Upper Freehold officials take a pay cut
Miscoski, Faber vote against reducing their compensation
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

In a 3-2 vote, the Upper Freehold Township Committee approved a resolution that gives municipal employees a 4 percent raise but cuts elected officials' salaries by 20 percent.

Deputy Mayor William Miscoski and Committeeman Bob Faber cast the dissenting votes at the July 19 Township Committee meeting.

As a result of the resolution, the mayor's salary will drop from $6,825 to $5,460 this year, while each committeeman who received $6,195 per year will now receive $4,956 annually. Municipalities are not forced by law to offer salaries and benefits to their elected officials, but many towns do.

Miscoski said he is unhappy that the only salaries being cut are those of the governing body. He said the little amount of money that committeemen make doesn't cover their gas and telephone call costs.

Miscoski also noted that no one on the Township Committee has ever used the health insurance provided by the township, although members are eligible for the coverage. If he had opted for the health insurance during the 15 years he has served on the committee, Miscoski said it would have cost the township about $150,000.

"It's a matter of principle," Miscoski said about his vote. "I feel like I have saved [the township] more money over the years than I care to talk about."

Faber said he agrees "loud and strong" with Miscoski. He said no other township workers have taken salary cuts.

Miscoski said the committee looked to make cuts in other areas and asked township departments to reduce parts of their budgets.

"Guess what?" Miscoski said. "No one stepped forward."

Township Administrator Barbara Bascom said Miscoski's statement is not true. She said employees did cut their operating budgets.

"We cut all department budgets and suggested policies to further reduce spending throughout the year," she said. "I did not understand it that any member of the Township Committee was expecting the employees to forfeit a percentage of their salaries."

Bascom said examples of employees' money-saving efforts include putting together new playground equipment themselves to save on assembly costs, having the Building and Maintenance foreman perform tasks that were previously outsourced, and making recycling a revenue source rather than an expense.

Bascom said that while the township grows, its employees take on more responsibilities.

"We have become the lead agency for the joint drug alliance, providing office space and employee and staff support," she said. "We are the lead agency regarding the paid firefighters assigned to Hope Fire Company and handle purchasing, human resources support, negotiations, etc., for that department."

She also said township employees now run the summer camp and other recreation programs, support the township's Economic Development Committee, plan and host building dedications, and participate in fundraising and community events.

"The staff of Upper Freehold Township is highly qualified," she said. "They hold certifications and continue their education in accordance with the state regulations."

Mayor Stephen Fleischacker said the committee discussed salary ranges for township employees during a workshop session.

"We did shrink the budget," Fleischacker said. "We cut not just [our salaries], but expenses in the township. Overall, the number of expenses are lower."

Committeeman Stephen Alexander considers a 4 percent raise just enough to keep up with inflation. He also said that he feels that raises should be merit-based.

While serving as a committeeman is a part-time job, Alexander said it is not a livelihood like municipal jobs are for township employees.

Fleischacker said committee members work lots of hours, but the money they receive is not significant.

"It's the symbol," he said of the decision to cut officials' salaries.

Committeeman David Reed said the governing body took a salary reduction to show it is willing to make hard cuts. He said the committee could have decided not to give township employees a raise.

While the committee's salary cuts do not add up to a lot, Reed said automatic raises for those who serve on the governing body could eventually result in people running for office for the money rather than as a service to the community.

Reed said he does not believe employees should get automatic raises every year and that the committee could set an example.

Miscoski said, "It blows my mind that in government, you have to give 4 or 5 percent raises every year."

He alleged that if he, Faber and Reed, who all run businesses, ran their operations the way the government does, they would all be broke.

"The county, state, and legislators have absolutely bad, bad business practices," he said.