Point Boro to Vote Tonight on New Court Agreement

A new way for Point Borough and Point Beach to share a municipal court that will save Point Beach police overtime is up for a vote at Point Borough Council tonight.

The revised agreement, negotiated by both towns, finds a way around an expensive conundrum that has cost Point Beach a lot of police overtime since the agreement went into effect in June 2010.

Point Beach has had to send regular, full-time police officers and detectives to Point Borough's Borough Hall on Bridge Avenue on Point Beach municipal court days because the Point Beach special police officers, who are paid considerably less, have no authority outside of Point Beach.

The new agreement calls for the Borough to use its own special police officers to man the Point Beach court sessions, at the expense of Point Beach. Point Borough recently hired a few "specials" who can be used for this purpose.

The proposed agreement states: "At the Beach expense, the Borough shall employ and provide staffing for no less than three Special Officers (Class II) while the Beach Municipal Court is in session at the Borough Municipal Building. The salary to be paid to each of the Class II Officers shall be no more than $13.00 per hour.

"The Class II Officers shall not receive any benefits which would need to be reimbursed by the Beach to the Borough. The Borough shall monthly provide an invoice and voucher to the Beach seeking reimbursement for the three Special Officers who were ordered to man the Municipal Court while the Beach was in session in the Borough Municipal Court."

The revisions to be voted on tonight (see agenda packet as attached PDF) also call for Point Borough to pay 10 percent more towards the salary, longevity, pension and healthcare costs of the court administrator and "when applicable" the deputy court administrator.

Also, "the Borough agrees to pay 25% of the aforementioned expenses for two assistants to the Court Administrator, both of whom are currently employed by Point Pleasant Beach. The level of compensation modification to 25% shall be retroactively effective as of July 1, 2012," according to a copy of the proposed, revised agreement made available late Monday afternoon by Borough Hall (see attached PDF).

The new agreement states: "The Borough shall agree to increase the level of compensation and consideration (see paragraph 6A of the Agreement) from 15% of the salary costs plus 15% of longevity, pension and healthcare costs, for the duly appointed Court Administrator to 25% of the salary costs plus 25% of longevity, pension and healthcare costs for the duly appointed Court Administrator, as well as when applicable, the Deputy Court Administrator."

The new agreement, which would extend through June 30, 2015, needs approval by both Borough Councils and State Superior Court Assignment Judge Vincent Grasso, sitting in Toms River.