Technicality snags effort to bump salary of DRPA's CEO

An effort to give the Delaware River Port Authority's chief executive a five-figure raise hit a speed bump Wednesday because of a procedural mix-up.

Still, the proposal sparked anger that the authority's board tried to give CEO John Hanson a $39,474 pay increase while 66 percent of the authority's personnel have gone without a raise for four years.

"I'm here to make sure it's a front-burner issue and it stays a front-burner issue with you," said Bill Hosey of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 351, which represents about 20 information-services workers.

Hosey added that he did not oppose Hanson's pay increase, but wanted his people considered.

Hanson's salary would have grown from $180,000 to $219,474, but the raise was brought before the board without approval from the labor committee, board members said, a necessary step before pay increases can come up for a vote. The proposal was tabled and referred to the labor committee. If the committee approves the raise, Vice Chairman Jeff Nash said, the board could vote on it next month.

Members of the board balked at calling Hanson's pay increase a raise. Hanson was the agency's chief financial officer before replacing former chief executive John Matheussen in 2014, but he kept his CFO pay. The increase discussed Wednesday was designed to give Hanson's pay parity with Matheussen's salary, board members said.

Meanwhile, 580 unionized employees have been working without contracts for four years. During the meeting Wednesday, DRPA officials boasted about the authority's financial stability, and board members asked why, with money available, four open contracts had not been resolved.

"People have to be rewarded," said board member John J. "Johnny Doc" Dougherty, an influential leader of the IBEW in Philadelphia. "We can't just pick and choose."

Hanson took over the DRPA in the wake of turmoil over spending on economic development and misuse of employee benefits. He has focused DRPA spending on infrastructure improvements, completed a rehabilitation of rail over the Ben Franklin Bridge, and implemented a commuter discount for drivers who use the bridges.

Union employees awaiting contracts are represented by the Teamsters, the International Union of the Operating Engineers, the Fraternal Order of Police, and IBEW.

"It's important that the men and women who do the work of the authority - serving as stewards of the public assets with which the authority is entrusted and directly serving the interests of the community - are compensated fairly," Hanson said in a late Wednesday statement.

A potential obstacle to resolving the contracts is Gov. Christie. New Jersey's governor has veto power over DRPA board actions, a tool that Pennsylvania's governor does not have, and Christie has opposed pay increases. The authority's 294 nonunion employees received raises last year after going six years without a salary increase.

A request for comment from Christie's office was not answered.

"We're probably paralyzed a little bit by politics," said Ryan Boyer, the board chairman.

A study analyzing DRPA pay compared with similar organizations should be finished in the next 15 days, Boyer said, and would be used in a presentation to Trenton advocating for raises.

"Let's say we're going to handle this is the next 30 days," Dougherty said.

jlaughlin@phillynews.com

215-854-4587 @jasmlaughlin