Hourly Wages Increase For Bernards Township Employees To Stay 'Competitive'

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Some Bernards Township employees may see a bump in pay as the Township Committee unanimously voted to pass an ordinance increasing compensation for certain positions.

"Truly we have all witnessed how the labor market has been altered in recent years. Whether it be inflation, the after-effects of COVID, you name it. And we understood as a township we are not immune just like anyone else in the labor market trying to attract talent," said Mayor Andrew McNally at the July 11 Committee meeting.

Township Administrator Pat Monaco said the township on occasion will review salary compensations but this time around it was a little bit more important.

"We did this review and found most of the issues were all around the minimum range area. We did quite a bit of adjustments in those areas. Some of the higher positions were fine," said Monaco. "Bernards Township is never going to pay the highest but we are always looking to be somewhere in the upper end. Our goal is this is a multi-year effort to stay within budget constraints as well."

Committeewoman Janice Fields, who sits on the Personnel Committee, said they had been looking at this and found some problem areas that needed to be addressed.

"The hourly rates needed to be increased to be more competitive with other areas," said Fields.

Committeewoman Jennifer Asay, who also sits on the Personnel Committee, said they are always thinking about their employees.

"We know how blessed we are as a community about how our employees really go above and beyond. And we want to show that they are not only compensated but they are developed and retained," said Asay.

McNally said the ordinance helps the township remain competitive with other municipalities and other employers in the public space.

"I really think that this effort... will enable us to attract and retain the sort of talent that we need to keep Bernards Township running in the way that it always has," said McNally.

Take a look at the ordinance showing the annual base salary of the following officers and employees of the Township of Bernards (Department/Position Hourly/Salary Range):

ELECTED OFFICIALS

• Township Committee Member $5,300 / Year
• Mayor $6,000 / Year

ADMINISTRATION

• Administrator/Chief Operating Officer $180,000 - $220,000
• Administrator/Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer $190,000 - $230,000
• Assistant Administrator (Limit 2) $5,000 - $10,000

CLERK’S OFFICE

• Assistant to the Municipal Clerk $19.00 - $26.00 / Hour
• Deputy Municipal Clerk $50,000 - $70,000
• Document Imager/Records Retention Clerk $19.00 - $26.00 / Hour
• Municipal Clerk $80,000 - $120,000

CONSTRUCTION

• Code Inspector-Building, Electrical, Fire & Plumbing $24.00 - $31.00 / Hour
• Code Inspector-Building, Electrical, Fire & Plumbing (Part-Time) $30.00 - $50.00 / Hour
• Construction Official $100,000 - $135,000
• Principal Technical Assistant to Construction Official $30.00 - $38.00 / Hour
• Sub-Code Official-Building, Electrical, Fire & Plumbing $35.00 - $45.00 / Hour
• Sub-Code Official-Building, Electrical, Fire & Plumbing (Part-Time) $45.00 - $65.00 / Hour
• Technical Assistant to Construction Official $25.00 - $33.00 / Hour

ENGINEERING SERVICES

• Assistant Township Engineer $90,000 - $125,000
• Civil Engineering Technician $29.00 - $39.00 / Hour
• GIS Specialist (Part-Time) $24.00 - $31.00 / Hour
• Senior Staff Engineer $80,000 - $110,000
• Staff Engineer $33.00 - $46.00 / Hour
• Township Engineer $125,000 - $165,000

FINANCE

• Accounting Specialist $21.00 - $28.00 / Hour Chief Financial Officer $120,000 - $155,000 Finance Specialist $30.00 - $39.00 / Hour
• Payroll Specialist $24.00 - $31.00 / Hour
• Supervisor Treasury Services $65,000 - $95,000
• Treasurer $75,000 - $105,000

FIRE PREVENTION

• Fire Prevention Inspector $25.00 - $32.00 / Hour
• Fire Official $80,000 - $110,000
• Smoke Detector Inspector (Part-Time) $18.00 - $25.00 / Hour

HEALTH

• Animal Control Officer $26.00 - $38.00 / Hour
• Assistant Animal Control Officer (Part-Time) $20.00 - $25.00 / Hour

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Human Resources Assistant Manager $65,000 - $90,000
• Human Resources Generalist $26.00 - $36.00 / Hour
• Human Resources Manager $75,000 - $95,000
• Human Resources Officer $90,000 - $125,000

