EMS workers would have been exempt, he said.

We lost $2.5 million in state aid to the township and $2.5 million to our school district, Ball said. We just

dont have the money to keep the workers on the payroll without givebacks or lay offs.

Ewings police department has the second highest salary guide in the state of New Jersey, Township

Attorney Michael Hartsough noted after the meeting.

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New patrol officers earn about $60,000; superior officers command well over $100,000.

The salary range emerged as a sore point during the public session when one disgruntled resident noted

junior officers were going to be replaced on road patrols by officers earning more than $100,000 a year.

How is that saving the town money? he demanded.

The impending job reassignments will also affect three officers who will no longer work as school resource

officers at Ewings elementary, middle and high schools.

Ball managed to inject a bit of good news during the heated meeting: two sergeants will not be demotion to

patrol officer, as previously announced, due to two recent retirement notices.

URL: http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2010/07/15/news/doc4c3e7b28a85b8185248289.prt

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