Politics & Government

Medical Benefits For Supervisors Issue Addressed

Newtown Township Supervisor Ed Partridge brought up the ongoing issue of medical benefits for supervisors at a meeting on Monday night.

NEWTOWN SQUARE– supervisors Ed Partridge and John Nawn were recently approached by the Newtown Square Neighborhood Council in regards to an ongoing issue that's been brought up at different times to the board about the medical benefits to non-employee supervisors dated in 1998.

On Monday night's supervisors meeting, Partridge brought up the issue before the public during old business and asked for Township Solicitor Richard Sokorai's opinion on the legality of medical benefits for non-employee supervisors.

"What I’m bringing up tonight is not the judgment of whether the benefits are right or our expense should be absorbed by the township–that's not the issue," stated Partridge. "What's at issue, and the reason why I brought this up, is whether procedurally were things done right and what is the board's opinion of that."

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Sokorai said the issue had "quite a history on the subject" and was able to gather all the information he could on medical benefits to supervisors, dating back to 1998.

"So with respect to medical benefits received by supervisors, I do not believe that the payment of benefits in 1998 was proper," stated Sokorai. "While Section 606 of the Second Class Township Code allows the payment of medical benefits to non-employee supervisors, there had been no prior board action to create a policy to pay such benefits."

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However, Sokorai, continued, "Each year since 1998, the benefits have been separately and clearly identified on the budget for payment. Each year, the budget has been made available for public inspection and voted on in public. And each year for the last 13 years, the benefits have been paid. Should the board wish to continue this benefit, they are justified and relying on this open public action each year. So the rule against increasing compensation during a supervisor's present term is no longer an issue."

Furthermore, Sokorai clarified that "If a supervisor can’t raise compensation during their term, it takes effect the next term. Any decrease of effect would take a place next term. Whoever took the seat would have to take it under those terms."

Based on the solicitor's opinion, Partridge put a motion on the table to accept the solicitor's legal opinion on the validity of medical benefits for non-employee township supervisors.

However, Timber Lane resident Regi Siberski, who brought up the issue time and again, stated she did not agree with Sokorai's opinion and was against the non-employee supervisors who are still currently receiving benefits.

"I cannot see without having the public input on this issue and to have it terminated because you had the opportunity at one time to have a retroactive ordinance so that everything would've been put in place. So I do take a breach with the decision and I do hope the board will table this so that there would be the opportunity for supervisors [Ed] Mr. Partridge and [John] Mr. Nawn and myself to discuss this with the solicitor. And then we could come together for a better, better platform on how to proceed with this because I am definitely, definitely, definitely opposed to the surcharge," stated Siberski.

Supervisors Vice Chairman Dr. Ross Lambert responded to the discussion in that the practice of providing medical benefits to the supervisors was nothing new to townships like Newtown.

"The payment of medical benefits to township supervisors has been approved by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and most townships do that," said Lambert. "In the last 12 months. No one on this board was sitting when that decision was made."

Partridge's motion was seconded by Nawn and the vote was approved 3-0 with Supervisors Chairman Joseph Catania and Supervisor George Wood abstaining due to the fact that they currently receive medical benefits from the township.


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