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• Information Technology Director $100,000 - $145,000
• Information Technology Manager $80,000 - $115,000
• Information Technology Technician $26.00 - $40.00 / Hour

LIBRARY

• Administrative Coordinator $29.00 - $38.00/ Hour
• Custodian (Part-Time) $15.00 - $23.00/ Hour
• Librarian $24.00 - $33.00/ Hour
• Library Assistant (Part-Time) $15.00 - $19.00/ Hour
• Library Bookkeeper $24.00 - $31.00/ Hour
• Library Coordinator of Programs $55,000 - $75,000
• Library Director $90,000 - $125,000
• Library Shelver (Part-Time) $14.00 - $16.00/ Hour
• Library Technician (Part-Time) $15.00 - $19.00/ Hour
• Senior Librarian $31.00 - $42.00/ Hour
• Senior Library Assistant $18.00 - $32.00/ Hour
• Supervising Librarian $65,000 - $85,000
• Teen Services Librarian $24.00 - $33.00/ Hour

PARKS & RECREATION

• Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation $70,000 - $105,000
• Bus Driver $20.00 - $30.00 / Hour
• Director of Parks & Recreation $90,000 - $125,000
• Recreation Programs Manager $55,000 - $70,000

PLANNING & ZONING

• Township Planner $110,000 - $140,000
• Zoning Officer $30.00 - $42.00 / Hour

POLICE

• Chief of Police $180,000 - $210,000
• Class II Special Officer $30.00 - $50.00 / Hour
• Class III Special Officer $35.00 - $50.00 / Hour
• Crossing Guard (Part-Time) $18.00 - $25.00 / Hour
• Deputy Chief of Police $160,000 - $190,000
• Matron (Part-Time) $18.00 - $25.00 / Hour
• Officer In Charge $180,000 - $210,000
• Records Specialist $17.00 - $24.00 / Hour
• Senior Records Specialist $19.00 - $26.00 / Hour

PUBLIC WORKS

• Assistant Superintendent of Public Works $90,000 - $120,000
• Landfill Attendant (Part-Time) $18.00 - $25.00 / Hour
• Project Coordinator $26.00 - $40.00 / Hour
• Public Works Supervisor $85,000 - $115,000
• Superintendent of Public Works $100,000 - $140,000

PURCHASING

• Purchasing Agent $80,000 - $110,000

TAX ASSESSOR

• Deputy Tax Assessor $55,000 - $80,000 Field Inspector $18.00 - $32.00 / Hour
• Tax Assessment Associate $29.00 - $38.00 / Hour
• Tax Assessor $100,000 - $140,000

TAX COLLECTOR

• Deputy Tax Collector $20.00 - $32.00 / Hour
• Tax Collector $60,000 - $90,000

VARIOUS DEPARTMENT

• Administrative Assistant $24.00 - $34.00 / Hour
• Administrative Associate $19.00 - $26.00 / Hour
• Administrative Coordinator $29.00 - $38.00 / Hour

Seasonal and Parks and Recreation Part-Time Employees (Position/Range):

• Assistant Pool Manger $10,000 - $13,000 / Season
• Assistant Program Site Supervisor $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Bus Aide $12.93 - $16.00 / Hour
• Customer Relations (Pool) $12.93 - $16.00 / Hour
• Golf Course Operations Supervisor $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Golf Course Ranger $12.93 - $16.00 / Hour
• Golf Course Shift Supervisor $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Group Counselor $12.93 - $16.00 / Hour
• Group Leader $12.93 - $16.00 / Hour
• Gym Supervisor $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Intern $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Lifeguard $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Lifeguard Supervisor $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Pool Maintenance $12.93 - $16.00 / Hour
• Pool Management Pre-Season $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Pool Manager $18,000 - $21,000 / Season
• Professional Instructor $20.00 - $60.00 / Hour
• Program Site Supervisor $12.93 - $23.00 / Hour
• Public Works-Grounds $12.93 - $16.00 / Hour
• Swim Team Assistant Coach $500 - $1,500 / Season
• Swim Team Coach $1,200 - $2,000 / Season
• Therapeutic Recreational Aide $12.93 - $16.00 / Hour

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