The Bayonne City Council approved amended employment agreements with Fire Chief Keith Weaver and Deputy Chief William Bartos last night to meet new state regulations.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Law Director Jay Coffey explained that changes were necessary because the Local Finance Board in Trenton introduced a new directive in March that was adopted in July that changes the requirements before police and fire chiefs take either terminal leave or retirement.
They must certify that they are in a collectively negotiated agreement, an employment agreement, or via municipal ordinance, the latter which Bayonne does not have, before they file their paperwork to leave their respective departments.
“We cannot do to the two for Police Chief Robert Geisler and Deputy Chief Joseph Scerbo, for police, because the underlying agreements with the police are not ready to be amended tonight because the attorneys haven’t agreed to the language,” Coffey noted.
“Countering that, the FMBAs, the two firemans unions, have agreed upon language that’s acceptable to everybody to amend their existing agreements, in turn, we can authorize the change in employment agreements for Chief Weaver and Deputy Chief Bartos.”
Therefore, the governing body voted on three related items: one to amend the agreement with FMBA Local 211 and Firefighters’ Mutual Benevolent Association Local No. 11, another to amend Weaver’s agreement, and the third and final to amend Bartos’ contract.
“Upon retirement Fire Chief Weaver shall be entitled to terminal leave and payment of
accumulated retirement hours reimbursement which includes compensation for fully credited unused vacation leaves of absence (up to 288 hours or the remainder of unused vacation leave) and final year fully credited unused personal days,” the second resolution says (the one for Bartos is identical).
“In addition to already banked vacation, sick, acting hours, personal days and time due hours, shall be paid to Fire Chief Weaver for retirement on or after February 1 of any calendar year in accordance with the payout procedure set forth in the FMBA Local 211 CNA.”
All three items were approved unanimously (5-0) without discussion.
According to public records, Weaver earned a $278,802 salary last year, while Bartos received $240,036
in 2023.
They deserve every dime they get they are two hard working men and you never hear any bad said bout them they are two dedicated men to their positions