January 16, 2013

Task Forces Formed, PU Payment Approved At Council Meeting

Two task forces have been created to help map out the future of two key properties on Witherspoon Street. At its meeting Monday night, the Princeton Council approved the formation of a hospital rezoning task force, which is to begin meeting this week. A second committee was formed to look into expanding the fire station adjacent to the Valley Road School property.

Council President Bernie Miller will head the group studying the hospital issue. The Planning Board voted last month to reject a proposal by the developer AvalonBay for a rental complex on the site. The property is currently under two zoning ordinances representing what were until recently the Borough and Township. A single ordinance representing consolidated Princeton could replace them.

Mr. Miller said he hoped the modifications to the ordinance will be created “in a manner that reflects the values of the Princeton community.” Serving on the task force are Mayor Liz Lempert, Planning Board member Marvin Reed, Council member Jenny Crumiller, resident Joseph Weiss, architect and Site Plan Review Advisory Board member Bill Wolfe, architect and Princeton Citizens for Sustainable Neighborhoods member Areta Pawlynsky, and Planning Director Lee Solow.

Council member Jo Butler asked whether a representative from the University Medical Center of Princeton, which moved to Plainsboro last May and still owns the property, had been invited to join the task force. Mr. Miller replied, “There was some concern that it would not be appropriate. However, the meetings are open to the public and they are welcome to attend.”

The group charged with resubmitting a proposal on the fire station expansion, which would consolidate Princeton’s three existing fire stations, includes Mr. Miller and fellow Council members Ms. Butler and Lance Liverman. A new proposal is needed because of changes to the original proposal, which would have moved teen counseling center Corner House and the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad {PFARS} into an expanded facility at the Valley Road School building. Since then, PFARS has opted to enlarge its existing location on Harrison Street, and Corner House is set to move into what was formerly the Borough’s municipal building. The deadline for the new proposal is April 8.

Also approved at the meeting was an ordinance to establish a fee of $65 a year for participation in Princeton’s food waste compost program. Up to 1,000 households can take part in this year’s program, a previous version of which served more than 400 members. Premier Food Waste Recycling, a division of Central Jersey Waste and Recycling, was the hauler hired for the new program last month.

There were heated exchanges when the topic of Princeton University’s voluntary payment to the town for 2013 came up. A resolution for a contribution of $2,475,000 in unrestricted funds was approved after much discussion about how the PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes, was negotiated and whether the process was sufficiently transparent. The total is the same as last year’s, but the 2012 amount included $500,000 earmarked for consolidation. The current agreement also includes $20,000 toward expansion of the Princeton firehouse.

The tensions arose when Ms. Butler suggested there was a conflict of interest in Ms. Lempert’s negotiating with the University since Ms. Lempert’s husband is a member of the faculty. Ms. Butler also questioned whether the agreement was for one or two years, and asked for a copy to inspect. Ms. Lempert said the agreement was oral. Kristin Appelget, the University’s director of community and regional affairs, stepped up to the microphone to explain that when the agreement was made for 2012, the idea was simply to extend it into 2013 because members of the governing body would be busy adjusting to consolidation. She added that a multi-year agreement is planned to be negotiated once the University selects a replacement for outgoing president Shirley Tilghman.

After Council members who served on the previous Township Committee and those who were on Borough Council mentioned how such business was handled in the former municipalities, Mr. Miller said he hoped future discussions would be geared toward the present instead of the past.

“This is the first business meeting of the new year, and I’m wondering how long we’re going to be reminded that this is not the way we did it in the Borough,” he said. “The Borough is gone. The Township is gone. This is the new Princeton. We need to look forward, not backward.”

The measure was approved with Council member Heather Howard recusing herself, Ms. Butler abstaining, and four votes in favor.

The next meeting of the Council is January 28.

December 19, 2012

Township Committee Thanks Staff, Volunteers At Last Official Meeting

At its final official meeting, Township Committee honored employees and volunteers for their help during this last year, and for their years of cumulated service.

Recognizing employees first, Mayor Chad Goerner observed that it had been a “challenging” year for them. “They underwent a certain amount of stress, and they stepped up to the challenge,” he said, referring to the unusual demands posed by the consolidation process.

