While the State ,County and Federal Government continue to operate in denial over finances the Ridgewood “Tiger Team” takes a hard look
Tiger Team: Additional Sobering Facts about Village Finances
January 18,2013
1) According to Village management, the Village has a current liability of approximately $7MM of accumulated leave (e.g. sick days). But the Village has only reserved $436,641 for this liability, representing more than a $6.5 million shortfall.
2) Ridgewood employees receive 15 sick days per year (considerably more than the average U.S. employee). Unused days may be accumulated at current pay levels until retirement, at which time retirees may elect to take half the accumulated days off with pay (up to 3-6 months, depending on department) or receive an equivalent lump sum payment at the much higher pre-retirement compensation level. The allowed sick days are in addition to generous vacation days.
3) The Village’s medical benefits cover children of employees/retirees into their late 20s or beyond.
4) The number of public retirees in NJ receiving over $100,000 in pension payments increased 28% in 2011, including 6 retirees from Ridgewood Village departments receiving over $634,000 per year (an average of over $105,000 each), excluding health benefits, according to New Jersey Watchdog.org.
5) According to an October 26, 2012 Wall Street Journal article, “the median full-time U.S. worker received 2.6 weeks (13 days) of vacation last year.” The starting vacation benefit for Ridgewood employees is 12-13 days, depending on department, which can grow up to a maximum of 31 days (over 6 weeks), excluding compensatory time off, sick days, and other forms of paid leave.
6) Qualified retirees are eligible for pension (65% of compensation prior to retirement) and medical benefits (at no cost) for life. Upon death, the pension and benefits accrue to the retirees spouse for his or her life.
7) In 2010, Ridgewood ranked 3rd highest in Bergen County in employees making more than $100,000 with 70 employees. This represents 24.4% of the Village workforce compared to our neighboring communities of Glen Rock at 12.6%, Midland Park at 2%, Ho-Ho-Kus at 1.6% and Westwood at 2.6%. Ridgewood is a dramatic outlier in this respect.
8) Ridgewood is only one of four municipalities in Bergen County with a full-time Fire Department and 67% of Firefighters (28/42) have base salaries over $100,000 (2011). The median for Ridgewood was $118,290.
9) 80% of Ridgewood Police (33/41) have base salaries over $100,000 (2011). The median for Ridgewood was $128,239.
10) In 2009, there were 68 Police Chiefs, 76 School Superintendents and 70 Borough Clerks in Bergen County. The total payroll for these three positions ALONE in Bergen County totaled over $30 million.
https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2013FinancialAdvisoryReportFINAL.pdf
village employees have been contributing to healthcare costs for several years and do so into retirement. coverage for adult children is a result of statutory change not village generosity
widows pension benifits are 50% of what the retiree was receiving get your facts straight
THIS TIGER TEAM NEED’S TO WATCH THE COIN ROOM THEN EVERY THING WILL BE O K. OK, THAT’S GREAT.
it look’s to me that the b o e, the police and fire dept’s coast the town the most. what kind of perk’s do the top brass get. how much sick time do they get.??????.
and WHO IS THE PERSON OVER LOOKING WATCHING THAT TIME THEY TAKE.?????.
YES WHO. AND CAN WE TRUST THEM. we put trust in a person and they took a big amount of money from the coin room. trust well that’s a big word in this town. who can we trust.
I used to be a firm believer in quality pay for quality people. You got what you paid for. Unfortunatly this is not the case lately. There have been numerous incidents of emploee mis deeds ranging from oral sex in a police car to theft from the town, and the PBA treasury, an employee stealing gas, a police lt cooking the books, and allgedly stealing computers, a now retired policeLt accused of groping an employee at a retirement party,and finally another employee accused of stealing quaters! What the hell is going on !!!!!!!!!!!!??????????
Reading the published report and the post above if a town eployee collect 100 sick days during his or her career they can have the option of giving back half or 50 days and getting paid for the other half. Can the town buy out the employee at the end of the year in a lump sump per year. I am in the private sector and this is doen quite often but my company gives me 100% of my unused time, but they make me take at least 2 of my 3 weeks vaction every year to avoid ot and stress complaints, the town workers getting half overall sounds like a bargain to me