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Vol. LXIV, No. 24
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010
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Vol. LXIV, No. 24
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010
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Township Committee approved the introduction of a bond ordinance for appropriating $1,265,400, and authorizing the issuance of $1,202,130 in bonds or notes to finance part of the cost of “various capital improvements.”
Chief Financial Officer Kathy Monzo described the ordinance, which will receive a public hearing on June 28, as “our multi-purpose capital ordinance.”
Ordinance items that require both Township and Borough approval and shared support include appropriations for the Senior Resource Center ($21,000), Public Library ($40,000), fire study ($340,000), Recreation Department ($16,000, 33 percent of which will be reimbursed by the Borough), and Sewer Operating Committee ($100,000). Township-specific agencies receiving appropriations include the Department of Public Works ($300,000), the Police Department ($144,000), information technology ($287,000), the Municipal Court ($11,000), and Affordable Housing ($6,400).
Monday’s meeting included the appointment of community activist and lawyer Carol Golden, lawyer and municipal planning specialist Valerie Hayes, and IXP Corporation CEO William Metro to the Consolidation Study Commission. Mayor Bernie Miller said that he was pleased to be announcing the Township’s citizen representatives to the Commission, which will also include three citizen representatives from the Borough and two members of each of the governing bodies. Mr. Miller noted that Township “went through an exhaustive process of soliciting applications.” He reported that the 26 applications they ultimately received were reviewed, made into a short list, and interviewed before the three finalists were chosen.
Mr. Miller also announced the appointment of civil rights specialist Afsheen Shamsi to the Human Services Commission.
Describing it as “quite an involved project,” Township Engineer Bob Kiser provided details on a proposed bid award in the amount of $2,633,138 to Compass Construction, Inc. of New Egypt, N.J. for the rehabilitation of Mountain Lakes dams and dredging of upper and lower Mountain Lakes. Township Committee approved the award which Mr. Kiser said was the lowest of eight bids, including a high bid of $5 million. “We got good feedback on the contractor,” observed Mr. Kiser. “He seems easy to work with and receptive to guidance.” Both Mr. Kiser and Mr. Miller emphasized that the project was being underwritten by a $2.7 million anonymous donation, and would not be costing Township taxpayers any money. “We owe the anonymous donor a great debt,” observed Mr. Miller.
Township Committee also approved a professional services agreement with Cambridge Construction Management of Somerville to provide engineering services during the “preconstruction” phase of the Princeton Community Pool Capital Project “for a sum not to exceed $21,279.” Mr. Kiser cited the virtues of having an outside overseer audit bids and ensure the “constructability” and engineering quality of what he described as another “very involved project.” At an estimated cost of $6.1 million, he noted it will be “a good insurance policy” to also have a construction management firm oversee the construction itself, once it is underway.