Raise for Mallett under new contract

Written by Alex Davis Wednesday, 15 February 2012 15:15

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP – Township business administrator Mark Mallett will receive $99,860 a year under his recently approved contract.

That’s $5,000 more than his previous salary.

Township Committee unanimously approved Mallett for a one-year contract at a meeting earlier this month. He has been the township’s business administrator since early 2009. Before that, Mallett had been deputy business administrator.

His term runs from Feb. 1, 2011, through Jan. 31, 2013. His former contract had been for three years.

Part of Mallett’s new agreement says “it is in the best interest of the township” to have him remain as business administrator.”

Mayor Dan Lockwood said he was glad “we got it done.” The decision was not about Mallett, he indicated, but operating township government.

Mallett did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday, Feb. 9.

According to the township's website, Mallett earned an annual salary of $93,000 from 2009-11, and in January Township Committee approved a salary of $94,860 for 2012 for the job. Now that has been increased by $5,000 under his new contract.

While much of the new employment agreement appears the same as the old one, there is at least one major difference: his employment agreement won’t automatically be renewed.

If his contract is not renewed, he would receive severance pay, weekly salary, and health, prescription and dental insurance for 22 weeks. He would also be paid vacation, sick and personal time.

Mallett must give committee members at least three months notice of his intention to resign or retire, which had been included in both contracts.

He would remain on board for a limited amount of time in a consulting role, being paid $70 an hour. Under the old agreement, consulting had been "based on an hourly rate equal" to Mallett's base salary divided by 1,820 hours.

Township Committee can oust Mallett with a majority vote, which would be two votes on the three-member board.

Under the new contract, immediate termination would mean he would receive severance pay and weekly salary for 22 weeks, as well as health, prescription and dental insurance. He also would be paid for "any earned vacation, sick (not to exceed $12,000), and personal time which shall be paid in a lump sum with the last salary check of the 22-week period...," according to the contract.

His old agreement called for continuation pay for 26 weeks, along with receiving health, prescription and dental insurance. Mallett would also be paid for vacation, sick and personal time under the old contract.

If Mallett is removed within 90 days, he would continue to be paid, and get health, prescription and dental insurance for the remainder of those three months. After that period, if Township Committee decided to fire him he would be entitled to severance pay, weekly salary, and benefits for 13 weeks.

Under the old agreement, Mallett would have received 26 weeks of weekly salary, and health, prescription and dental insurance.

Both contracts called for him to be paid for vacation, sick and personal time.

But he would not receive anything if he would begin a job elsewhere, according to the new contract.

Mallett did not earn compensation time or overtime as part of the old contract, and will not receive them under the new agreement.

Mallett receives full health insurance benefits, prescription, dental, eyeglass and similar benefits. He also has the same paid holidays, personal days, vacation and sick days as do other management employees.

As part of both contracts, Mallett will be given opportunities for professional development and other seminars, conferences and courses. He would be paid for travel expenses.

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