Bond for Aerial Ladder Truck Approved in East Hanover

The East Hanover Council approved three ordinances on first reading when they met Wednesday, all of which will impact the township's expenses.

The first ordinance allows for a bond of up to $850,000 to purchase an aerial ladder truck for the East Hanover Volunteer Fire Department.

According to Kenny Huelbig, the township's CFO, East Hanover received a 2011 FEMA Firefighters Assistance grant of $712,500 to help pay for the ladder truck.

This sum is included in the bond ordinance, and the burden to the township is only about $95,000 for the remaining costs of the truck.

"I want to say kudos to Chief John Centanni, who worked on this two years ago for us to get this grant money," Mayor Joseph Pannullo said. "It was a big plus for a little community like ourselves to receive a big grant like that."

Another ordinance establishes a table of organization among township employees, and a range of salaries for employees.

Joe Tempesta, the administrator for East Hanover, said the four-year contracts with various township employee unions expired in 2011.

"In preparation for hopefully the ratification of all of our employee union contacts, we need to do this by ordinance to adjust the ranges of compensation for employees," Tempesta said.

The contracts may be ready for ratification as soon as the Dec. 17 meeting.

A third ordinance outlines a five-year payout of sick and vacation leave for recent and pending retirees in the township.

"We had a number of employees who retired, and a number of pending retirements in the next several months," Tempesta said, and upon retirement each employee is entitled to receive money for unused sick and vacation days.

For so many employees, paying out these funds in lump sums to individuals would be a hardship to the township and residents, Pannullo said. Instead, the township can opt to pay the money over five years if they pass an ordinance saying so.

Employees, Pannullo said, "were very willing to let us do that over time, not to burden our tax base. ... They understand the difficult times that the municipality is having."

The council also approved an ordinance updating the township's personnel policies.

Each ordinance will have a public hearing on Dec. 17.