Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • August 15, 2012 Franklin Lakes Borough sets salary levels for union members by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Council has adopted an ordinance establishing the salary levels of the members of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees AFL-CIO Local 2274B, which represents various municipal employees. The 2012 salaries for employees who are AFSCME members are: municipal finance assistant, $37,478; planning and zoning board secretary, $43,507; police dispatchers, starting at $28,559 up to grade nine at $50,994; department of public works mechanic, $64,216; DPW maintenance person, starting at $32,834 up to grade nine at $63,276; technical assistant to construction official, $44,808; fire sub-code official, $31,802; deputy court administrator, $45,662; assistant recreation director, $39,954; assistant superintendent of public works, $79,593; fire prevention bureau chief, $22,324; plumbing sub-code official, $22,168; and board of health secretary/registrar, $47,451. The salaries of AFSCME hourly employees were set as follows: assistant to tax assessor, $18.64; secretary to fire prevention/DPW, $19.65; recreation assistant, $16.16; electrical sub-code official, $42.24; and DPW maintenance, part time, $17.08. A collective bargaining agreement with the borough’s union members was reached in June for Jan. 1, 2012 through Dec. 31, 2014. That contract, which is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012, incorporates the final and complete agreement between the borough and AFSCME employees and modifies certain articles and provisions of the collective bargaining agreement that expired on Dec. 31, 2011. The new agreement calls for salary increases for all employees represented by AFSCME, except for those employees who will receive step increases during each year this contract is in effect. Those salary increases will be 1.5 percent for 2012, 1.75 percent for 2013, and 1.75 percent for 2014. Any employee who receives a step increase at any time during any year will not receive any other increase. All step increases will remain at the same levels set forth in the collective bargaining agreement that expired on Dec. 31, 2011. In addition, the AFSCME members agreed that the borough could change the health insurance plan to the BMED Match Plan for medical insurance and the Bollinger Match Plan for prescription insurance. Those changes are consis- tent with the borough’s right to change insurance carriers or institute a self-insurance program as long as the same or substantially similar benefits are provided. The agreement includes a DPW boot allowance of up to $250 per year, payment for on-call time for DPW employees at the same rate as one day’s pay, and a minimum callin time of two hours. All of these stipulations memorialize existing practices. The agreement also states that overtime at time-andone-half will be paid for work in excess of 40 hours per week. Work on Sundays and holidays will be paid at double time, regardless of whether the employee has worked in excess of 40 hours per week. In the event the borough hall is closed because of a storm, or for any other reason, AFSMCE members will not be entitled to additional compensation or leave time. This ordinance also established the salary for the police lieutenant position at $141,653. The borough council and the Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 150 previously agreed to a separate three-year contract in May, which will extend to Dec. 31, 2014. That contract also included an agreement with the PBA to switch the borough’s health benefits provider from the state health benefit plan to the matching Gateway B-MED plan. The Franklin Lakes Police Department reminds borough residents and business owners that they are required to have address numbers that are clearly displayed and visible from the roadway. This public safety measure helps ensure that the borough’s police, fire, and ambulance services can accurately identify buildings, which can increase response time in the Police urge clear, visible address numbers event of an emergency. Address numbers should be clearly posted on, or adjacent to, the doorway on the side of the building that faces the roadway, or adjacent to the driveway, such as on a mailbox. Residents may call the Franklin Lakes Police Department’s non-emergency number, (201) 891-3131, for details.