Source: CentralJersey.com
The police chief of Readington NJ has sued the township for allegedly breaking an agreement on how much he would have to contribute for his medical insurance coverage.
Joseph Greco, who became chief in August 2017, charges in the lawsuit filed last month in Superior Court in Hunterdon County that under his latest agreement with the township for 2021, he would receive the same amount of health insurance benefits at the same cost as members of the township Policemen’s Benevolent Association.
That amount would be 1.5% of base salary, according to the lawsuit. Greco’s salary, in 2020, was $158,732, according to state records. However, the township is deducting $955.56 per month or $11,467.92 per year out of the chief’s salary, about 7%.
In its reply to the lawsuit, the township denied it has breached its contract with Greco. According to the lawsuit, the township “erroneously” calculated the contribution of both the PBA members and the chief.
The PBA filed a grievance and in February, the township “recognized that its calculation was erroneous” and agreed to reimburse the officers for the amount they overpaid, the lawsuit says. However, the lawsuit charges, the chief’s contribution was never adjusted, and he was never reimbursed.
The township also denies those charges.
Greco began his law enforcement career in 1998 with the Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Department where he was assigned to the Nar
In 2009 he was assigned to the Detective Bureau as detective sergeant. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2012 and to the rank of chief in 2017. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1990 until 1994 and is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Restore Hope.
Last month, Readington was named one of the safest places to live in New Jersey, according to Safewise.com. It joins Raritan and Clinton townships as being named a safest town, along with Hunterdon County’s designation as the Safest County in America to Raise Children.