FREEHOLD – Freeholder John D’Amico has asked lawmakers in Legislative Districts 11, 12 and 13 to draft and sponsor legislation that would allow community colleges to offer early retirement incentive programs to longtime faculty members in an effort to reduce salaries.

 

“Currently, because of tenure rules and the longevity of its faculty members, there are 43 employees on the college’s payroll with salaries that top $100,000,” D’Amico wrote in his letter. “Many of these persons would retire if an early retirement incentive program were available.”

 

The request comes as Monmouth County is grappling with crafting a budget that includes a wage freeze for all nonunion employees, or about one-third of the county workforce. The remaining employees who are in unions have been asked to follow suit.

 

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders reduced its annual allocation to Brookdale Community College by $941,000 this year, and a number of senior nonunion college staff have agreed to participate in the county’s wage freeze for 2009.

 

“Even with those measures, the college was required to raise tuition and fees by 4.5 percent to $115 per student credit hour,” D’Amico said. “Notwithstanding that increase, enrollment is up by 9 percent, further straining Brookdale’s resources.

 

“These difficult economic times have put a lot of pressure on the County of Monmouth to reduce expenses so as to minimize the impact of its budget on the taxpayers,” D’Amico continued. “I believe that the special circumstances related to the community college would make and early retirement incentive program worthwhile from a fiscal as well as an educational standpoint.”

 

 

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