By AUBRIE GEORGE
The Moorestown Sun
Concessions taken by township police officers were formalized last week after Council approved the police union’s contract on final reading.
About a month before last week’s meeting, the township and Fraternal Order of Police struck a five-year deal that includes a wage freeze and other concessions for the 36 police officers in the union. Officers agreed to take certain concessions while the township agreed to no police layoffs for the duration of the contract.
The agreement had been formalized via a memorandum of understanding until it was officially adopted last week.
The terms of the contract include a retroactive 3.5 percent salary increase for officers for 2009 and implements a salary freeze for 2010. After that, union members will receive salary increases of 2.5 percent in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Officers will also begin contributing 1.5 percent of their total salary to pay for their health care starting Jan. 1. In addition, longevity payments for new hires have been eliminated and lower starting salaries were negotiated.
At last week’s meeting, Mayor Dan Roccato said the agreement represents a good balance for the officers in the union and the taxpayers.
“This is truly one of those, I think, great examples of how good, honest people can work together and have a common goal and come out of the room with an agreement that works for both parties,” Roccato said.
The agreement puts an end to a two-year arbitration process that both parties entered into when they could not reach a deal in 2009 after the last police contract expired in 2008.
In other news:
A few residents voiced concern that there would not be enough activities for local children once school lets out in June.
Resident James Little said he was concerned due to the closure of the playground at Fullerton Park and the township’s skate park.
In addition, he said, the township recreation center would be closed for the month of August and is only open on weekends.
“Our children are our future, we’ve got to find something for them to do,” Little said.
Some residents were fearful that a lack of activities for children would contribute to children hanging out and “getting into trouble” on Main Street.
“It’s a mob scene,” resident Kathy Sutherland said. “You don’t even want to walk on Main Street.”
Some residents suggested that a stronger police patrol presence on Main Street could help deter any potential problems.
Resident Pat White suggested the township work with the school district to offer more activities for children over the summer.
“These poor kids, they’re citizens too, and they need to have somewhere to go,” White said.
Roccato told residents that Moorestown Recreation Director Theresa Miller had plans to meet with the officials from the YMCA last week in order to brainstorm about joint programming that could be offered to local children. He said more information would follow after that meeting.
Council members said representatives from Greyhawk Construction and Kitchen & Associates would be present at the next regular council meeting to continue discussion on why bids for the town hall project came in several million over budget.
Deputy mayor John Button, who has been council’s liaison for the project, said representatives would be prepared with recommendations on how the township can move forward and build a project that meets the township’s needs in accordance with the project’s budget.
Council is scheduled to meet for its next regular action meeting on June 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the William Allen Middle School.
