Health Benefits for Bridgewater's Mayor and Council, Explained

The short version

• Bridgewater’s Mayor and Council members have been eligible for Township health benefits. An ordinance amending Chapter 26 (Personnel Policies) “to eliminate eligibility of elected officials for Township health benefits” was introduced 5-0 on October 1, 2026, with its hearing set for October 15.
• Councilman Ring, who proposed it, described it on July 23 as letting officials now receiving benefits keep them through the rest of their terms, after which they would be ineligible.
• The township posted a notice of adoption of Ordinance 26-19 dated October 16, and TAPinto reported a 5-0 adoption on October 15. The township’s Resolution #26-10-15-219 records the adoption, 5-0. LocalWhy has not yet reviewed the October 15 minutes or the ordinance text.

Background: the cost of health coverage

On January 22 the Council authorized an additional $110,672.52 to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, for a total 2025 premium of $6,323,288.52, and an additional $3,857.48 to Delta Dental, for a total of $362,621.48; the minutes note these were previously transferred funds, not new appropriations. On April 9 Administrator Pappas said the Township’s health insurance was rising about 18% for 2026. These figures cover the Township’s whole plan; the minutes do not say what share is for elected officials.

How the ordinance came about

• July 23. Councilman Ring said the change “would allow elected officials currently receiving benefits to continue receiving them through the remainder of their term,” after which “they would be ineligible for benefits moving forward.” Councilman Bucko said the position involves more than two meetings a month and that ending benefits could discourage people who cannot keep full-time outside jobs from seeking office, and that the factors should be balanced. Council President Geiger said she had no major objections, and Ring suggested bringing it back for discussion.
• September 17. Ring reported that an ordinance had been drafted and sent to the Township Clerk.
• October 1: introduction, 5-0. On Ring’s motion, seconded by Councilwoman Isla, the Council introduced the ordinance (Res. #26-10-01-216): Bucko, Isla, Kirsh, Ring and Geiger aye. The hearing and final action were set for October 15, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. The township’s notice of introduction, dated October 2, numbers it Ordinance 26-19.

What was said on October 1

Two residents spoke in public comment:

• Anda Cytroen said the proposal would “partially eliminate” eligibility, because certain current officials would keep it while future ones are excluded. She discussed the classification of elected officials as full-time employees for benefit purposes, cited “approximately $638,000 in health care costs for participating elected officials over the past five years,” and asked that the ordinance be tabled and revised to identify elected officials as part-time in the Township Code and clarify their eligibility for employee benefits.
• Deanna Nye supported providing appropriate compensation and health-care benefits to elected officials based on the time devoted to their responsibilities.

The minutes record these responses:

• Councilman Bucko supported updating the ordinance to clarify elected officials’ employment classification and benefit eligibility. Referring to the user-friendly budget, he said the reported expenditures “appeared to reflect actual participation in the health care plan.”
• Councilman Ring discussed potential legal and workers’ compensation considerations.
• Councilman Kirsh said elected officials “represent a specialized category of employee.”
• Council President Geiger acknowledged the financial concerns and supported the ordinance, “emphasizing fairness to elected officials currently receiving benefits.”
• Councilwoman Isla supported reviewing eligibility, with an emphasis on taxpayer savings and on ensuring that any savings benefit residents.
• Administrator Pappas said he would review the budget documents cited to clarify the reported expenditures.

October 15, as reported

LocalWhy has not yet reviewed the October 15 minutes or the ordinance text. What the record LocalWhy has read says:

• The township’s legal-notices page lists a “Notice of Adoption of Ordinance 26-19 - Amending Chapter 26
  • Health Benefits for Elected Officials,” dated October 16, 2026.
• The township’s adopting resolution, #26-10-15-219, records the ordinance adopted October 15, 2026, 5-0: Bucko, Isla, Kirsh, Ring and Geiger aye, on Ring’s motion, seconded by Bucko.
• TAPinto reported (October 23) that the Council adopted the ordinance 5-0 on October 15. It quoted the text: “any member(s) of the township council or mayor … who is elected, re-elected or appointed after November 1, 2026, shall be ineligible for health benefits.” It reported that former Councilman Filipe Pedroso asked that the change take effect as soon as possible; that Geiger said she had no objection to an end date of December 31, 2027 and cited fairness to those who ran expecting benefits and legal concerns; and that Bucko and Isla said they had committed, when running, not to accept health benefits.

Where accounts differ

• “Eliminate” or “partially eliminate.” The ordinance’s title says it would “eliminate eligibility”; Cytroen described it as a partial elimination, and Ring’s July 23 description has current officials keeping benefits through their terms. TAPinto’s quotation of the text applies the change to officials elected, re-elected or appointed after November 1, 2026. The ordinance text settles this; LocalWhy has not yet reviewed it.
• The $638,000 figure. Cytroen cited it from Township budget documents. According to the minutes, Bucko said the reported expenditures appeared to reflect actual participation in the plan, and Pappas said he would review the documents. TAPinto reported Ring saying the figure is a budget line item, not an actual expense. LocalWhy has not yet reviewed the user-friendly budget.

What residents can do

• Read the ordinance and the notice on the township site, and watch the October 15 meeting on the township’s YouTube channel.
• Speak in public comment at any Township Council meeting; the next regular meeting is November 5, 2026.
• Corrections to this page can be emailed to info@localwhy.org.