Cedar Grove Township Council voted 5-0 on Nov. 2 to authorize Township Manager Joseph Zichelli to sign a new five-year labor agreement with Cedar Grove Police Officers Local 81, locking in raises and added benefits for officers through 2031. The same night, council introduced a companion salary ordinance covering fiscal years 2027 through 2031, setting up a final vote next month.
What the Deal Pays Out
According to citizenportal.ai, the ordinance introduced Nov. 2 is designed to fix salary grades and wages for the Cedar Grove Police Department for that five-year stretch, implementing the broader collective bargaining agreement reached with Local 81. The contract sets annual raises of 3% in year one, 2.75% in years two and three, and 2.5% in years four and five, according to TAPinto. Taken together, those yearly bumps mean officers will receive raises totaling 13.5% over the life of the contract, with officer base pay rising about 14.2% by the fifth year.
Beyond the paycheck bump, the agreement adds bereavement time and provides officers two additional sick days, per the same TAPinto report. It also allows officers to take a comprehensive physical exam during a regular shift rather than on their own time. The contract further cleans up the union agreement by removing outdated language, including references to officers hired back in the 1960s.
Health Benefits and State Law
The contract includes employee health-insurance contributions required under Chapter 78, a 2011 state law governing public-employee benefits.
Officials React to the Agreement
Zichelli described the contract as a very fair agreement and thanked officers on the union negotiating committee for what he called an important but deliberate process. He also credited township labor counsel Victoria Holmes with getting the deal over the finish line, and said officers work tirelessly day in and day out. No members of the public commented on the contract or the salary ordinance when it came before the council on Nov. 2, TAPinto reported.
Next Step: Dec. 7 Public Hearing
The salary ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing and final adoption on Dec. 7, giving residents a chance to weigh in before the measure is finalized. Anyone hoping to comment on the ordinance will have that opportunity when the council takes it up again next month.