Princeton University was also among the awardees on Monday evening, as Mayor Goerner presented Director of Community and Regional Affairs Kristen Appleget with a “special proclamation” that recognized the University’s role in helping to supply emergency services during Hurricane Sandy. The proclamation also noted the University’s willingness to open Jadwin Gym to voters from seven districts on Election Day, when other polling places became unavailable due to the storm. The University was cited for providing “critically needed assistance that helped return normalcy to the Princeton community.”

Members of the Consolidation Commission and the Transition Task Force were also honored for their contributions. Reviewing the history of consolidation efforts in Princeton, Mr. Goerner said that a report prepared by the League of Women Voters in 1952 anticipated much of the language used in the most recent С and ultimately successful С effort. The 1952 report described how the Borough and the Township were no longer distinctly urban versus suburban communities, and how consolidation would achieve “first rate municipal services.”

Both Consolidation Commission Chair Anton Lahnston and Mayor-elect Liz Lempert thanked Mr. Goerner for his early and sustained support for consolidation.

Making a point of saying that they were not paid for with taxpayer dollars, Mr. Goerner presented gifts to each member of Township Committee.

Township Committee will gather once more on Thursday, December 27, at 10 a.m. to do some “housekeeping.”

August 22, 2012

Township Discusses Deer, Schools, Transition

At its Monday evening meeting, Township Committee members heard presentations from school Superintendent Judy Wilson and a representative of United Bowhunters of New Jersey, and responded to a question about consolidation implementation.

Ms. Wilson presented an overview of building projects that would be carried out if the referendum bond vote on Monday, September 24 is approved. (See related article on page seven in this issue.)

At a “work session” in which no action was taken, representative Chris Midura described United Bowhunting of New Jersey programs that have been “safely and successfully administered” in Princeton in the past. With the season starting on September 8, Mr. Midura said that he hoped a decision to continue with them would come soon, so that they can “line up” the hunters and do an orientation. The Animal Control Committee, which will make the recommendation, is meeting in early September.

In response to a question from Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert about a “problem” alluded to in a letter, Mr. Midura explained that it had to do with suggestions that members of their organization were conducting “deer drives” (i.e., moving the deer toward hunters). It was determined that this was not occurring “among my people,” and Mr. Miduri said that in a recent conversation with Bob Buchanan, the former police chief indicated that the mayor could contact him if there was still any question about the episode.

Township resident and Transition Task Force IT Subcommittee member Henry Singer, described himself as having been “caught off guard” when, at a recent meeting Transition Task Force Chair Mark Freda said that “things are winding down.” When he asked Mr. Freda about continuity in the process, Mr. Singer said, he was told that the Task Force’s charge is essentially to “recommend and facilitate” by providing a “starting point.”

“It’s not something that will happen by accident,” continued Mr. Singer on Monday evening. He noted the complexity of consolidation and the ongoing analyses and decisions that participants should be referring to as they proceed. In the corporate world, he said, there’s a “play guide,” and detailed coordinated set of plans. “Who’s going to carry the ball across the line?” wondered Mr. Singer at the meeting, citing a need for “project management skills” that would address two of his favorite sayings: “plan the work the work the plan,” and “trust but verify.”

In their responses to Mr. Singer, both Committeewoman Sue Nemeth and Ms. Liz Lempert, who chaired the meeting in Mayor Chad Goerner’s absence, noted that oversight will be in the hands of the governing bodies. “We have experience doing this,” said Ms. Nemeth, pointing to shared services that already exist, and suggesting that combining like departments from each municipality might actually be easier than the management of shared services to date.

Ms. Lempert echoed Ms. Nemeth’s comments, noting that there will be “reports at public sessions” to ensure that everything “should run smoothly. If there’s a problem, we’ll discuss it.”

Mr. Singer also voiced concern about the placement of three transition-related costs under the regular consent agenda at the meeting, suggesting that they be identified separately on future agendas. The costs approved on Monday evening included payments to Vital Communications for tax assessor software (not to exceed $34,000); Comcast Enterprise for internet services (not to exceed $89,100); and Open Systems Integrators, for the integration of Borough security cameras in the new dispatch system (not to exceed $47,900). CFO Kathy Monzo gave a brief explanation for each of them.


August 1, 2012

“Phase 2” of Consolidation Begins

With the signing of a $38,000 contract with KSS Architects to refurbish the two current municipal buildings, “Phase 2” of the transition process has begun.

