Pay Freezes Begin In Hillside Due To Council Inaction

Hillside, NJ – Yesterday several employees in the Township of Hillside did not receive paychecks
due to the Township’s Council refusal to appropriate line items within the budget. After the
Township Council decided to cancel two meetings, one on January 28th and the second on February
2nd, no appropriations were made thereby forcing a number of employees to go unpaid in the midst of
a snow storm and COVID-19.

“I am disappointed that the Town Council has continued to play politics with our Township and
budget creating a shortfall in funds. The Councils inactions and political grandstanding has put
our town in danger of inadequate services,” Mayor Dahlia Vertreese stated. “Sadly the
Administration is suffering from this action I along with the Business Administrator and others
have absorbed the dangerous effects of this action. However, for at least this pay cycle we were
able to make sure most of the employees were paid but I am uncertain how long that will last
without having any administrative staff to assist in the bi weekly payroll process.”

At the end of 2020, Mayor Vertreese and the Administration sent out requests to meet with all
Councilpeople and only two (2) of the seven (7) council people met with the Mayor. Since then no
additional Councilpeople have reached out to meet. Mayor Vertreese went on to say “I was hoping to
avoid just this when I attempted to meet with the Councilmembers.”

Mayor Dahlia Vertreese continued by saying, “I am hoping for immediate action by the Council to
resolve this issue. The administration will continue to do everything in our power to absorb the
effect of these pay freezes. I hope the Council will stop politicizing this and put the betterment
of the town first.”

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