As the week passed and it remains unclear who the two new members of West Windsor’s Town Council will be, current Council member Diane Ciccone attended her second-to-last meeting as Council liaison to the Environmental Commission on Thursday, November 10. The furthest she may go is changing seats at the conference table, however, as the members reciprocated their appreciation of her involvement. Commission leader Michael Hornsby then called for a recommendation to appoint Ciccone as an official advisor, and the five members of the environmental Commission that were present voted to unanimously support it.
Ciccone was an active participant during the three-hour meeting and took some time to reflect on her experience and admiration for the commission.
“It has been a pleasure working with you guys as a council member — seriously. When I look at the different committees you guys have done such great work that really shows how well volunteers can work in partnership with government. We would not have gotten to silver (certification from Sustainable Jersey) without you because we had all the pieces but it was you guys that put it together,” she said.
As she previously brought up at Council meetings, Ciccone says once the new council is in place she will strongly recommend that at least one member take a more proactive role with the Environmental Commission. Hornsby told Ciccone she has been “extremely effective” in her role as liaison and the appreciation works both ways.
The Environmental Commission will review proposals as they plan to spend $5,000 to hire a consultant to develop plans for the new environmental center at the Schenck Farm. They are authorized to use $150,000 donated by a developer to renovate three rooms and create a sustainability-themed educational center targeted towards children at the fourth grade level.
For most of Thursday evening the group heard presentations from Township landscape architect Dan Dobromilsky, who had sent an RFP (request for proposal) to a few firms and individuals that seemed in line with the smaller-scale project that the Commission will look to do at the Schenck Farm.
Presenters included Christopher Kenney, principal of Philadelphia-based UJMN Architects and Designers, and Karina Raude, a sole proprietor as well as an illustrator and muralist who is based in New Hope, Pa.
Kenney’s firm has worked on major projects including University City Science Center on Market Street in Philadelphia and the PSE&G Energy and Environmental Resource Center in Salem, NJ. Raude has designed and created spaces at the Bucks County Children’s Museum as well as the Mercer Museum, and she showed the commission two binders full of photographs of her artistic visions, which were mainly centered around children’s themes and learning.
Dobromilsky said he has one other person in mind and he considers her perfect for the task based on telephone conversations they have had. The other members of the Environmental Commission asked him to have her visit with them wither Monday or Wednesday of next week, and the next step would be for all three parties to submit their proposals and include the breakdown of the $150,000 budget including design and planning plus construction costs. The date set for submission of proposals is Friday, November 18.
The Environmental Commission plans to act swiftly as it must use its $5,0000 fund for a consultant by December. Hornsby planned a tentative conference call with all members for Monday, November 21, to discuss the proposals and select one.
