Police contract with raises approved
Much of the increased payroll is offset by health insurance savings
LOWER POTTSGROVE >> Township commissioners unanimously approved a four-year contract with the police union Jan. 19 that will proved cumulative raises of 12.5 percent and add $203,000 to the township payroll.
However, savings from a new health insurance plan will offset all but $41,000 of that increase — less than the salary of the average police officer.
The contract changes little except pay and health benefits, according to Commissioners Vice Chairman Stephen Klotz, who also heads up the police committee and had a hand in the negotiations.
The contract provides a 3 percent raise in the first year; a 3 percent raise in the second year; a 3.25 percent raise in the third year and a 3.25 percent raise in the fourth year.
Those increases will collectively add $203,000 to the township payroll after four years, said Township Manager Ed Wagner.
Currently the average salary on the police force is $56,241 and the highest salary is $91,112, said Klotz.
The 19 officers affected by the contract — only Chief Michael Foltz is not in the union — will continue to make no payments toward health insurance premiums, but they did agree to move to a new health plan offered by Aetna, Klotz said.
That plan, which has a high deductible for families, saves the township $162,000 over the course of the contract, thus offsetting all but $41,000 of the increased payroll costs.
The officers agreed to accept the high deductible plan because the township will pay 100 percent of the deductible costs incurred in the first and second years; 75 percent in the third and 50 percent in the final year of the contract.
Those costs, of course, will depend on actual experience and how much the officers and their families access their health care, making them difficult to predict.
Klotz said “it’s always tough to settle a contract,” and thanked the police union for continuing the talks so the matter could be settled without going to arbitration.
Commissioners Chairman Bruce Foltz also added his thanks to the police committee for their efforts.