By Anne Levin

At a meeting Monday evening, October 14, Princeton Council approved the bond ordinance to finance the town’s acquisition of the former Westminster Choir College campus. The second of two ordinances related to authorization of the acquisition, it would appropriate $50 million and authorize the issuance of $49.5 million in bond or notes.

In response to concerns that Councilmembers have heard from the public about the impact this would have on Princeton’s ability to respond to other needs, Municipal Administrator Bernie Hvozdovic said the town’s bonding capacity is almost $330 million “There is still plenty of capacity to us after this purchase,” he said.

Mayor Mark Freda said he wanted to reassure the public that this has been taken into consideration. “We’re not looking to run out and use up our bonding capacity, because there would be an impact on everybody,” he said. “We’re well aware of that. We looked at this and other projects coming up. We will be looking at all of them in total, and we will not be looking at things without the impact of everything together, and what we hope to do over the next several years.”

Another concern of the public is the future tax impact of the acquisition. Hvozdovic and Chief Financial Officer Sandy Webb are studying the issue, and will address related questions “at the appropriate time,” Freda said.

Council introduced three ordinances having to do with solid waste and recycling, loading zones and parking on Palmer Square East, and parking regulations for Princeton High School students, faculty, and staff. All will be given public hearings at the Council meeting on October 28.

Considerable time was given to a presentation about the Stormwater Utility Feasibility Study, currently in the second of three phases. With consultants from Princeton Hydro, the town is exploring policies regarding the benefit of funding the stormwater utility as opposed to operations supported by the general fund, the level of service needed to meet expectations, initial utility rates, and how to meet those expectations.

Consultant Elizabeth Treadway, who lives in an area of Tennessee that was seriously impacted by Hurricane Milton, said a utility helps plan for floods and natural disasters. “A utility will help plan for those things, but I cannot promise you that you will never be impacted by a storm of that magnitude,” she said. “Because it can, and it probably will. But what it does allow us to do is allocate out a program of services.”

Public engagement is a key part of the process, Treadway added. A recommendation on the issue is expected to be made in about six months.

The meeting began with the swearing in of Princeton Police Department officers, and a proclamation related to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Move Over Breast Cancer was given an Award of Recognition.

The next meeting of Council is October 28 at 7 p.m. Visit princetonnj.gov for further details.