At a joint Monday evening meeting that included Borough Council, Township Committee, and Transition Task Force members, subcommittee representatives gave their recommendations for the composition of some of the new departments in the consolidated municipality, reconciling the different employee compensation packages currently received by Borough and Township employees, and other questions that need to be resolved before January 1, 2013. Compliance with local and state guidelines were important considerations, they said.

It was agreed that a “Princeton Board of Health” will replace the current “Princeton Regional Health Department,” allowing for more flexibility in responding to local concerns. Borough Councilman Roger Martindell wondered if it wouldn’t be more efficient to use the governing body as the health department, thus avoiding some of “the legal conflicts” that have occurred between the current health department and the governing bodies. There was overwhelming support, however, for having professional experts in health-related fields as members of a separate entity.

The many conversations and decisions that have occurred in preparation for consolidation will be documented in a final report, said CGR Vice President Joseph Stefko. Intended to be used for both “reference” and “strategic” purposes, the report will chart how decisions were made and “memorialize” all the recommendations that came out of subcommittees. It will also document the Transition Task Force’s role, as well as those of its subcommittees, by “walking through” each of the tasks set out at the beginning of the process, and the various options that could have been chosen. The first release of the report, probably in September, will have “place holders” in those instances where financial decisions are still in flux, said Mr. Stefko. He expected that Finance Committee information would become available in October.

Mr. Stefko noted that the concluding section of the report will “really be forward-looking,” to ensure that “the new governing body is attentive to the issues.”

Most of those present at the meeting voiced their support for “the concept” of a celebration to mark the municipalities’ consolidation, although there were differing views on the best venue and time for it. While the Communications subcommittee recommended a New Year’s Eve, family-style event on Palmer Square from 3 to 4 p.m., there was also support for using Hinds Plaza, with the library’s Community Room as a good back-up. Residents’ enthusiasm for this celebration has, apparently, been considerable; thanks to their donations, no taxpayer dollars will be used to purchase “consolicake” or any of the other refreshments.

A second set of recommendations for the new government will be presented at a joint meeting on August 15.


June 27, 2012

Land Use Bill Prompts Comments From Durkee

Princeton University vice president and secretary Robert Durkee spoke about strains in town-gown relations at Monday evening’s Township Committee meeting.

The occasion was a Committee vote on proposed state legislation regarding private universities and the zoning process. If passed, Senate Bill 1534 and Assembly Bill A2586 would exempt private universities from land use law; Princeton University, Rider University, and other private educational institutions of higher learning would no longer require approvals from municipalities to launch development projects, enabling them to proceed more quickly with their plans.

Citing the University’s inability “to pull up stakes” like other developers and move elsewhere, Mr. Durkee described the University’s “good history” of working with the Princeton Planning Board. Suggesting that the bill originated in other areas of New Jersey, he noted that even if it becomes law, the University would continue to consult with the Planning Board about future growth.

Later that evening, Township Committee unanimously voted to oppose the legislation.

In his comments, Mr. Durkee thanked Committee members for the opportunity to speak; there had been no chance for public comment before Borough Council’s vote not to endorse the new legislation, he said.

Mr. Durkee referred to recent developments,” that have been “cause for serious concern.” He described the year-long struggle, largely with Borough Council, before the new Arts and Transportation neighborhood could even be proposed, and worried that, despite consolidation, some members of the new governing board will be current members of Borough Council who would continue “to politicize the planning process.”

While agreeing that the Township has enjoyed a positive professional relationship with the University and that the lines of communication should remain open, Mayor Chad Goerner responded to Mr. Durkee’s comments by citing the need for having “checks and balances in place.” Residents, who come to Princeton “for a reason,” don’t pull up stakes, either, he observed.

Area activist Kip Cherry spoke in support of Mr. Goerner’s comments, describing the bill as “a proposed declaration of war against land use planning.”

The Senate bill is sponsored by Senators Paul Sario (D-Passaic) and Robert Singer (R-Monmouth). In the Assembly, the bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Celeste Riley (D-Salem) and Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-Passaic). The bills could be voted on as early as the end of June.


May 9, 2012

Township Appoints Morgan Acting Police Chief

Christopher Morgan was appointed Acting Township Police Chief at Township Committee’s Monday evening meeting.

