Despite the challenging economic atmosphere, the township is in stable financial standing, and should be able to weather the challenges that will be present as township officials head into the 2009 budget season, according to West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh.
During his State of the Township Address, which he delivered during the March 2 Township Council meeting, Hsueh highlighted the accomplishments in 2008 and listed the upcoming projects in 2009, including the projects for which West Windsor hopes to receive funding from stimulus bill signed into law by President Barack Obama.
“In 2008, the Township of West Windsor, like the majority of municipalities across the state experienced a reduction in anticipated revenues due to the significant problems facing the economy,” Hsueh said early in his speech. “While this downturn did impact the fund balance going into the new year, the township’s longer-term financial planning approach, which resulted in the highest AAA credit rating, has been successful, and I am able to report tonight that our overall financial position remains stable in 2009 despite the turbulent economic environment.”
Hsueh emphasized that the proposed 2009 budget, which will be sent to the Township Council later this month, includes reductions in a number of line items, but “will not reduce the overall level of core services provided to the taxpayers of West Windsor.”
He said most of the other operating budgets submitted by municipal department and division heads to the administration were below 2008 levels. However, the areas of police, public works, and human services saw increases. The township will not include funding in the budget, he said, for any additional personnel.
Hsueh said he thought that 2010 looks to be just as difficult as this year with regard to the economy, but he said he feels the administration needs to be ready and able to respond and adapt to the current and anticipated economic situation facing the country.
The mayor also updated residents on his efforts with regard to the economic stimulus funding (see story page TK), saying that he met with congressman Rush Holt to discuss the bill and review the process for municipalities to request funding. After discussions with staff, council members, and ongoing discussions with state offices, the proposals for funding of township projects were submitted.
On the slate for this year are another set of intersections that will be improved in Duck Neck Village, specifically for Village Road West at the intersections with Reed Drive, Oakwood Way, and South Mill Road, Hsueh said. These locations will include visual enhancements like high visibility crosswalks and in-street pedestrian signage. In addition, Hsueh said, a traffic analysis for possible speed limit reduction and a no-passing zone is also included. Hsueh said the township is planning other speed surveys for Penn Lyle and Southfield roads.
A draft study of Canal Pointe Boulevard, which will determine the appropriate number of lanes and speed along the road was also completed this past year, and will now be examined by the township’s engineering department to determine the next steps.
“This road is unique in that it is shared by residential, retails, and commercial properties with numerous pedestrian crossings,” Hsueh said. “It is also an area that is continuing t be developed in all three categories. We want to ensure that residents and office workers alike can safely enjoy walking and biking.”
The engineering department is also looking to provide sanitary sewer infrastructure to a number of areas – including the Heatherfield and Princeton Oaks developments, an area on Penn Lyle Road, and sanitary sewer and water services to Cubberly and South Post roads on the border with Robbinsville — around the township, Hsueh said.
With regard to public safety, Hsueh said the police department responded to over 33,”000 service calls in 2008. He highlighted the continuing youth-oriented programs, like the Police Youth Academy, defensive driving, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, and other safety initiatives. He also highlighted the family-oriented and adult programs that were continued by the police department. He also recalled the naming of the police/court facility for retired Chief of Police Frank Cox.
He also highlighted the accomplishments of the Public Works department in 2008, including the crack-sealing program for the roads and the repairs to 2,”800 potholes throughout the township and conducted repairs to the sewer system on North Post Road. Hsueh said that a state recycling grant will support the curbside electronics collection program and that the department collected a record amount of brush and leaves in 2008 – approximately 19,”500 cubic yards.
With regard to planning, Hsueh recalled the two major issues tackled this year – coming up with a third round affordable housing plan to satisfy its Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) obligation, which was completed in December, and the development of the Princeton Junction train station redevelopment plan, which was introduced last month and is scheduled for a public hearing on Monday, March 23.
Redevelopment Contracts/Payments. In other business during the March 2 meeting, council discussed the final payment to RMJM Hillier to close out the contract. In August, council approved a change to the contract specifying that the remaining $50,”000 that council has agreed to pay the firm will go toward Hillier’s preparation of a draft redevelopment plan for the Princeton Junction train station area, not a final plan, as originally approved by council.
The payments were to come in $10,”000 increments, and the township has paid the first four payments, with one remaining. When the bill came up for approval at the March 2 meeting, however, Councilwoman Linda Geevers said she was worried that Hillier might not continue to make any remaining changes to the maps and draft document if the council approved the bill for payment now. Council President Charles Morgan echoed this concern.
However, Township Attorney Michael Herbert said that the final payment was requested in December, “and it is now March.” He said the only remaining items for Hillier representatives to complete are changes to three maps proposed by the township’s planning consultants, and Hillier had already agreed to make those changes. “They believe they’ve produced the draft, and they’ve assured they’d provide the maps,” said Herbert.
A public hearing for the redevelopment plan is scheduled for Monday, March 23, and the maps and redevelopment plan document need to be updated with the changes that were made during the council’s workshop meeting at the end of last month.
Councilwoman Heidi Kleinman said she was not as concerned with the March 23 meeting as much as she wanted to see the three maps soon. “As a customer, I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request,” she said.
Herbert explained that the planning consultants had been making the changes to the maps and documents since October, when Hillier presented its draft of the redevelopment document. The consultants had also been working on the maps, but the remaining work that Hillier representatives had to do included converting the three maps into a format that can be duplicated and changed by the township’s own consultants to reflect the desires of West Windsor residents and officials.
Councilman George Borek suggested that the council compromise and pay Hillier half of the $10,”000 and hold the other half until the township receives the maps and updated document. Instead, the council voted unanimously to differ the payment until the next meeting on Monday, March 16, after which the council is to have received the documents in preparation for the March 23 meeting.
Also in other business during the meeting, the council approved professional services agreements with planning consultant John Madden’s firm, for an amount not to exceed $12,”830 and with attorney Gerald Muller’s law firm for an amount not to exceed $32,”500 – both related to work on the redevelopment plan. The council also approved a contract with AECOM – formerly Urbitran – for traffic consultant Gary Davies’ work on the redevelopment plan for an amount not to exceed $15,”000.
The council also approved an amendment, for the second time, to an agreement with Madden’s firm to add $5,”000 for a total amount not to exceed $39,”000 for affordable housing planning services.
