Time to once again point the finger at Brigantine’s City Manager Stinson. According to the BTA, Brigantine Taxpayers Association, it looks like Mr. Stinson didn’t get the memo. Brigantine longevity pay was phased out in 2013, but Stinson is still doling out the cash. Longevity pay is bonus money for public employees that simply show up for work.
Longevity payout for Brigantine employees in 2017 was $339,000.
Brigantine Mayor Guenther, Councilman Simpson have yet to offer an explanation. Is City Council under little pressure to comply with current law/ordinance?
Brigantine City Manager Stinson Still Handing Out Longevity Pay
Longevity was paid in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017.
Brigantine Taxpayers Association finds City Management: non-compliant, in violation of their own ordinances / rules, enjoying little to no oversight and accountability.
Brigantine Still Handing Out Longevity Pay, 4 Years After Voting to Stop It.
A 2013 ordinance says, “Longevity is eliminated for all employees from the date of this ordinance. Employees that have received longevity in the past will maintain the longevity amount that has already been added to their base salary but will no longer be eligible to receive longevity from this date forward.”
A recent, 2017 ordinance says: Longevity eliminated for all employees. Employees that have received longevity in the past will maintain the longevity amount that has already been added to their base but will no longer be eligible to receive longevity from 1/1/14.
WATCH Brigantine City Council Video from Feb 7 >
- With fast declining, full-time Brigantine population, it makes no sense to have bloated city government, says members of the ‘Concerned Citizens of Brigantine.’
- 175 positions of employment in Brigantine. That’s 3 more than 2016.
- 34 police officers, 34 firefighters/emt’s
- 44 (25%) of Brigantine employees have a salary of $100,000+
- Total listed payroll is $11.5 million, an increase over 2016.
- Amount doesn’t include total hourly wages, seasonal employees and overtime.
- Total personnel costs + insurance, pensions, other employee comp: $17 million
- Employee health insurance: $2.3 million
- Total personnel costs are 77% of Brigantine Municipal budget.
Sloppy management? Hiding Links Golf course financials, over-taxing that created $5 mil general fund. State says $2 mil should be average general fund balance.
Brigantine School District Student Enrollment Continues Slide.
In 2015, student population was 661. Today in 2018, that number has dropped by almost 100 students…… to 571.
Brigantine still has 2 schools. Elementary & middle school. Let’s not forget Pre-K and K too.
Checking the 2017 municipal employee salary list: looks like Mr. Stinson is violating the City Longevity ordinance in regard to10 non-union, salaried employees.
Brigantine taxpayers have paid millions of dollars to fund unjustified longevity payments.
2nd homeowners, which make up 75% of taxpayer base, not aware of excessive spending in Brigantine. Growing frustration over assessment issues that lead to higher taxes. Reports show 2nd homeowners likely pay higher taxes, compared to full-time residents. 75% of Brigantine taxpayers are 2nd home-owners who rarely vote in Brigantine. But they could, if they wanted to.
A growing group of non-voting Brigantine taxpayers have discussed retaining attorney with municipal expertise, to best represent their interests.
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Things will not change because 2nd home owners can’t vote here. The vote is controlled by residents who are full time. If you are a resident and you work in Brigantine you can vote for all the employee perks and other amenities on the backs of non-residents. Always been that way. I’m full time (retired) and think Brigantine is a great place to live with lots of amenities and a great place to live thanks to all the tax money coming in from non -voters . Unfair ? I guess. So ?