Opening the new library facility in the Town Center, achieving an AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s, and celebrating the opening of the Merwick Rehabilitation Center on the new hospital campus highlighted 2010 for Plainsboro, said Mayor Peter Cantu.
“Communities have been increasingly challenged, but I think we had a really good year in 2010 in a lot of respects,” said Cantu, after he was selected by his Township Committee colleagues as mayor for his 31st year (he has been on the Committee for 37 years) during the January 4 reorganization meeting.
During the meeting, Township Committeemen Michael Weaver and Ed Yates took their oaths of office after having been re-elected in November. The Township Committee again chose Neil Lewis as the Deputy Mayor.
Cantu highlighted the township’s achievements in the past year and looked forward to 2011, which will include progress on the conversion of the township’s former library facility into a recreation, culture, and community center (see story below), and the beginning of a project to bring a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia branch to the township (see story, page 1).
The new library generates 1,100 visitors daily, and has been a great asset to the community, said Cantu. “It’s marvelous not only for the library services it provides under the leadership of Jinny Baeckler, but also the fact that it’s an integral part of the Town Center, and I think it serves that purpose very well.”
With respect to the former library, officials finished the design for its conversion into a recreation center in 2010 and are looking forward to beginning the project this year.
Also during 2010, the township said bid farewell to longtime recreation director Joanne Lupica, who retired after 24 years of service (and who will return as a volunteer), and welcomed new director Debbra Voorhees, who was chosen from a pool of 100 applications.
The township earned its AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s this year — “something I thought we deserved for many years,” said Cantu. The township is now one of two municipalities in Middlesex County and only about a dozen in the state to achieve the rating.
With regard to finances, the township was able to maintain a “favorable tax collection rate” this year, as it has a rate of over 99 percent annually, said Cantu. The tax assessment officials also worked to maintain the tax ratio this year, maintaining a ratio in excess of 97 percent, he added. “That’s critically important to us in defending tax appeals or initiating tax appeals,” said Cantu.
The township’s initiated tax appeals this year “yielded $3.4 million in direct tax benefits to Plainsboro Township as a result of several commercial tax appeals that will be helping us with a very difficult budget time,” Cantu said.
The township received 12 grants worth a total of $868,000 in 2010 and participated in nine shared services programs to also work to offset some of its costs.
With regard to code enforcement, officials are busy with ongoing inspections at the new hospital site, and officials completed fire inspections for all of the township’s commercial properties.
The township also expanded its food pantry services to increase contributions during the rough economic time and saw the success of its 31st annual Founder’s Day, said Cantu.
With regard to public safety, the township also completed a hazardous waste response plan in coordination with the Middlesex County Office of Emergency Management.
The police department conducted 13 defensive driving courses at the high school, reaching over 400 students, and developed and began implementing a cyber-bullying program in the schools. Police also conducted more than 100 child safety seat installations in 2010.
The township also received a commendation letter from the state Department of Environment Protection regarding its stormwater management program. In addition to the recognition, Plainsboro will also benefit from the letter because it reduces the frequency of required inspections to once every two years, as opposed to once annually.
In 2011, Cantu said township officials are putting their efforts into tax stability, collection, and revenue, as the township currently has the lowest municipal tax rate in the county. The township will have to work within the 2 percent cap on property tax increases imposed on municipalities by the state, and officials will be looking at ways to maintain services despite budget constraints. The township will also be working on five collective bargaining agreements with five of the township’s unions.
Cantu also said that he hopes to continue with a program initiated last year to bring attention to the township’s retail businesses. The program involved highlighting the retail businesses on the township’s local cable channel. “We intend to expand that,” he said.
The police department is currently involved with an accreditation process with the state police association and hopes to try to complete that process this year.
The township will also proceed with its Plainsboro Road traffic calming project, which will also be completed in 2011.
Cantu said the township’s master plan has provided a balance of housing opportunities, strong economic development, and preservation of over 50 percent of the township’s open space, and its planning initiatives are widely recognized.
“In the past as these meetings, I spoke about the evolution of our community to where it is today,” said Cantu. “While much is being said about the challenges the municipalities face, I want to assure you our community is uniquely positioned to face those challenges.”
