Mayor Samuel Fenton Report for 2/15/2007

TWU Union Contract:

I would like to address the substance of the TWU contract which I understand was negotiated at the Ramada Inn on Route 13 by the union and some Council members without the guidance of our Labor Attorney, Township Solicitor, Acting Manager or myself. Your actions only prove to be irresponsible especially because it was done in an unprofessional, sneaky, backdoor manor, and I would like to ask you how the residents are going to pay for this. You know next year the budget will be tight and I do not like raising taxes, so when the residents ask this is what I will tell them:

1)    This contract was negotiated without proper representation. I am for giving the union what they deserve because they work hard, but when you make it so the residents will have to pay for this for years to come and that is irresponsible. This action is also being watched by our management union who at this point are going by policy. I am sure there will be more litigation coming by your decision. One person told me personally that they were ashamed at what went on and what would be the repercussions. This person is a taxpayer also and relieves all the raises that they were receiving would be relinquished by the cost of living if taxes have to go up.

2)    The decision to let another back door meeting happen with signed agreements to let an employee come back to work who was fired for having intimate relations while on duty and numerous other violations without hearing the arbitrator decision again is irresponsible and will cost taxpayer money.

3)    Trying to hire someone to run our sewer as a director because this person supported you, Mrs. Rogers, in the past election but is not qualified is again irresponsible.

4)    Giving a lighting contract to the highest bidder vs. the lowest bidder is again irresponsible and will cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars.

These are politically motivated actions or paybacks for support, everyone up there claims they want to do what is best for our town but by your past actions it is very hard to believe and I thought the people of Bristol Township ought to know they deserve better.