Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, August 9, 2012 OUR 122nd YEAR – ISSUE NO. 32-2012 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com
[email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS WF Council Discuss State’s Public Employee Retirement System By LAUREN S. BARR quired analysis and certification of in PERS was not offered to Mr. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader employees’ eligibility to participate Finestein when he was hired as town WESTFIELD – The discussion in PERS. attorney following Mr. Cockren’s at Tuesday night’s Westfield Town Mr. Blake also questioned who retirement, as new part-time em- Council meeting centered around advised Mr. Gildea when he re- ployees were not eligible for the pensions following the issuance of sponded to a 2011 inquiry from the pension. a report by State Comptroller Mat- comptroller, as asking then town Editors note: According to pub- thew Boxer which criticized mu- attorney Robert Cockren would lic records available on the Internet nicipalities for allowing profes- have been a “conflict of interest.” at www.app.com/section/DATA/ sional service contractors to remain Mr. Blake said that the town “can- DataUniverse, Mr. Cockren receives in the state’s Public Employee Re- not ask the fox whether or not he $35,753 annual pension from PERS. tirement System (PERS). likes the accommodations inside the The data is: Resident John Blake praised cur- hen house.” He also said that Mr. Cockren, Robert, Westfield Town, rent Town Attorney Russ Finestein Finestein “wanted more money than PERS - Public Employee Retire- for his “knowledge of the law” since [he] was being offered” for the po- ment System, $65,024 (final aver- he is not participating in PERS.