Town Board rejects Cronin grievance

By a 3-0 vote with two members absent, the Town Board in a special meeting May 24, turned down a grievance filed by retiring Police Sergeant James Cronin who sought to receive a one-year final average salary benefit.

Town Board members Chris Lewis, Paul Shepherd and Amber Brach-Williams — Supervisor Jim Dougherty and Councilman Jim Colligan were absent — voted against granting the benefit to Mr. Cronin.

The consensus was that it was filed too late and the PBA Collective Negotiations Agreement failed to grant benefits of retirement and Social Security as would have been required for “Tier 2” members such as the sergeant.

“Sergeant Cronin’s assertion that the town agreed to provide him with the one year final average salary benefit during collective bargaining is inconsistent with the language contained in the various Town/PBA collective negotiations agreements,” according to the decision.

The decision further stated that the only reason the sergeant was trying to get the one-year final average salary benefit was to provide himself with other financial benefits he would lose.

These pertain to holiday and longevity pay provisions.

The board determined that other provisions pertaining to a cleaning allowance, night differential, uniform allowance and cellphone provisions were rejected because Mr. Cronin had provided no evidence.