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By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – The Board of Commissioners Thursday, Dec. 2 took actions to keep existing employees and professional services contractors in place over the next year.
The board approved public service contract extensions for its tax attorney, municipal prosecutor, conflict prosecutor, public defender, and conflict public defender.
It also approved a one-year contract for its acting administrator and planning and grant professional, as well as four-year contracts for certain non-union department heads – Systems Analyst and Facilities Director Fred Verna and Chief Financial Officer Lisa McLaughlin.
McLaughlin, a certified public accountant and municipal finance officer, manages the city’s financial assets and ensures the bills get paid. Her base pay will be $140,000 in 2022, with $5,000 annual increases through 2025, 20 vacation days annually and 15 sick days a year. McLaughlin is also eligible for longevity pay of $10,000 annually through the contract period.
Verna, who manages technology systems at the city’s public facilities and is overseeing planned renovations at the Margate Municipal Buildingm r will earn a base salary of $165,000 in 2022, $167,000 in 2023, $171,000 in 2024 and $174,000 in 2025. Longevity pay will be capped at $15,000 annually for the next four years. He will also receive 20 vacation days and 15 sick days each year.
The board extended its annual contract with Jersey Professional Management for the services provided by Acting Administrator and Management Consultant Richard Deaney, who works for the city on a part-time basis. The contract may not exceed $182,000 for 1,300 hours of service.
Other approved annual contract amounts include:
- Municipal Prosecutor Joseph Sayegh $35,000
- Alternate Prosecutor Carl N. Tripician $2,000
- Public Defender Swift Law Firm $4,800
- Alternate Public Defender Steiner Law Office $1,000
- Planning and Grant Assistance James Rutala Associates $24,000
- Special Tax Counsel Hank Rovillard $25,000
The board also approved a one-year contract with Vital Communications, Inc. to provide tax assessment services in the amount of $23,000.
Deaney reported that additional contracts will be up for approval at the next meeting, including labor contracts for the Margate Employees Association, which represents employees in the Public Works Department and City Hall.
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