Police, borough reach
deal on new contract
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD — Police officers and borough officials have agreed on a new contract. The previous deal expired on Dec. 31, 2002. The new contract covers 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

According to Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina, the two issues that caused the most discord between the sides were health care benefits and wage increases. Meetings broke off in June after the parties failed to reach an agreement, he said.

The borough then hired arbitrator Robert Glasson of Pennington, which is what the law suggests, Bellina said.

After representatives of both sides coordinated their schedules with Glasson, a meeting was finally held in December. The result was a contract that was ratified by both parities. Bellina said it was "amicably settled."

"There was no formal hearing," he said. "Just us in one room and them in another and the arbitrator going back and forth between the two rooms."

Bellina said discussions focused on the key issues of health care benefits and wage increases.

Under the terms of previous contracts, officers were not required to contribute anything toward their dependents’ health care coverage. Under the new contract, the officers will pay a portion of their dependents’ health care costs.

"Employees are always free, according to state law," Bellina said. "This was a major sticking point."

A police officer’s starting salary in Freehold Borough is $29,176. The maximum salary for a police officer is $83,605, according to the administrator.

Police officers will pay $12.50 per paycheck (every other week) for their dependents’ health care coverage in 2004; $15 per paycheck in 2005; and $17.50 per paycheck in 2006, according to the contract.

The wage increase will see salaries increase 4 percent per year for the life of the four-year contract. Bellina said that is consistent with what police officers are getting statewide. At some point the officers will receive their retroactive pay increase for 2003.

Police union Vice President Rich Ciampa said the contract is one the officers are happy with. He explained that the process of arbitration, which costs $1,030 for the day of mediation, can often take weeks and many meetings, incurring costs which can be prohibitive. He said he was glad the arbitration was quick and very effective in this case. The fee will be split by the borough and the police union, according to Ciampa.

He said each side will have to pay the legal fees that were incurred over the year-long process of negotiation.

Ciampa said the contract was voted on and accepted unani­mously by members of the contract committee — union President Patrolman Darnell Esdaile, Patrolman Chris Colaner, Detective Michael Giglio, Sgt. Glenn Roberts, Officer Michael Sweetman and Ciampa.