Berkeley Cops Show Up In Force To Protest Proposed Hike In Retirees' Health Insurance

by Patricia A. Miller

Don’t mess with our retirees’ health insurance.

That was the message Berkeley police officers had for Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. and Township Council members on Monday night.

Officers past and present attended the meeting after retirees received a letter last week informing them they might be required to pay $147 a month for their health insurance. Retired officers currently pay nothing for the cost of their health insurance.

PBA President Don Rowley told township officials it was wrong to renege on agreements made years ago with retirees.

“These guys haven’t been paying anything for 20 years,” he said. ”If you want to take it to court, the PBA is willing to take this to the end.”

Just who had proposed the new charge was unclear after the meeting last night. Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said there had been some ”internal discussions” recently.

But it was clear last night that council members did not agree with the increase.

Township Councilman L. Thomas Grosse Jr. - a Toms River police officer - said he would ”never vote in favor of that.”

Grosse said he wanted to reassure officers that ”we will not screw with you.”

“I’m sorry you had to come out and think this was a done deal,” Councilman Anthony DePaola said.

The proposal had been pulled from the agenda before the meeting even go underway.

“I don’t know how it even got on if there is so much objection to it,” Councilman James J. Byrnes said.