With a short agenda on tap, the West Windsor town council conducted its June 23 business meeting in a near-record time of 43 minutes. Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh and Councilman George Borek were unable to attend.
Several items that have already consumed considerable meeting time and might trigger more discussion were mentioned briefly — they will be discussed in more detail at upcoming public meetings.
Linda Geevers noted the mayor’s town hall meeting Saturday, June 28, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the municipal building and said discussion of the proposed renovations to the municipal center was on the agenda.
Business administrator Marlena Schmid announced a public meeting for Monday, June 30, at 7 p.m. in Room A of the municipal building for an update on the Little Bear Brook/Redevelopment Area stormwater management study. Results of the owner survey will be shared, and professional consultants will provide an update on their work. More information can be found at www.westwindsornj.org/little_bear_brook_watershed_study.html.
Schmid also updated the status of the collection of yard waste by Public Works and a change in the recycling pickup day to every other Thursday starting on July 3.
Schmid added that the Cranbury Road sidewalk study has been delayed due to staff changes at the contractor. A public meeting will be scheduled for sometime in July.
During the first public comment session, resident John Jones thanked the county for installing gravel in a ditch near the frontage of his property on Cranbury Road. He is still hoping for a short section of fence to be installed where there is a deep depression just off the road and for a guard rail at a nearby curve.
Resident Virginia Manzari discussed four abandoned and boarded-up buildings across Route 571 from McCaffrey’s. Pat Ward, director of community development, explained that these properties have been purchased by a developer who wanted to build high-density housing there, but this did not conform to current zoning. Although there is little the administration can do to ameliorate the existing situation, Council president Bryan Maher suggested the council consider possible approaches to this issue.
Resident Kathy Brennan said the best place for a new building to house emergency vehicles would be on the Princeton Junction firehouse site on Clarksville Road rather than between the Post Office and the Senior Center as proposed by Spiezle.
Under council comments, Kristina Samonte mentioned several speeding issues around town that need to be addressed.
Geevers discussed speeding on South Post Road connected with events in the county park and suggested that speed bumps be installed.
Ward pointed out the possible safety and noise disadvantages of speed bumps. Maher added that there are speed bumps in Princeton and suggested the administration touch base with Princeton and other towns to discuss any issues surrounding their use.
Peter Mendonez reported on the town’s IT department and Public Works possibly installing GPS devices on their vehicles. Mendonez also mentioned that the Environmental Commission has been working with the DEP on issues related to South Post Road, including contamination of wells used for drinking water (WW-P News, May 16).
Maher opened the public hearing on an ordinance on new stop and yield signs at various intersections as well as the prohibition of right turns on red at the intersection of Alexander Road and Vaughn Drive during rush hours. Brennan suggested that right turns on red should also be prohibited during school hours at the intersections of Clarksville Road with Penn-Lyle and Harris roads and Route 571 due to children crossing, often while texting.
Since Clarksville is a county road, a traffic study would have to be conducted first. This issue was reserved for a later time and the ordinance was adopted unanimously.
Council also appointed Lindsay Diehl as an alternate member of the Recreation Board until December 31, 2018, and Dan Marks as alternate to the Zoning Board until December 31.
