Brookhaven OKs bonus for safety officers

Brookhaven Town officials approved $600 payments to 91 public safety officers Tuesday amid criticism that the move was fiscally irresponsible.

The bonus, described in town records as a "one-time lump sum payment" for a total of $54,600 to the officers, is a result of the officers' union contract with the town, Supervisor Mark Lesko said.

The part-time officers, who enforce town codes and guard public facilities, were given the bonus in lieu of a raise to their hourly pay, Lesko said. The officers average $10 an hour.

Councilman Daniel Panico said it was unwise when the town is lagging in payroll and trimming workers' hours.

"I don't support a one-time payment," he said. "I would rather see that go into next year's budget so the men and women can work more hours."

Lesko defended the bonus as a long-term savings for the town. Councilwoman Connie Kepert also voted for the bonus.

"This $600 one-time payment is not going to break the bank," said Kepert.

Panico, Tim Mazzei and Jane Bonner voted against the payment while Lesko, Kathleen Walsh, Kepert and Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld voted in favor.

The public safety officers were among many part-time town workers to have their hours slashed next year. Officers who formerly worked 32 hours weekly will work 24, and those who worked 20 hours will work 12, officials said.

Joel Shapiro, president of the officers' bargaining unit, said the $600 "doesn't fit the bill," but added that the union is "satisfied that it was passed."

The public safety officers have not received a raise in more than seven years, town officials said. They became unionized in 2009, town officials said. Their union contract was approved in March and gave the officers the ability to ask for a salary increase at the end of 2011, officials said.

Lesko rebutted the perception that the payment was an end-of-year bonus that only the public safety officers received. "This isn't a Christmas bonus," Lesko said.