[Adopted 9-3-2019 by Ord. No. 17-19]
A Length of Service Awards Program ("LOSAP") is herewith created in accordance with Chapter 388 of the Laws of 1997,[1] to reward members of the Denville Volunteer Fire Department and First Aid Squad for their loyal, diligent, and devoted services to the people of the municipality and surrounding communities.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-183 et seq.
The LOSAP shall provide for fixed annual contributions to a deferred income account for each volunteer member who meets the criteria set forth below; that such contributions shall be made in accordance with a plan that shall be established by the governing body of the Township of Denville pursuant to P.L. 1997, c. 388; and that such plan shall be administered in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey, the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and this article.
To be eligible to participate in the LOSAP, an individual must be an active volunteer member, as defined in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-183 et seq., of the Denville Fire Department and First Aid Squad. Active volunteer members shall be eligible to participate in the LOSAP immediately upon the commencement of the active volunteer member's performance of active emergency services in the Denville Fire Department and First Aid Squad.
A. 
Fire Department and first aid responses: 90 points maximum. Points are credited upon the following schedule of percent attendance at the Fire Department and first aid responses to which volunteers have been dispatched on a calendar year basis. Percentage attendance shall be calculated for all participants upon the entire year's applicable call volume. Fractional percentages shall be rounded to the nearest whole percentage.
[Amended 11-9-2021 by Ord. No. 34-21]
0% to 10%
0 points
11% to 20%
10 points
21% to 30%
20 points
31% to 40%
30 points
41% to 50%
40 points
51% to 60%
50 points
61% to 70%
60 points
71% to 80%
70 points
81% to 90%
80 points
91% to 100%
90 points
B. 
Drills: 30 points maximum. Points are credited for participation in weekly maintenance drills and for participation in special Department, Fire Company, First Aid Squad and Mutual Aid drills.
[Amended 11-9-2021 by Ord. No. 34-21]
Weekly maintenance drills
1 point per drill attended
Special drills
2 points per drill attended
C. 
Training: 30 points maximum. Points are credited for certified firematic training courses or first aid training courses upon receipt of a certificate of completion.
[Amended 11-9-2021 by Ord. No. 34-21]
Authorized classes
1 point for each 2 hours of class attended
D. 
Holders of all elected or appointed positions with the Denville Fire Department and First Aid Squad will receive 10 points. Points are credited for completion for each year an individual serves in an elected or appointed position. If an individual serves for only a partial year, the points will be prorated based upon the number of months served in the position, rounded to the first day of the nearest month.
[Amended 11-9-2021 by Ord. No. 34-21]
E. 
Meetings: 12 points maximum. Points will be credited for attendance at regular and special Denville Fire Department and First Aid Squad meetings.
(1) 
One point per meeting.
F. 
Miscellaneous activities: 10 points maximum. Points will be credited for active participation in official Fire Department activities not otherwise covered above as authorized by the Department Chief or his authorized acting representative (i.e., standby events, carnivals, street fest, local parades, etc.). No points awarded for association meetings or activities.
(1) 
One point per activity.
[Amended 11-9-2021 by Ord. No. 34-21]
A. 
On or before January 31 of each year, a committee of three individuals shall meet to discuss and verify the total points for each eligible member of the Denville Fire Department and First Aid Squad for the previous calendar year. The committee shall consist of the Department Chief, First Aid Captain and Township Chief Finance Officer.
B. 
An eligible member shall be awarded an annual LOSAP contribution based upon total points earned in the preceding calendar year in accordance with the following schedule of points:
Total Points
Percentage of Maximum Contribution
90 and over
100%
70 to 89
75%
55 to 69
50%
40 to 54
25%
10 to 39
16%
1 to 9
$100
[Amended 11-9-2021 by Ord. No. 34-21]
An active volunteer member shall be eligible to vest in the LOSAP if the active volunteer member has completed at least five years of emergency service in any emergency service organization in the state, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-188.
Points shall not carry over from one calendar year to the next calendar year.
A. 
The proposed initial minimum annual contribution for an active volunteer member shall be $100 per year.
B. 
The proposed initial maximum annual contribution for an active volunteer member shall be $1,150 per year, the maximum allowable by state law for a new LOSAP program.
C. 
The maximum contribution shall be subject to annual inflationary adjustments as provided by state law.
The estimated cost of the LOSAP has been computed as follows:
A. 
For the calendar year 2020, the estimated annual contribution is $58,500.
B. 
For the calendar year 2021, the estimated annual contribution is $59,670.
C. 
For the calendar year 2022, the estimated annual contribution is $60,863.
The LOSAP Program, as prescribed herein, shall not take effect unless approved by the voters as a public question at the next general election and, if approved, shall become effective on January 1, 2020.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The LOSAP was approved by the voters at a general election held 11-5-2019.