Police Commissioner Bernie Miller, who acts as the liaison between the Police Department and Township Committee, noted the importance of having a commanding officer in place, and said that Mr. Morgan had “served admirably” since taking over as senior officer on March 30, when former Police Chief Robert Buchanan retired.

Citing the importance of “readily understanding” the command structure from both “within and without” the Police Department, Mr. Miller observed that the title “senior officer” is less satisfactory than “acting police chief.” Mr. Miller and others on the Committee noted that Mr. Morgan’s salary will not change with his new title, and commended him for assuming the post at a transitional time for the Township. Mr. Morgan is scheduled to lead the department until the end of 2012.

The appointment came after criticism by Borough Council member Roger Martindell at last week’s Borough Council meeting. Mr. Martindell read a statement denouncing the attempt as “another unfortunate step in what appears to be the Township’s increasingly strident effort to attempt to influence the choice of employees for the new Princeton, based not on merit but on parochial concerns: namely, whether the candidate is a present or former ‘Borough’ or ‘Township’ employee.”

Mr. Martindell said the effort became clear about a month ago “when Township sought to bar the chairman of the Transition Task Force, Mark Freda, a former Borough employee, from becoming an employee of the new Princeton by having us adopt an unnecessary ‘conflicts’ policy that would have barred him from seeking employment in the new municipality. It is now resurfacing in this attempt to enhance the chances of a present Township policeman becoming a Chief or Captain in the new police department.”

In response to some criticism about making the appointment at this particular time, Township Committee members insisted that going ahead with it is “not a political ploy” and “not, by any means, grandstanding.” Each member had prepared comments extolling the appointment. In hers, deputy mayor and consolidated Princeton mayoral hopeful Liz Lempert reported that a member of Borough Council had called her that day asking her not to vote for the appointment.

At the meeting, Ms. Lempert responded to the request not to vote “from my perspective as deputy mayor of the Township, and one who hopes to play a role in the consolidated municipality.” She noted that having an acting township chief will have the added benefit of helping consolidate the police departments into a unified team that optimizes each member’s strengths. Mayor Chad Goerner cited “a merger of equals.”

In an email this week, Mayor Goerner responded to Mr. Martindell’s statements. “I can tolerate it if someone wants to play politics and grandstand on an issue, but I can’t sit by and allow someone to basically slander our police department based on rumors and conjecture,” he wrote. “We need to move beyond this and realize that we have two very good police departments.

“I’ve had the opportunity to meet and interact with the Borough police department with my participation in the Alchemist & Barrister charity event and they are a great group of folks. Likewise, our police department in the Township has a great work ethic and a strong team-based atmosphere. Let’s find a way to build a strong department based on a merger of equals and stop trying to one-up each other.”

Monday night’s meeting was originally scheduled as a joint meeting with the Township Committee, Borough Council, and the Transition Task Force.

 


February 29, 2012

Borough and Township Back CGR and Kearns; Modify Hiring Directive

Sharing the podium in the main meeting room at Township Hall Monday evening, Borough Council and Township Committee members approved professional services agreements for the Transition Task Force, the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), and attorney William Kearns.

Offering a “brief status report and update” on work being done by the task force, Township resident and Task Force Vice-Chair Scott Sillars reported that the group has been “fully engaged” with a “very active schedule since its inception in January.” (See the related article on the page one.)

The task force, which is comprised of 12 members (five voting members and one alternate each from the Borough and Township), is charged with facilitating the process of merging the two governments and the services they provide in anticipation of consolidation, which will take effect January 1, 2013.

Mr. Sillars said that CGR, which had made a favorable impression as advisors to the Consolidation Commission, would again provide project management support by creating a website, implementing public forums, assisting in creating timelines, identifying goals, and setting priorities, while maintaining the momentum that began with the work of the Commission. The new $62,000 contract with CGR is their entire fee during the process.

Retaining an independent legal counsel, Mr. Sillars said, would give the task force an opportunity to obtain legal counsel independent of the Borough and Township attorneys. Mr. Kearns’s fee is $150 an hour, with a $40,000 cap. His previous experience includes serving as counsel to the League of Municipalities, as well as participation in consolidation projects elsewhere.

