MANCHESTER – A recent meeting of the Township Council featured an explanation about an across the board 4 ½ percent increase for non-union employees of the township.
Business Administrator Carl Block said that percentage was arrived at by the chief financial officer and presented to the council.
Resident Hank Glenn compared the salary of Toms River’s clerk, $127,000, to that of Manchester’s Clerk Teri Giercyk, which is $40,000 less. Toms River’s clerk recently resigned, adding to the numerous employee departures that have occurred in that municipality since January 1.
Giercyk joked that she had not spoken to Glenn prior to the meeting. Block noted that the salaries are based on assignment and length of service and tenure with the township. “There could be adjustments made at a different time,” Block said.
“So, are you making a promise?” Glenn asked with a smile and to the amusement of the audience who laughed at his question. He advocated for Giercyk to get higher pay.
Council Vice President James Vaccaro once again noted the motto of the community that “Manchester Township is the gemstone of the jersey shore and in my opinion the best place to reside in Ocean County. We are affordable, we have a rural nature and it is my pledge to you that will remain such.”
He congratulated the recently sworn in police officers who replaced retirees of the township police department and who were sworn in last month.
Vaccaro also repeated the exploration of a senior center for the community and efforts to seek out additional ratables in the community including a medical facility to relocate or open in the township along with funding a kidney dialysis transportation program. “It is greatly needed in the township.”
He also advocated for the governing body to waive fees for those wishing to start up new businesses in the community and to utilize some of the commercial sites that are available within the township.
Councilman Craig Wallis agreed with Vaccaro that a committee should be formed to study the idea of the senior center that would involve the township’s senior services office. “Jim keep bringing it up.”
Wallis made the recommendation that the new hires and promoted officers be presented during a council meeting “we are doing these (swearing ins) during the day but it would be nice to do it during a council meeting because the chief is doing a great job in hiring these people and it would be nice to have people seeing the people we are hiring.”
During that meeting the township released an escrow project located at 1001 12th Avenue and a property located at 1480 Lincoln Boulevard. A contract was authorized for Wastequip through Sourcewell National Cooperative for three roll-off containers.
Also authorized was an award of a contract to County Line Power Equipment through Omnia National Cooperative for Exmark Mower and Accessories.
Contracts were awarded for municipal aid improvements involving the Station Road project and Colt Place project. A bid was awarded for HVAC services to McCloskey Mechanical Contractors Inc. and another bid was awarded for standby electrical services to Magic Touch Construction Inc.
