By JOE CARLSON

jcarlson@njherald.com

BYRAM Health care negotiations between PBA Local 138, the union that represents Byram police officers, and the township, which have been in progress since August 2012, heated up last week when the PBA accused Township Manager Joe Sabatini of a conflict of interest in not accepting a PBA proposed health care plan.

The PBA can only conclude that the rejection was in direct connection with the Town Manager receiving 50 percent of the annual cost ($34,000) of the health care policy, read a PBA postcard mailed to Byram residents last week. The PBA believe allowing the Manager to negotiate health care is a conflict due to his large cash payment for opting out of health care.

Byram Police Officers Association (Byrams branch of the PBA) Vice President Daniel DeWald said on Friday the postcard was sent out because the negotiation talks broke off in November and the PBA wanted residents to know what it (the PBA) believed was going on.

The postcard was received by many residents between Tuesday and Thursday.

In response to the postcard, Mayor Jim Oscovitch addressed the claims in a statement to the New Jersey Herald.

All actions and decisions by our Township Manager during negotiations with the PBA have been made with the direction and approval of the Mayor and Council, the statement read. We stand united behind our Manager and the decisions weve made throughout this process. We are disappointed that the PBA has chosen public personal attack over respectful collaborative negotiation.

Following the mass mailing of the postcards, the township sent an email blast to residents and posted a statement on its website refuting the claims.

Sabatini, who does not get his health insurance through the township, receives cash compensation each year. Receiving cash compensation instead of insurance is a Byram policy that is available to all employees. On Friday, Sabatini said for 2014 his compensation for not taking insurance would be $13,785.12.

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Byram police union attacks town manager over health care issue