In an effort to clarify the roles of all of the attorneys with respect to the task force, Committee and Council members endorsed an amendment that included Township Mayor Chad Goerner’s suggested wording, noting that the task force will be able to use the two municipal attorneys on approval from an appropriate administrator, Jim Pascale in the Township, Bob Bruschi in the Borough.

In conversations before the vote to retain Mr. Kearns, Council members Jenny Crumiller and Jo Butler spoke in support of creating and voting on an additional amendment to clarify the attorneys’ roles for the task force. Others noted that the task force had not specifically asked for such clarification. “This is why we’re consolidating,” commented Mr. Goerner during the conversation.

Members of both governing groups expressed concern about public safety issues in response to the task force’s suggested “hiring moratorium” in both municipalities. It was agreed that the question of coverage and possible collaboration would be brought before the two police departments and the Public Safety Committee for their recommendations, and that any non-police openings would be be discussed by both the Borough and the Township before they are filled. “We need to send a message that we are coordinating,” observed Borough Council member Roger Martindell.


February 1, 2012

Township Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert is First to Throw Her Hat Into the Ring

Princeton Township Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert is the first local official to announce her candidacy for mayor of a consolidated Princeton in the upcoming Democratic Primary election on June 5.

“The next few years offer a great opportunity to show how we can continue to build on the consolidation of our two municipalities — Princeton Borough and Princeton Township — and remake ourselves into a Princeton that will be stronger, more vibrant, and even more extraordinary than before,” said Ms. Lempert. “I want to make sure consolidation works well for all residents. If we do it right, we’ll be a model for others — a fitting role for a town with such a renowned history.”

Ms. Lempert was an early proponent of consolidation. In announcing her candidacy for Township Committee member in 2009 she noted that “this is … an opportunity to look for smart ways to save money, improve efficiency, and think big. I’d like to work with the other members of the Township Committee and Borough Council towards consolidation, affordability, sustainability, and open government that encourages citizens to participate and contribute their ideas and knowledge.”

Ms. Lempert’s current departmental assignments include membership on the Environmental Commission; the Traffic Safety Committee; the Joint Sidewalk and Bikeways Committee; the Flood and Stormwater Management Committee; and the Citizens’ Finance Advisory Committee.

She is also the mayor’s appointee to the Regional Planning Board, and a trustee of the Joint Transportation Fund.

She serves as well on the Friends of the Princeton Public Library’s executive board, and is a founding member of the grassroots public school advocacy group Save Our Schools-N.J.

The Stanford graduate traces her interest in local government to her work as co-chair of Mercer for Obama, a 3,500 member grassroots group that campaigned for Barack Obama’s election as president. “I helped to build a network of volunteers, many of us new to the political process and eager to make a difference,” she said.

“What I enjoyed most about the Obama campaign was finding meaningful ways for people to contribute that took advantage of their special skills, expertise, and interests,” she added. “The experience taught me how to direct a large and diverse group of people in a collaborative way.”

Ms. Lempert and her husband, Ken Norman, have lived in Princeton since 2002. Their youngest daughter attends Littlebrook Elementary School and her older sister is at John Witherspoon Middle School.

A north California native, Ms. Lempert worked as a producer and editor for National Public Radio’s environmental news show, Living on Earth, first in Cambridge, Massachusetts, then Boulder, Colorado, before settling in Princeton. “My experience as a journalist trained me to find information quickly, assimilate differing points of view, and be open to listening — skills I’ve found useful on the Committee,” she commented.

“I wholeheartedly endorse Liz for mayor,” said Township Mayor Chad Goerner, who recently announced that he would not run for the position. “She has a strong record on Township Committee — from her leadership on preserving the Princeton Ridge to holding the line on the budget. Liz makes sure that she listens to all sides of an argument, but when push comes to shove, she knows how to make decisions and get things done.”

In addition to the enthusiastic backing of Township Committee members, Ms. Lempert has drawn support from officials and residents in the Borough. “Liz is the right person at the right time,” said Councilwoman Heather Howard. “She has the ability and temperament to bring together Borough and Township and lead during this critical period.”

“Liz cares about our community,” said Claire Jacobus, former chair of the Human Services Commission and longtime Borough resident. “When there was an effort to eliminate local services for the least fortunate in our town, Liz worked tirelessly to make sure that didn’t happen.”

