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An audit report released Wednesday by the Office of the State Comptroller found the Borough of Keansburg gave what it described as excessive benefits to its employees, including 11 weeks of vacation to the police chief in 2018.
“Keansburg’s police chief was granted vacation leave on the taxpayer’s dime for more than 20% of the work year,” acting State Comptroller Kevin D. Walsh said. “Eleven weeks of vacation is unreasonable and wasteful. Most New Jerseyans are lucky to get a few weeks of vacation each year.
Walsh added, Giving a public employee who is paid $208,000 per year 11 weeks of vacation in addition to paid holidays, sick leave and compensatory time isn’t illegal, but it should be. The Legislature possesses the power to stop this sort of waste and abuse and has used it in the past to protect taxpayers. In the absence of legislative changes, these sorts of outrageous abuses will continue.”
Keansburg police chief got 11 weeks paid vacation in one year
KEANSBURG An audit by the Office of the State Comptroller found that this borough awarded nearly a half-million dollars in longevity payments to police officers and other municipal employees over a two-year period, and sold back weeks worth of unused vacation and sick days to the then-police chief and borough clerk in apparent violation of their contracts.
Although not identified by name in the OSC report, former Police Chief James Pigott held that rank during the years audited, 2017 and 2018. In the latter year, the OSC found that the chief received 55 vacation days, or 11 full paid weeks off.