'Unfair' raises spur debate

By Frances Ruth Harris
MILFORD — Employee raises sparked debate on Monday night, before the Milford Borough council gave two street workers raises in next year's budget more than double what other workers will get.

Councilman Nick May started things off when he said the street workers deserve raises of 7.7 percent and 8.8 percent to cover cost-of-living increases.

But Mayor Bo Fean, who favors a 3 percent raise for all borough employees, including the police, said the suggested raise was hardly gradual, and wouldn't be fair to the borough's police officers, who are the lowest-paid in the area.

The proposed budget includes no increase in taxes. The extra money May says justifies raises for street workers is coming from public works. But it's not a continuing source of revenue.

Councilman Joseph Casmus said the extra money comes from a one-time adjustment of $4,200 saved on hydrant fees. The Milford Water Authority received grants while keeping projects under budget and so was able to replace all fire hydrants and water mains throughout its system. The water authority was then able to drop fire hydrant fees as a one-time deal.

Councilmembers agreed borough employees are underpaid. But they worried about being fair to all workers.

Councilman Doug Jacobson said giving street workers raises higher than others would create animosity between two employee divisions.

Assistant chief weighs inAssistant Milford Borough Chief of Police Sal Pinzone, asked for his opinion, said his officers have not had a raise in some time. And his department has been facing some challenges over the past year, he said.

Casmus said the police department should have mentioned it during its biannual review, held in executive session before the meeting. Several board members said the police have never been denied any equipment, while others said the real issue was salaries.

Vinnie Accordino, who chairs Streets and Recreation, said the street department has lop-sided hourly rates. For one thing, he said, the foreman acts as the road master.

Fein said neither is a road master or acts as one.

"In 17 years I've never seen anything like this in my life," he said.

A woman sitting in the audience whispered, "Don't they usually discuss salary matters in executive session? I wonder why they are discussing salaries in an open meeting?"

Another resident suggested doing a wage and salary study to determine the best course of action.

Annette Harr, who will take her place as a council member in January, after her recent win on the Verge ticket, said the new board might adjust the budget, since they had until Feb. 15 to do so. She suggested that the current board hold off until January.

But Casmus, who will return to a mostly new board next year, said the current board was still in session and would continue its work. The new board can make different choices in January, he said.

The motion was made to adjust the salaries of the two street employees to $15 an hour, or a 7.7 percent increase, for one; and a $16 an hour, or 8.8 percent increase, for the other; and a 3 percent raise for everyone else.

The motion passed 5-2, with Jacobs and Councilman Robert Zaruba voting no.