Clarifies Compensation Package of W. Wildwood Police Chief

To the Editor: 
I read with interest a Spout Off in the May 11 Herald from an identified “West Wildwood” person that read, in part, “Why does the West Wildwood police chief have a $126,000 compensation package?”
The Herald responded below the Spout Off, in part, “Again, according to public records at the Data Universe of Asbury Park Press, as of 2015, West Wildwood police chief’s salary was $67,492.”
On May 13, I personally met with a representative at the Herald to discuss the facts of the Spout Off listed above and the response the Herald gave to the spouter’s comment.
My contention is that the Asbury Park Press can only report data that it is given. We both agreed that to be valid. According to the Borough of West Wildwood’s salary ordinance that I had acquired via an Open Public Records Act request (OPRA), the police chief’s salary in 2016 was set at $70,196.
That spouter said that the “compensation package” for the police chief is $126,000. The Herald responded that the West Wildwood police chief’s salary in 2015 was $67,492. That is not what the West Wildwood spouter said. Salary was not mentioned. A compensation package is a combination of salary, insurance plans, benefits, retirement plans, vacation and sick days, and holidays.
Here is the rest of the story on the compensation package that the police chief in West Wildwood received in the year 2015. The following is public records acquired through OPRA requests from the Borough of West Wildwood hand delivered to the Herald representative with whom I spoke May 13.
Payroll records indicate total salary received by the police chief in 2015          – $111,108.40
Pension match by Borough for Police Fire Pension is 10 percent – $11,110.84
Medical benefit package – $9,109.44
Prescription plan – $2,341.56
Dental plan – $650.76
Compensation package/cost to taxpayers – $134,321.00
Not included in the above compensation package is the car the chief of police has 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and a work schedule that no one can figure out, paid holidays, paid vacation, personal days and sick days.
The above is public record. One need only ask for copies of OPRA requests made by Herbert C. Frederick, No.’s 2016-004, 2016-034 and 2015-084 to get copies of the above from the Borough of West Wildwood.