The Township's effort to keep three police officers who had been slated for layoffs has apparently fallen short, for now. The three officers, whose jobs had been saved in March when Township Committee members announced they would likely be retained under a federal stimulus grant, will be laid off June 30, according to TC members.

"We don't have the money," TC Member Fred Profeta confirmed. "It was a big disappointment."

The money was from a federal grant, part of the national stimulus package, that had been appllied for and was expected to be obtained in time to meet the new budget year, which begins July 1. But Profeta said it appears the funds will not be made available by that date. "It isn't that we don't have it, we don't have it right now."

The grant would pay three years' of the officers wages, with a fourth year paid by the township. Without them, Maplewood will go down to 60 officers, officials said.

The layoffs follow 17 other layoffs earlier this year across several department, most notably public works. Those were to have included three firefighters, but those layoffs were blocked after the firefighters union agreed to a new contract that has no raises for a year and the union's agreement to a first-time ever annual $500 health benefit payment. It also included and the early retirement of the former fire chief.

Profeta stressed that the laid-off police officers could be brought back later in the year if and when the grant funds come through:"We'd like to have the officers there, if we can retain them."

Vice Mayor Kathy Leventhal agreed: "We don't have the money, unfortunately it is not there. I was surprised it would take longer than expected, but it still may come through."

The Maplewood Police Benevolent Association is currently in contract talks for a new agreement, but no concessions have been made public that might make money available for the three officers to remain.