By the time Scott Heck retires, Ringwood could owe him more than $813,000 in unused comp time.
On a Thursday night earlier this month, residents packed the Passaic County borough’s council chamber wanting to know how this had turned into a small fortune — and why nobody told them.
“How does a town get into a position like this?” resident Travis Potter demanded. “How did you not address this, year after year?”
Marc Pfeiffer, a former deputy director of the state Division of Local Government Services, noted that the circumstances of the trade were “uncommon” but not unheard of, especially in small towns like Ringwood, a quiet Passaic County borough of fewer than 13,000 people tucked up against the Ramapo Mountains.
“It’s not like he’s getting something nobody else is getting,” said Pfeiffer, who is now a Rutgers University professor
Large retirement payouts — sometimes called “boat checks,” a term popularized by former Gov. Chris Christie — have drawn criticism from lawmakers and fiscal watchdogs for years.
In West Orange, former Police Chief James Abbott retired in December after 45 years on the force, and is entitled to a payout of $787,017.03 for unused leave. That payment remains in limbo, with the Office of the State Comptroller scrutinizing the sum and the town verifying records.
New Jersey capped sick leave payouts for newly hired public employees in 2010, but the cap doesn’t apply to longtime workers.
“It didn’t turn the tap off,” Pfeiffer previously told NJ.com. “And so now we’re living with the decisions that were made years ago.”
Semeraro made clear what happens if the deal collapses.
“If that contract doesn’t go forward, there’s no reason for Mr. Heck to voluntarily give up $500,000,” he told the council. “We have to worry about $800,000 when he retires.”
Mayor Jaime Matteo-Landis tabled the proposed contract at the end of the meeting. The council’s next session is April 21.