The City of Tonawanda's police chief and public works superintendent will maintain fully paid health insurance for life after they retire under a new agreement with the city.
City officials said both department heads were eligible for the benefits, but were concerned about losing them if they remained in office beyond the end of 2023, so they did not formally update the promised compensation. He reportedly requested that the memorial be commemorated by arrangement.
Under an agreement passed by the Tonawanda Common Council earlier this month, Police Chief Robert Clontz and Public Works Superintendent Joseph Wirthling Jr. will pay up to $1,000 a year in health insurance costs during their tenures.
Tonawanda officials said the agreement will ensure the men stay on the job longer and provide city residents with the benefits of their experience for an extended period of time.
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Tonawanda Police Chief Robert Klontz accused him of unauthorized and unlawful arrest, excessive force using a chokehold, and poor judgment in a 2022 incident involving two teenage brothers. He must face disciplinary action, the state attorney general's office announced Friday after an investigation.
“They know what they're doing. And I'm not ready to let them go yet. And they're not ready to retire,” Mayor John White said. Ta. “So whether they're one month, five months or 10 years, it's worth it to me.”
All city employees hired before 2004 are eligible to receive fully paid health insurance for life upon retirement, White said.
It said the benefits would continue to apply to employees who were hired before that date and later left their union jobs to take nonunion management positions, as was the case with Mr. Klontz and Mr. Wirthling.
The agreement, approved by the Common Council on Jan. 3, costs the city no additional money, White contends, because the city's policies have benefited department heads.
City Attorney S. Michael Rua said both Klontz and Worsling were eligible to retire last year and would have received fully paid health insurance if they had retired.
Rua and White said the men were concerned that the City Council could take action to disqualify them if their separation from city jobs was delayed until 2024.
“They were concerned that if they retired beyond the last year, the city might change policy and say, 'We're not going to give anyone lifetime health insurance.'” we changed that,” Lua said.
Had the city taken that step, he said, the men might have sued to keep their profits.
The November election gave the council a new majority led by mainstream Democrats, three of the five council members.
“They still wanted some comfort, so I was open to entering into an MOU,” White said, referring to the memorandum of understanding reached with department heads.
3rd Ward Councilman Sean M. Lautenstrauf, one of the Democrats, said he wants to save taxpayers money and supports the deal with Worsling and Klontz. Ta.
“In fairness, I felt they were entitled to continue the benefits they were promised,” Lautenstrauf said.
The two commissioners were not previously required to contribute to health insurance, but now they will have to pay up to $1,000 a year for as long as they remain employed by the city.
Warthling is closer to retirement than Klontz, who took over as police chief last August, and the agreement also ensures that Warthling works with and trains his potential successor. It's helpful, Lautenstrauf said.
