Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • December 21, 2011 Franklin Lakes Borough employees scuttle merit bonus program by Frank J. McMahon The employee merit bonus plan the Franklin Lakes Council approved in November has been abandoned because borough employees, including the Policemen’s Benevolent Association, informed Borough Administrator Gregory Hart they were not in favor of the program. The day after the resolution was passed, Hart received a petition signed by the majority of the borough employees stating their opposition to the bonus plan. He was also told verbally by the PBA that they were not interested in the program. “My recommendation, reluctantly, is that we not move forward,” Hart told the council. He added that the program was intended to reward high performing employees. The council agreed to cancel the program based on the employees’ current position, but it was pointed out that both the employee association and the PBA had previously indicated their interest in the bonus plan. About 25 employees signed the petition stating that, while they are appreciative of the governing body’s desire to recognize borough employees by providing a merit bonus, they believe that recognizing the achievements or accomplishments of one employee over another would cause a decline in morale. They requested that the funds allotted for the merit bonus program be used, instead, for a holiday luncheon, or a picnic in the spring or summer where all the employees of the borough could benefit. Hart advised, however, that parties and picnics are not related to the merit bonus program budget item. As a result, the funds targeted for that program will not be transferred for those purposes. An employee holiday party has been planned unrelated to this program. The resolution that established the merit bonus program pointed out that a high standard of performance is expected of all borough employees while fulfilling their regular job duties and all borough employees are expected to make valuable contributions while working on special projects or assignments. The purpose of the merit bonus program was to recognize employees who went above and beyond the usual high performance standards the borough expects. Examples of meritorious performance included: actions that would normally be expected of an employee with a significantly higher skill level or pay grade; a one-time action that was above and beyond the call of duty; extraordinary effort, commitment, dedication, diligence, cour- age, patience, empathy, or creativity; submitting an idea or taking an action that directly resulted in significant savings for the borough; and exhibiting exceptional creativity, innovation, or self-initiative. All regular full-time and regular part-time employees would have been eligible for recognition through the merit bonus program following one year of service to the borough and there was no limit set on the number of bonuses any one employee could have received during his or her tenure with the borough, although no employee could have received more than one bonus in a budget year. Bonus amounts would have varied between $250 and $500, with a total annual budget of $5,000. In addition, the resolution pointed out that a merit bonus would have been discretionary and would not have affected an employee’s regular salary or hourly rate of pay or overtime rate of pay. The procedure for implementing the merit bonus program was to start with recognition by the borough administrator or a department head, and the submission of a form to the borough administrator for consideration. The borough administrator would then have reviewed the request and presented it to the administration and Finance Committee for review, after which time the borough administrator would have presented the recommendations to the governing body for approval. The Advisory Council for the Community by Teens and for Teens will meet in the Franklin Lakes Library’s local history room on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. Franklin Lakes students in grades six through 12 who want to promote teen services in the library and organize community service programs locally or globally are invited. Library invites input from teens No registration required. Refreshments are served. ACCT Teens have organized a community drive to collect items for Operation Smile, a not-for-profit medical services organization which provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip and cleft palates for children around the world. The library is a collection point. Call (201) 891-2224, extension 105 for details. The library is at 470 DeKorte Drive.