January 25, 2012

Goerner Not Running; Township Fine-tunes Task Force Resolution

At its Monday evening meeting, Township Committee modified and then approved a resolution establishing a Transition Task Force. Other Township news this week includes Mayor Chad Goerner’s recent announcement that he will not seek election as mayor of the consolidated Princetons in 2013.

“Having served for almost six years, I have achieved everything that I set out to accomplish when I first ran for office in 2006,” said Mr. Goerner, who is 36 years old. “I will instead serve the remainder of my term as mayor and guide the town through a smooth transition without any political distraction.”

Mr. Goerner commented that he really had two full-time jobs: one as a vice-president of the Swiss global finances services company, UBS, and the other as Township mayor.

This balancing act, along with a potential interest in starting a new business led him to “step back a bit” and “take a hiatus.” He did not preclude the possibility of returning to politics, however.

“I never had a plan to be mayor for decades,” Mr. Goener observed. “When I first ran for Township Committee in 2006, I had set a goal of consolidation, increased transparency, and fiscal responsibility. We’ve accomplished all of those things and more.”

Mr. Goerner’s current assignments include membership on the Library Board of Trustees, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Tax/Finance Committee, The Consolidation Commission, the Transition Task Force, and the Transit Force.

Consolidation was probably the number one goal on Mr. Goerner’s to-do list, and he expressed satisfaction at having participated in efforts that lead to the municipalities’ willingness to become one entity. These included, he said, writing op-ed pieces on consolidation and developing the proposal to study it under the Local Option Municipal Consolidation Act. Acceptance of the proposal led the way to the creation of the Joint Shared Services and Consolidation Commission.

As a member of the Commission, Mr. Goerner chaired the finance subcommittee “and campaigned tirelessly for consolidation once it was placed on the ballot.”

“The towns approved consolidation by a significant margin and we established a repeatable process for other towns,” he added. “Princeton will serve as a model for towns across the state.”

His goal now is to “seek a smooth transition to a single governing body in 2013.” After that, he said, it would probably be a good idea to have “new people come forward” to serve on the new governing body.

Mr. Goerner described the current governing body on which he has served as “a fantastic group of colleagues and municipal staff. I have been proud of what I have accomplished and it has been an honor to serve my community.”

Consolidation was on the minds of Township Committee members at its Monday evening meeting, when they approved an amended version of a resolution establishing the Transition Task Force. The first meeting of the task force will be held on Tuesday, January 31, at 7 p.m. in Township Hall.

While Township representatives to the team had already been approved, the committee fine-tuned the wording of several sentences in the resolution.

Citing the potential for “structural problems,” Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert questioned the resolution’s directive for one person from each municipality to serve as co-chairs of subcommittees. Successful subcommittees on the Consolidation Commission, it was noted, had a chair and a vice-chair, rather than co-chairs. It was suggested that the wording of the current resolution be changed so that the task force itself will decide on the model they want to use. Another proposed change to the resolution is the addition of words that will provide for additional meetings if needed. Borough Council will be asked to concur with these changes.

Princeton Township representatives to the Transition Team include residents Dorothea Berkhout, executive director for administration at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University; Linda Mather, president of Beacon Consulting Associates and League of Women Voters moderator; and Scott Sillars, president of Isles E4 and chair of the Citizen’s Finance Advisory Committee for Princeton Township. Miller Investment Management senior executive Gary Patterson will serve as an alternate member.

Elected officials from the Township include Mayor Chad Goerner and Committeeman Bernie Miller. Both served on the Consolidation Commission as well and are expected to provide a liaison between the two groups.

Other business at Monday night’s meeting included approval of an ordinance to appropriate $2,550,000 for the rehabilitation of the Township sewer system. Township engineer Bob Kiser reported that Grover Avenue, Battle Road, and Roper Road are among the streets scheduled for work. The public hearing for this ordinance will be on Monday, February 27.

Taxi drivers in the Township will be asked to provide background checks and have insurance that is in compliance with a new state law if an ordinance introduction approved on Monday evening is approved at a public hearing on Monday, February 6.

Sue Nemeth announced that the Sewer Operating Committee had elected a new chair, former Borough Councilman David Goldfarb. Ms. Nemeth will serve as vice-chair. She also reported that pool renovations are “moving along at a brisk pace,” and that bricks with family names to be placed at the site are for sale.