VOL. 237, NO. 4
Friday, January 22, 2021
princetonpacket.com
$1
Serving the Greater Princeton Area Since 1786
Princeton police approved for average 2.25% salary increase By LEA KAHN Staff Writer
Princeton police officers will receive salary increases averaging 2.25% over the lifetime of a recently approved five-year agreement between the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 130 and the Princeton Council. The contract, which is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020 and expires Dec. 31, 2024, provides for salary increases of 1.75% for 2020 and 2021; salary increases of 2.75% for 2022 and 2023; and 2.25% for 2024, which is the final year of the contract. The contract negotiated be-
tween the police union and the town covers the Princeton Police Department’s patrol officers, detectives, corporals, sergeants, lieutenants and the captain. It does not apply to the police chief. Under the terms of the contract, a patrol officer hired before Jan. 1, 2013, will earn $118,646 for 2020. At the end of the fiveyear contract, the patrol officer will earn $130,321. The Princeton Police Department was created on Jan. 1, 2013, when the former Princeton Borough and Princeton Township police departments merged. Patrol officers hired after Jan. 1, 2013, were paid $59,809 while they were in the police academy
during 2020. Once the patrol officer graduated from the police academy, he or she was paid $66,728 for the balance of their first year on the job. The salary for patrol officers who were in their second year on the job was $77,479 in 2020. It topped out at $118,646 in 2020 for a patrol officer who had been on the job for 13 years. By the fifth year of the contract in 2024, the salary is $85,103 for a patrol officer in his or her second year of work, and $130,321 for a police officer who has worked for the Princeton Police Department for 13 years. A patrol officer who had been promoted to corporal in 2020 was
paid $126,589. The corporal will be paid $139,046 in the final year of the contract. For 2020, the salary range for the police sergeant was $130,472 for a first-year sergeant, and topped out at $137,764 for sergeants who had held the rank for five years. At the end of the contract, the salary range is $143,311 to $151,321. A police lieutenant was paid $158,431 in 2020. In the fifth year of the contract, the lieutenant will be paid $174,021. The police captain, which is one rung below police chief, earned $167,936 in 2020 and is in line to be paid $184,462 in the last year of the contract in 2024.
Police officers also are entitled to longevity pay, beginning with their fifth year of service. Some contracts apply a set amount of money for longevity, but the PBA contract determines longevity on a percentage basis of a police officer’s salary. At five years of service, longevity pay is set at 1% of base pay, or salary. After eight years, it is 2% of base pay and after 10 years of service, it is 3% of base pay. By the time a police officer has worked for the Princeton Police Department for 15 years, longevity pay is 4% of base pay. It reaches 5% of base pay after 20 years of service, and 6% after 24 years.
Brandywine at Princeton suffers first loss of residents due to COVID, but looks toward future with beginning of vaccinations By JENNIFER AMATO Managing Editor
Although five residents of Brandywine Living at Princeton died within a two-week span as a result of COVID-19, vaccinations have begun to keep all residents and staff members safe, according to administrators of the facility. The residents who died were in their early 90s, on average, and had an average residence at the South Brunswick-based senior living facility of six-and-ahalf years. Three of the residents died at a hospital and two of the residents died at Brandywine, according to Brenda J. Bacon, president and chief executive officer of Brandywine Living. The deaths occurred from Dec. 28 to Jan. 8, Bacon said, most likely as the result of an outbreak at Brandywine Princeton that was initially reported on Dec. 16, several weeks after the Thanksgiving holiday. The peak of the outbreak was Dec. 28, she said. She said many residents of the facility tend to have underlying conditions, which makes battling COVID more difficult. “The long-term residents are part of our community, part of our
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDYWINE SENIOR LIVING
Brandywine at Princeton residents have begun receiving their COVID-19 vaccines. See related story, page 6A.
