The numbers above aren't abstract. Here's what the current estimated liability means for Ringwood residents — and what it could fund instead.
The proposal in plain English
The Ringwood Borough Council is considering an ordinance that would grant lifetime health insurance benefits to any Borough employee who completes 25 years of service. After reaching that threshold, the employee — and potentially their family — would receive taxpayer-funded health coverage for life, even after they leave Borough employment.
What does that cost you? Health insurance for a single family currently runs $30,000–$40,000 per year. There is no cost cap in the proposed ordinance. That number only goes up.
Why this matters
This isn't a pension — it's an uncapped, indefinite benefit obligation. Every employee who hits 25 years becomes a permanent line item in the Borough budget. As health care costs rise — and they always do — so does the taxpayer burden. There is no endowment, no trust fund, and no ceiling. Ringwood property taxpayers pay every dollar.
What we're tracking
This site shows every Borough employee's progress toward that 25-year mark. Some are already past it. Others are years away. The purpose is simple: residents deserve to see the full scope of what this ordinance would commit them to before it becomes law.
Every current Borough employee, their start date, and a real-time progress bar toward the 25-year threshold. Data sourced via OPRA.
Under the Open Public Records Act, every NJ resident can request government records. Here's a ready-to-submit template for the Borough Clerk.
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Show up. Speak up. Council meetings are open to the public and include a comment period.
Have documents, corrections, or information? All submissions are confidential unless you say otherwise.