8 Ridgewood, Glen Rock Public Retirees In $100k Club

Various public retirees in the area are part of the so-called "$100K" club, receiving more than $100,000 in pension from the state of New Jersey. The highest pensions are going to former members of the towns' Board of Education.

Last year, 1,244 former employees collected more than $100,000 the according to New Jersey Watchdog. This number has increased by 28 percent since 2010, they said.

Below is a list of retirees in Ridgewood and Glen Rock. The number pales in comparison to neighboring Paramus, which alone has nearly 20 former school or borough employees collecting six-figure pensions. To view the full state list click here.

• George Connelly (Glen Rock Board of Education): $123,511
• Dario Valcarcel Jr. (Glen Rock Board of Education): $115,979
• William M. Corcoran (Ridgewood Villlage): $108,661
• John LiPuma (Ridgewood Village): $108,010 
• Thomas L. Landers (Ridgewood Village): $107,938
• Russell C. Titus (Ridgewood Board of Education): $104,545
• James A. Bombace (Ridgewood Village): $101,331
• Keith D. Killion (Ridgewood Village): $100,716

[Note: Former Village Manager James Ten Hoeve retired from Ridgewood in 2009. He collects a $107,401, the majority of which is paid by Ridgewood. He also worked as the CFO of Totowa, so his employer at retirement is categorized as "multiple".]

Connelly was hired as Glen Rock's school superintendent in 2006 after working as a principal and teacher in the district. His contract was not renewed in 2009, when current superintendent David Verducci was hired. Valcarcel, whom the 's media center is named after, retired in 2001 after serving as superintendent for 17 years.

Tom Landers, a former captain of police, retired from the village in 2010. Russell Titus worked in Ridgewood schools for 28 years, retiring in 2005 as Assistant Superintendent. He was a former Ashby Award winner and principal of .

Jim Bombace retired after a long tenure as the fire chief of the paid . He retired in spring of 2010 with 30 years of service in the village.

Keith Killion, currently , worked for 30 years in the police department, retiring as a captain in 2008. William M. Corcoran served as police chief of Ridgewood before also retiring in 2008. John LiPuma took the mantle from Corcoran, shortly being appointed chief. Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward has served as chief since summer of 2010.

In Glen Rock, no retired municipal employee is a member of the $100,000 club, though former police chief Steven Cherry clears $98,972 a year. He retired in 2009 after 42 years of service to the borough.

[Correction: William M. Corcoran, former Ridgewood police chief, was not on the original list.]