Horsham Plans Change to Police Pension

The Horsham Township Council this week introduced an ordinance to amend the police pension plan following the recent settlement of the police department’s expired contract.

As introduced, the ordinance would alter the Police Pension Plan to a Deferred Retirement Option Plan, based on from the American Arbitration Association.

The council set Aug. 8 at 7:45 p.m. as the time for a public hearing. Adoption of the ordinance could follow that night.

Besides changes to the police department’s existing pension, the arbitrators awarded the department's 36 uniformed officers with retroactive pay increases of 3 percent for 2011 and 3.25 percent for 2012. In 2013 salary boosts of 3.5 percent would take effect and police would see a 3.75 percent hike in 2014. 

The police contract expired at the end of 2010. The township and the police union, unable to reach an agreement following 15 negotiation sessions over a roughly seven-month period, sought out arbitration in February 2011, according to Township Manager Bill Walker. A hearing was held in June 2011 and the panel rendered its binding decision last month.