Negotiations save police jobs in Middletown Township

Middletown and its two police unions, the Superior Officers Association (SOA) and the Policemen’s BenevolentAssociation (PBA), have reached an agreement that saves 10 police jobs. In February, Middletown filed a layoff plan with the state that proposed eliminating 26 positions, 10 of which were police officers.

“After a number of weeks, months of negotiations with the Superior Officers Association, we’ve come to an agreement that we think is extremely beneficial to the township and the officers involved,” Township Administrator Anthony Mercantante said at a special Township Committee meeting on April 29.

The committee also approved a virtually identical agreement with the PBA at its meeting on May 2.

The four-year contract, Mercantante said, provides for a 1.5 percent increase startingOct.1anda2percentincreaseannually for 2012-14 for both unions.

“The significant issue for the township has been the issue of ongoing cost and cost increases related to health insurance,” Mercantante said at the special meeting.

Through these two agreements, police officers will choose between a premium PPO health insurance plan and an HMO plan, he said.

Those who choose the PPO plan will pay 25 percent of their premium, and those in the HMO will continue to pay the statemandated 1.5 percent of their salary, Mercantante said.

“There is a savings to the township for the people to be in the HMO versus the PPO plan,” Mercantante said, explaining why the PPO members paid more.

Previously, Mercantante said that members of the two unions paid only the state-mandated 1.5 percent of their salary, regardless of plan.

“[This is] a significant benefit to the township, a significant help to us in offsetting the increasing costs of health insurance,” Mercantante said.

The unions also agreed to significant increases in co-pays for prescription and doctor visits, he said.

“The SOAhad demotions that were a part of the layoff plan, [and] as a result of this, as is specified in the resolution, those demotions will be rescinded,” Mercantante said.

“By eliminating the four demotions, it in effect eliminates four of the planned layoffs in the PBA.”

The six remaining patrolman layoffs, which would have taken effect April 30, were extended to Tuesday to allow the PBA members to meet over the weekend and with the township on Monday.

The agreement approved at Monday night’s meeting allowed the township to maintain those six remaining police positions.

“This represents an excellent compromise between the needs of the taxpayers of Middletown and the SOA, and this should serve as a model for future resolutions for the township unions,” said Committeeman Kevin Settembrino

Committeeman Steve Massell called it a win-win situation for all parties.

“A lot of hard work was put into this, and it paid off in the end for everybody,” he said.

“Everybody deserves a ton of credit for being reasonable and being realistic and coming to an agreement that seems fair to everybody,” said Committeeman Gerard Scharfenberger.

MayorAnthony Fiore said that these agreements put the township in a better financial position for this year and the future. He said the agreements would save the township hundreds of thousands on health benefits.

“We achieved significant savings to our health insurance, which continues to be a major driver, not just for Middletown but for all other municipalities,” he said on April 29.

“This contract also provides a zero percent raise for almost two years for the SOA members, and that’s a big sacrifice for them, and so they are sacrificing, they are doing what’s right for the township of Middletown.”

SOA President Fred Deickmann said on April 29 that the members felt that it was a fair settlement in these trying economic times.

According toMercantante, the average police officer salary in Middletown is $100,000.

Of the original 26 potential layoffs, agreements with the police unions saved 10 positions, and additional cost-savings saved five others.

Only eight of the proposed 26 layoffs went through, he said, adding that the township also had three retirements.

Mercantante said the township has met several times to negotiate with the white collar unit of municipal employees in an attempt to save the eight eliminated positions, but an agreement could not be reached.

He said that they will continue to meet and that some jobs may be reinstated if the two parties could reach an agreement.

News of the eight eliminated positions from the Parks and Recreation Department, leaving only a director, brought concerned parents armed with a 100-signature petition to Monday’s meeting.

They expressed their concerns regarding the personnel reductions at the Tonya Keller Community Center.

“All the parents don’t feel that one qualified person is enough to handle 25 to 30 kids at a time,” she said.

“I’m leery on bringing my daughter there, because I don’t know if there will be enough people to watch her.”

Fiore said that Mercantante was working on shift personnel and retooling departments and facilities in light of these cuts.

“We’re doing everything we can to keep it [Keller Center] open and make sure that it is appropriately staffed and monitored … but we’re really up against it this year,” he said.

Mercantante emphasized that the township had not eliminated summer recreation.

“We are working on some alternative ideas to bring back some staffing in parks and recreation to bring back some of the activities,” he said.