Several potentially thorny issues on the West Windsor Council’s plate appear to be nearing resolution.
The Grover Farmstead Committee has issued its own report on the future of the farm (see story, page 16), which will be discussed at the Council meeting on Tuesday, April 2. In addition, potential concerns over the environmental education center appear to have been alleviated. At the request of Council member Bryan Maher, Kevin Appelget, a member of the Environmental Commission, gave a presentation at the March 18 Council meeting regarding the decision to hire a new consultant to develop the proposed environmental education center at Schenk Farmstead.
According to Appelget, the Commission solicited numerous proposals from consultants who specialize in zoos, aquariums, nature center, and selected the consultant from among this specialized group. “The target audience will be fourth grade students, who visit Schenk farm as part of their school curriculum; scout groups; and home-schoolers,” Appelget said.
The original consultant, Beth Redmond-Jones, had to withdraw due to family illness, and so the Commission selected Bill Dambrova of Dambrova Designs to complete the design phase, as well as handle the fabrication and installation of the exhibits. Dambrova will also help the commission find the firm to construct the exhibit space, Appelget said. The cost of all three phases will be $42,100.
“The cost for construction will be $100,000. The commission hopes to have the environmental education center up and running for the 2013-’14 school year,” he said.
After the presentation the Council voted unanimously to approve the agreement with Dambrova.
The Council also advanced the resolution of another controversial Township issue arising from the dispute over the helicopter lessons taken by two police officers. Under the settlement agreement, the Township agreed to pay an additional $38,400 to the officers who had taken the lessons. The Township had previously reimbursed them approximately $14,000. The police department also agreed to withdraw its grievance, based on the Township’s refusal to reimburse the full amount to the officers, and the Township agreed to withdraw its appeal of the decision issued by the arbitrator who had found in favor of the police.
Finally, the officers are precluded from taking additional helicopter flight lessons at Township expense, as are all new officers. However, Township Business Administrator Marlena Schmid explained that “certain officers who are ‘grandfathered’ under the contract can still take anything they want.”
Maher said, “This [provision] has got to change,” to which Council Member Linda Geevers responded, “That is for contract negotiations.” Council voted 4 to 1 to accept the agreement, with Maher casting the opposing vote.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh also presented his State of the Township Address at the March 18 meeting. Hsueh addressed a packed room, with residents also filing a simulcast room. (See excerpts, page 14.)
In other news, Council President George Borek, along with Maher, Geevers, and resident John Church announced at the Council meeting that they would be attending the County Freeholder meeting on March 20. Borek said that he was attending the meeting to “voice my displeasure with the county budget. I am responding on behalf of the residents, who are understandably concerned with the county tax increases.”
Added Church: “I plan to attend the meeting, and support you. Our township and school board have worked very hard to keep our taxes flat, and I applaud all of your efforts. What the county is doing to us is horrible. It is due to the reapportionment of assessed property values. We maintain our property values, and get penalized by the county for being economically responsible.”
After the meeting, Borek said that he was glad that they had gone to the meeting. “The Freeholders thanked us for coming, and really seemed appreciative that we shared our concerns with them. Hopefully this will have some impact on our share of the county tax load.”
Finally, on March 18, the Council unanimously approved the appointment of William T. McGovern and Lyle P. Hough Jr. as alternate/substitute township prosecutors, through December 31, 2013;
A one-year contract extension was granted to Princeton Air Conditioning Inc., for maintenance and service of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, from April 1 through March 31, 2014, at a cost of $43,656;
The Council also held the latest budget meeting on March 22, at which the remainder of the departments’ budgets were presented. It is unknown at this time whether more working budget sessions will be scheduled.
