West Windsor Township Council unanimously approved a $200,000 bond ordinance to supplement the township’s continuing redevelopment efforts.
The ordinance was passed, 4-0 (Councilman Charles Morgan was absent), during the council’s August 10 meeting, which was scheduled specifically for this and another capital improvement bond ordinance.
Voting on the bond ordinances had to be postponed from the August 3 meeting to the special meeting on August 10 because the council needed four votes on bond ordinance approvals, and only three council members attended the August 3 meeting. Council President George Borek was called into work with the fire department in Jersey City at the last minute and could not attend the meeting.
The money approved in the bond ordinance will be used to pay for professional services, primarily newly-hired redevelopment attorney Ed McManimon, and other township consultants, who will be working with state entities on areas like circulation, said Councilwoman Linda Geevers during the meeting.
Borek said that even though the township has been putting up the money, including the $200,000 bond ordinance, to further its redevelopment initiatives, “once a redeveloper comes in, we can recoup those costs,” he said. “This is seed money as we need it to move the process forward.”
Appointing the redevelopment attorney, which the council did last month, was the first priority on Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh’s list. Approving the funds to pay the professionals, including McManimon, also needed to occur. Traffic circulation plans must be finalized next, since the location of the parking garages depends upon the circulation. Then a concept design for the potential surface parking at the compost station must be developed, Hsueh previously said.
In the meantime, the parking authority needs to be designated as a redeveloper so the parking issues can be sorted, Hsueh also has said.
Other business. During the August 10 meeting, council also unanimously approved a $4.8 million bond ordinance to provide for various capital improvements, including pedestrian, road, and park improvements and DPW vehicles.
Borek also asked Acting Business Administrator Bob Hary to look into what he calls “total pandemonium” at the skate park at Community Park. Borek said he spent two whole days at Community Park this past weekend and saw teenagers smoking cigarets, throwing trash everywhere, and skating without helmets or proof of residency.
“I can assure you that those individuals who were in that park were not West Windsor residents,” he said. He asked that township professionals look into ways to provide tougher enforcements on the rules at the park. “Right now, it’s like a revolving door,” Borek said. “There are no stickers, no helmets, and they’re not abiding by the regulations.”
In other council business during the August 3 meeting, the council reappointed McManimon as the township’s bond counsel. It also appointed William Antonides as the municipal auditor and Harry Haushalter as esquire for special tax counsel for tax appeal defense.
Trader Joe’s in WW
While West Windsor residents have recently lost a supermarket in the former Acme on Route 571, another — Trader Joe’s — is getting ready to open on Route 1.
Originally projected to open by the end of the summer, the store is expected to open this fall in the Square at West Windsor shopping center, near the Lowe’s and Pier 1.
“As of right now, I don’t have a confirmed opening date,” said Trader Joe’s spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki. “However, we are shooting for a fall opening.”
With more than 325 stores in 25 states, Trader Joe’s has seven stores in New Jersey, including in Edgewater, Florham Park, Marlton, Paramus, Wayne, Westfield, and Westwood.
Typically, Trader Joe’s stores are between 10,000 and 15,000 square feet. “This new store will be within the same parameters, similar to other Trader Joe’s,” said Mochizuki. “It will also have the same offerings that our other stores have. Approximately 80 percent of the items we sell in our store are underneath the Trader Joe’s private label.”
However, at this time, the store will not be selling any alcohol, Mochizuki said, adding that it is company policy not to disclose why. The Charles Shaw wine, nicknamed “Two Buck Chuck” for its cheap price, is a usual hit with the store’s customers, but won’t be for residents here.
California-based Trader Joe’s was founded in 1958 under the name Pronto Markets. In 1967 the company’s name changed as its stores grew in size.
