UPDATE: Compensation Ordinance For MUA, BTSA Commissioners Fails In Split Vote

By Patricia A. Miller

An ordinance that would have allowed commissioners on the Municipal Utilities Authority and the Berkeley Township Sewerage Authority to be paid paid up to $5,000 a year in salaries went down in a split vote at a Township Council meeting.

Berkeley Patch had inquired as to whether the ordinance had been adopted after the 9:30 a.m. special Township Council meeting and was told it had.

But this afternoon, Township Clerk Beverly Carle informed Patch that after further review by Township Attorney Lauren R. Staiger, the vote had failed.

The vote was 3 yes, one no and one abstention. It took place with just enough council members present for a quorum.

Only five of the seven-member council were present. Council President James J. Byrnes and Councilmen John Bacchione and L. Thomas Grosse Jr. voted yes. Councilwoman Fran Siddons cast the lone no vote. Councilman Kevin Askew abstained.

Both Askew and Gross voted by speaker phone. Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. and Council members Robert Ray and Judy Noonan did not attend the meeting.

"Each such member shall receive such compensation for his services, to be determined by the Authority, not to exceed $5,000 per year per member," the ordinance stated "Authority members may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred from the discharge of their duties."

Several residents questioned the need for possible salary hikes for the commissioners or why they receive a salary at all. Commissioners on both authorities meet once a month.

Resident Robert Kaiser suggested if there were any salary increase, they be kept in line with the recent 1.5 percent increase in Social Security benefits.

"These guys are going to make double pay," Kaiser said.

"We are not doubling it," Township Administrator Christopher Reid said. "We are just capping it."

Township Attorney Lauren R. Staiger said it was up to the individual authorities to set their own salaries, not the Township Council.

"This is just setting a cap," Byrnes said. "We hope they have the responsibility not to double their salaries."

"There is nobody in this county that has gotten double pay," Kaiser said. "When I read that, I thought are you kidding me? Is this just friends of somebody?"

BTSA Chairman Anthony DePaola proposed raising the BTSA commissioners' salaries back in October, asking that the chairman be paid $3,400 and other commissioners be paid $3,000, according to BTSA minutes.

"Whereas the Authority believes it is appropriate and proper that the commissioners be paid for the extraordinary amount of time and effort expended in service to the Authority and the residents of Berkeley Township," according to the resolution passed by BTSA commissioners.

Anthony DePaolo is also chairman of the local Republican Club. The BTSA also includes former Township Councilman Nathan Abbe, Robert Martino, Wendy Colombo, Steven Pellecchia and Joseph Bruscino. Pellecchia is also a member of the Berkeley Board of Education and is running for another term.

Just who asked that the Township Council approve the compensation ordinance is not clear.

"I don't know where it came from," Reid said after the meeting.

None of the monthly BTSA meetings this year have lasted longer than an hour and 50 minutes this year. The April meeting began at 6 p.m. and adjourned at 6:55 p.m., according to the minutes.

The current MUA salaries for the six commissioners are $2,500, except for the commissioner acting as secretary, who is paid $3,750 a year, said MUA Executive Director Michele Nugent.

The MUA commissioners include Chairman Patrick Pizzi, former Township Councilwoman Karen Davis, Lloyd G. Mullikin, who serves as secretary, Michael W. Hale, Eric Sudia and alternate commissioner Keith Buscio. Buscio is also president of the Central Regional Board of Education.

Both Pizzi and Sudia also receive health benefits. The other commissioners were appointed after a later state statute forbid providing health and pension benefits to authority members, she said.

None of the members on other boards in town - including school districts, zoning and planning boards - are paid, Chief Financial Officer Frederick Ebenau said.