Council members give themselves low-cost health coverage

Byram - Making official a practice that has been going on for about twenty years, the Byram Township Council members this week approved a resolution allowing them and their immediate families to take advantage of health benefits funded by taxpayers. Up until now, those benefits, similar to those offered to full-time municipal employees, had been free of charge to council members. In this week’s decision, the members of the council agreed to put aside 30 percent of their annual council salary, or approximately $900 a year, to pay for the health coverage. While most citizens in the private sector face annual health care coverage costs several hundreds if not thousands of dollars greater than the amount to be contributed by council members, Councilman Earl Riley asserts the pay scale is an equitable one. “While the dollar amount may seem low, it is a third of the annual salary and is significant,” said Riley. The township is looking for municipal employees to contribute as well. Citing hefty increases in health care costs, Township Manager Greg Poff is asking for concessions in this area from labor unions with whom he is currently negotiating new contracts. According to Poff, the contribution he is asking of municipal employees is the same as those agreed to by the township council. “The 30 percent asked of the council members is consistent with what I have asked of the labor unions,” added Poff. “It equates to about $1,000 annually.” Councilwoman Donna Griff, the one dissenting voice during the vote, wants the money spent to provide council members with benefits to be used elsewhere. “Part-time employees don’t get benefits. Volunteers cannot get benefits. I don’t think council members should get it,” said Griff. “That money can be saved and used for the township.” According to former Byram Mayor Catherine Varian, the health insurance policy first came about many years ago when members of the township council were mostly self-employed and therefore, often found health coverage difficult to get. However, Varian contends, most current council members work for companies that offer health benefits, making this policy unnecessary and unfair to the local taxpayers. “This is a slap in the face to all township residents who receive no benefits whatsoever or have to pay for them,” she said. “Taxpayers are paying for it. You are making an illegal policy that has been going on for 20 years legal, but it is still immoral.” Neighboring municipalities have differing policies regarding to health care coverage. In Sparta, Township Manager Henry Underhill explained that only full-time municipal employees receive health benefits. “Full-time employees contribute 10 percent of the cost of the insurance,” said Underhill. “The only thing they (council members) get is a small annual salary stipend to cover the expenses that come with being an elected official.” Sparta Mayor Ailish Hambel receives $4,650 a year and each council member receives $4,120 annually. In Byram, council members receive $3,000 a year and in Andover Township, committee members receive $2,000, but are offered health insurance free of charge. “It’s fair because they hardly get anything,” said Andover Township spokeswoman Robin Hattersley. Currently four committee members take advantage of the health insurance policy in Andover Township, and two Byram Township council members receive health benefits through the municipality.