hearts, part of our family. It has been extremely difficult,” Bacon said. Bacon said the situation was reflective of the trend in the surrounding community. “When (a disease) is that rampant, you are going to have to deal with it the best you can to protect residents,” she said. Prior to the five recent deaths,
Brandywine had a high success rate of keeping its 200 residents and staff members safe. No one had passed away from the virus since the pandemic began in midMarch. “We started very early with COVID precautions,” Bacon said, noting there was a full stock of personal protective equipment available at the beginning of
March; employees were required to wear masks, and gowns when necessary; sanitation procedures were increased; anyone who tested positive for the coronavirus was isolated for 14 days; employees were tested once or twice a week; anyone coming into the building was screened for symptoms; and employees were only allowed to work at Brandywine and not another health care facility to avoid cross-contamination. COVID is “highly contagious and mostly invisible,” Bacon said, noting that 40% to 50% of transmission is by people who are asymptomatic. “We have to use with COVID many, many interventions to try and keep our residents safe, particularly when the country and New Jersey have been so hot with infections,” she said. However, she said she is “looking forward,” as Brandywine at Princeton already held its first vaccination clinic on Jan. 14, when about 100 residents and staff members received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In three weeks, those who chose to get their first dose of the vaccine will receive their second dose of the vaccine, and anyone
who decides to get their first dose of the vaccine can do so. Three weeks after that, group B will receive their second dose. “We absolutely intend to vaccinate everyone (who wants the vaccine),” Bacon said. Brandywine as a company has 32 communities in seven states, and had held 19 vaccination clinics as of press time. Bacon said she worries about people who have been isolated at home for the past 10 months, and for those who are experiencing COVID fatigue. “We value keeping our residents both social and safe. We want them to have fun, to have something to look forward to, to have friends, to laugh, to be safe,” she said. “I am very, very hopeful we soon will be returning to that with the vaccine. We have done everything we can to keep our residents safe with this awful virus hitting the entire world.” She thanked Brandywine’s team of frontline “heroes.” “I am feeling really positive we see the light at the end of this tunnel,” she said, reminding all to remain vigilant, mask up and get vaccinated. “Hopefully we can come through this terrible period all coming out stronger.”
Princeton University receives second major application approval for East Campus By ANDREW HARRISON Staff Writer
SUBSCRIBE 732-254-7004
Princeton University is able to move forward with the proposed construction of a new soccer stadium and practice field on campus. The university received approval for the proposed project from the Princeton Planning Board this month on Jan. 7. The stadium and practice field are part of the university’s plan to develop the East
Campus Entry. The university had already received a green light for the construction of the East Campus Garage in 2020 and awaits preliminary and final site plan approval for a geo-exchange and athletics operation facility in addition to the recently approved soccer stadium and practice field. The new soccer stadium will be close to 12,500 square feet and relocates the existing Roberts Sta-
dium from the western side of Washington Road. The stadium’s new proposed location is west of FitzRandolph Road and south of Strubing Field, according to application documents. The stadium’s location on the East Campus site will also replace the existing structure of the FitzRandolph Observatory, that is being demolished during developments, with the practice field going See APPROVAL, Page 4A
ANDREW HARRISON/STAFF
The entrance into the construction site for East Campus Garage and Soccer Stadium at Princeton University, pictured on Jan. 19.
Publication of Time Off section Temporarily Suspended
The publication of the Time Off section has been temporarily suspended. Articles that run in the Time Off section will be published in the main section of this newspaper.
Index
Call us
Calendar............................. 2A Classified.......................... 13A Lifestyle.............................. 9A Town Forum.......................... 4A
News: (609) 924-3244 Classified: (609) 924-3250 Advertising: (609) 924-3244 To subscribe: (732) 254-7004 x8451
THE PRINCETON PACKET 100 Overlook Center 2nd Floor Princeton, NJ 08540 609-924-3244
The Princeton Packet (USPS 445-000) is published twice a week by Packet Media LLC., 100 Overlook Center, 2nd Floor, Princeton, NJ 08540. Periodical postage paid at Princeton, NJ 08540. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Princeton Packet, 100 Overlook Center 2nd Floor, Princeton, NJ 08540. Mail Subscription Rates The current Auto Renewal rate is $15.47 and is charged on a quarterly basis. Mailed subscription rate is $77.18 for 1 year, $122.76 for two years, $177.37 for three years. Out-ofcountry rates available on request. All advertising published in The Princeton Packet is subject to the applicable rate card, copies of which are available from the advertising department. The Packet reserves the right not to accept an advertiser’s order. Only publication of an advertisement shall constitute final acceptance. NM-00431793