Health Benefits Could End For Future Elected Bridgewater Officials

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater officials have introduced an ordinance that would make future elected officials ineligible for township health benefits.

On Thursday, the Township Council voted 5-0 to introduce the ordinance, which would amend Chapter 26 of the township code, which covers personnel policies.

Under the proposed change, any member of the Township Council or Mayor who is elected, re-elected or appointed after Nov. 1, "shall be ineligible for health benefits."

Over the last five years, the Township's budget shows close to $638,000 was spent for health insurance for participating elected officials.

"Hundreds of thousands spent and we have nothing to show for it. Those funds could have been used for any number of other things. Reducing taxes, increasing our capital reserve, keeping our parks and library clean and inviting," said a resident during public comment.

"The proposed ordinance is inadequate and letting this practice continue even for a few is not sustainable or defensible," the resident said.

Council discussion focused on fairness, cost and how elected officials are classified.

"$638,000 in the past five years is a lot of money. I'm not going to say any more than that," said Council President Joan Gieger.

Councilwoman Ridwana Isla said that the ordinance is "finally about putting taxpayers first when it comes to this extra 600,000. We were in the finance and budget committee this year and we tried our best to eliminate anything that was not necessary for taxpayers and this is just a continuity of that."

Councilman Timothy Ring noted that there have been changes over the years as far as a change in council, and he "felt it was a good time to move forward with this and drafted it and circulated it for this governing body."

"One can argue, is it perfect? Not perfect?" said Ring. "I think there's a balance of some fairness built into it."

Township Administrator Michael Pappas noted that this ordinance was adopted by the governing body in the past.

"In my many years of experience in municipal government, health benefits for elected officials had been very common in most municipalities. And I know in a town where I live, the members of the governing body had it, and they made a determination that everyone would be grandfathered, and upon their no longer serving, the existing members would be grandfathered and when they left office, the replacements would not assume that benefit," said Pappas. "So many towns have had it, and various towns have either eliminated or continued it through various policies that they set."

Final action on the ordinance is scheduled for the Oct. 15 Council meeting at 7 p.m. in the municipal courtroom.

Public inspection of the ordinance is available on the township website, bulletin board and through the clerk’s office.

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