Nutley Recreation Forced to Change Pay

The Nutley Recreation Department will now have to pay sports officials, score keepers, umpires and summer clinic instructors as hourly employees, replacing the existing voucher system.

The change was explained by Commissioner Mauro Tucci at a special Thursday night meeting of the Board of Commissioners.

Tucci said, "Our youngsters will now be paid at an hourly rate or a per diem fixed by an ordinance. I don't necessarily agree with this, but the IRS (federal Internal Revenue Service) has a regulation, and we have to comply."

Tucci oversees the Department of Recreation.

Commissioner Thomas Evans said, "We had a very spirited discussion about this, but we have to comply,"

Tucci and Evans said the regulation means that the people who work for the recreation department will now have to file a tax form to get their full payment back.

"This will go for everyone, with most of the pay being in the minimum wage area, all the way up to $100, which might be paid to one summer clinic instructor," Tucci said.

Evans said that the payments come from the recreation department's trust fund and will have no effect on the 2013 municipal budget.

The ordinance includes the following pay minimums and maximums:

• For tackle football and flag football officials, the range is $10 for a minimum and $40 for a maximum. 
• For soccer referees, basketball officials, wrestling officials, softball umpires and lacrosse officials, the range is $8 for a minimum and $75 for a maximum. 
• For basketball score keepers, the range is $7.25 for a minimum and $40 for a maximum. 
• For summer clinic instructors, the range is $10 for a minimum and $100 for a maximum.