Villadom Times Weekly Local Newspaper

Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • April 28, 2010 Franklin Lakes Union employees and borough reach agreement by Frank J. McMahon The Borough of Franklin Lakes and its employees who are members of the American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (ASFCME) Local 2274B have reached a new three-year contract. ASFCME Local 2274B includes all non-confidential and non-managerial employees of the borough, including all members of the Franklin Lakes Department of Public Works, the police dispatchers, and borough hall non-confidential staff, but not the members of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association. The new contract includes 2009 through 2011 and calls for two percent salary increases in each of those years. The increases for 2009 and the first portion of 2010 will be made retroactively. The contract permits the change of the medical plan during the contract period to an equal or better plan, but it requires 45-day notice of the borough’s intent to change to an equal or better plan. In addition, the employee contribution toward medical benefits will be 1.5 percent of base salary beginning in 2011, and there will be an increase in the initial sick leave bank to 30 days. At the borough council meeting at which the resolution to authorize the execution of the collective bargaining agreement was passed, ASFCME Local 2274B President John Keene voiced dissatisfaction with the agreement, although he said his members are accepting it. “Once again, we are disheartened by the way our negotiations have gone,” Keene told Mayor Maura DeNicola and the borough council. “We have been willing to work with you all along and we agreed to a pay freeze in 2009, but instead you furloughed us for 16 days while another department received a very lucrative contract. “We have negotiated for over two years, and we agreed to the following pay raises: 3.25 percent in 2009, 3.5 percent in 2010, and 3.9 percent in 2011. We finally came to agreement, but it was changed by the council at the last minute to two percent for all three years, and we were told this was the last and final offer and we had one week to take it or leave it. We would be okay with this if it (were) shared equally. We have agreed to the offer, but we feel there is a strong inequity here.” The three-year PBA contract that was settled in September 2009 provided a 2.75 increase in 2009 and it calls for a salary increase of 3.5 percent in 2010 and 3.9 percent in 2011. However, Franklin Lakes Borough Administrator Gregory Hart advised that the salary increases for non-contractual employees have not yet been determined. The employees who are members of the ASFCME used to belong to the Franklin Lakes Borough Employees Association (FLBEA) and a collective bargaining agreement with the FLBEA was approved by the borough in 2007 which granted four percent raises to those employees for 2006, 2007, and 2008. Those employees then joined ASFCME in 2009 and have been negotiating a new contract since then. Humane solution found for beaver issue The Franklin Lakes Borough Council believes it has found a humane way to prevent beavers from damming the culvert under Indian Trail Drive and it has executed an agreement with the Humane Society of the United States for a beaver remedies program at a cost of $2,154. The damming of the culvert has caused the water level in the wetlands in the adjacent Franklin Lakes Swamp to rise and create water level problems for nearby residents, who have been complaining about the problem for years. At a work session earlier this month, Kevin Boswell, the borough’s professional engineer, advised the council of the Humane Society’s proposal to install a water flow control device in the culvert and to have the borough and residents wrap the bottom of their trees with wire cages to prevent the beavers from damaging those trees. Boswell described them as “common sense” solutions to the problem that will keep everyone happy. “The only question is, as time goes on and the beavers procreate, where will they go?” he added. Councilman Steven Marcus pointed out that when the food supply is taken away from the beavers they will look to resettle somewhere else and they will move to where they can find food and water. He emphasized that trapping the beavers, as some residents have legally done on their own properties, does not work and is a waste of time because the beavers are the second largest rodent in the world and they procreate. “Whatever trapping accomplishes in the short term, it is not a long term fix,” Marcus said. Marcus explained that the water flow control device that can be installed by the Humane Society requires minimum maintenance and it will prevent the beavers from blocking the culvert because even though they continue to try to dam up the culvert, water will continue to flow around the sides of the device so the water flow will not be blocked and the swamp will not overflow because of the beaver damming. Marcus emphasized, however, that nearby residents will have to cage the bottom of their trees. “If people do that, it will reduce the food supply and once that is gone the beavers will go somewhere else,” Marcus said. Mayor Maura DeNicola also said the borough might (continued on page 16) It’s Spring at �� “WE ARE RIGHT IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD” Endless Summer CUSTOM Farm-Grade HYDRANGEAS Container Top Soil Gardens & 95 $ 3 gal. BLOOMS ALL SUMMER! Great Value! �� Sale $ 34 Window Boxes MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON • EXPIRES 5-29-10 Great Deal! 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