U.F. officials approve own pay increases

BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

Upper Freehold Township Committee members voted 4-1 last week to give themselves a raise.

At the May 19 committee meeting, Committeeman Stephen Alexander cast the lone vote against the increase. As a result of the vote, committee members’ annual salary will rise from $5,900 to $6,195, and the mayor’s salary will grow from $6,500 to $6,825. The resolution also set salaries for municipal employees.

Alexander said he voted against the measure because the committee raised taxes this year and cut six annual meetings from its schedule. While the committee initially met three times a month throughout the year, it now meets twice a month from May through September.

“It sends the wrong message to residents,” Alexander said. “By cutting six meetings, we are cutting our work.”

Other committeemen disagreed with Alexander.

Deputy Mayor William Miscoski said some meetings have been cut, but others have been added. He also said there would be meetings for the committee on Friday mornings and Saturday afternoons.

According to information provided by Township Administrator Barbara Bascom, the Township Committee had four fewer meetings this year than it did by the end of May 2004.

Miscoski also said committee members are eligible for health-care benefits, which no members currently have. While other committeemen may receive benefits through their employers, Miscoski said he must pay for his and his family’s benefits through his own business, the Cream Ridge Golf Club. He said if he had chosen to use municipal health benefits for the past 13 years he has served on the committee, it may have cost the township $130,000.

“The $5,500 doesn’t cover the gas and telephone,” Miscoski said. “Across the board should be across the board.”

Committeeman David Horsnall, who has decided not to run for re-election this year, said he was aware of Alexander’s concerns through discussions in workshop meetings. Horsnall said he was not ashamed to add the extra money to the committee members’ salary.

“The job is not getting easier,” Horsnall said. “It seems to be more work.”

Mayor Sal Diecidue said he added up the number of hours he has spent this year on Township Committee and Planning Board matters. The total, according to Diecidue, came to 120 hours.

“That’s not including the time to read paperwork prior to the meeting,” Diecidue said, “or to represent the town at events, or to represent the town at the county level, just to let them know we are here.

“A lot of time is committed outside of the home,” he said. “When my kids are playing ball, sometimes I’m here.”

Diecidue said he chose to take the mayoral position and wants to do the job. With a growing town in transition, he said, a lot of things need to be done in Upper Freehold.