By Anne Levin

At its meeting on Tuesday evening, January 19, Princeton Council approved several contracts for consultants, but voted against a proposed contract for a community Wi-Fi project. The governing body also heard a report from the executive director of Princeton Senior Resource Center about how the organization has coped during the pandemic, and its hopes for expansion and renovations in the near future. A report from Enterprise Fleet Management about a comprehensive program proposed for the town was also delivered.

The bid for the Wi-Fi project, which would provide coverage to residents of affordable housing, was rejected because the paperwork provided by the company, Andrena, was incomplete. Marc Dashield, the town’s administrator, said the bid was the only one received. “They didn’t have the certificate we need, so we have to reject it by law,” he said. “We are looking to rebid the project, and will be reaching out to this firm again to make sure they’re available.”

Council voted to add a third alternate to the affordable housing board, which has seven regular members. It was noted that alternates only vote when there isn’t a full quorum, but they can participate in discussions. The governing body approved a contract for a consultant to write the weekly newsletters put out by the mayor and Council, at $75 an hour. The newsletters are distributed by Access Princeton.

A $12,000 contract with planner Carlos Rodrigues was approved for an investigation into whether the Princeton Shopping Center should be declared an area in need of redevelopment. The area to be studied includes North Harrison Street, Terhune Road, and Clearview Avenue. The Council also approved $30,000 for the firm Heyer, Gruel & Associates, to fund a preliminary look into whether the Maple Terrace site on Franklin Avenue should receive similar designation as an area in need of redevelopment.

The town’s police department will receive $108,351 for new mobile data equipment, updating the terminals in officers’ cars. The existing terminals are not compatible with the new camera system being installed in vehicles, nor with the body-worn cameras the department has been adopting, Council members said.

In his presentation, Princeton Senior Resource Center (PSRC) Executive Director Drew Dyson told Council that though the building closed last March, it had shifted to online presentations within two weeks and currently has more than 5,000 registrations for online programs. “When I tell people now that we operate a virtual senior center, [they say that] most of the senior centers in New Jersey have closed,” Dyson said. “Our tech department has been extraordinary. Some of them are seniors themselves. We have taught Zoom to over 800 people.”

PSRC will always have a virtual footprint from now on, Dyson said, even after the pandemic ends and events can be held in person.

Overcrowded at the Suzanne Patterson Center behind Monument Hall, PSRC is currently renting additional space at Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church and elsewhere. A 12,000-square-foot building on Poor Farm Road has been purchased and is currently being renovated for classroom space. Administrative offices and space for exercise programs will remain at the Suzanne Patterson Center, Dyson said. In the short term, PSRC is envisioning a renovation in the $250,000 range. A larger project, if funded, would address space for social gatherings, renovate the kitchen and bathrooms, and address environmental efficiency. There were plans in place several years ago to add on to the Suzanne Patterson Center, but there wasn’t space for parking and 90 percent of PSRC’s clients drive to the site, Dyson added.

Council is currently considering the usage of several public buildings in town, including Monument Hall and Witherspoon Hall, to be addressed in the overhaul of the master plan. PSRC’s facilities are just one part of those considerations. “This is not about our very strong commitment to the senior center or in some way stepping back from financial commitment,” said Councilwoman Eve Niedergang. “The issue is how much of that money should get spent on renovations. We will focus on that next week.”

A report on “Facility Planning/Monument Hall/Suzanne Patterson Center/Public Works” was listed on the agenda for Council’s January 26 meeting, which was held after press time.