Township Council eyes 2001 capital budget

Several road projects and equipment purchases are on the proposed capital spending plan, which the council will be discussing with the public Monday.

By: Michael Arges
   EAST WINDSOR — The Milford Road S-curve project heads the list of projects included in the township’s proposed $2.17 million capital budget for 2001.
   Residents can have their say about the budget at Monday’s Township Council meeting.
   About $800,000 of the capital budget is drawn from grants and developers funds, noted Mayor Janice Mironov. An example of this kind of offset is the $491,000 portion of the expenses for straightening the Milford Road S-curve included in this year’s budget.
   Of that $491,000, $190,000 is coming from a grant last fall from the state Department of Transportation trust fund and $190,000 is coming from a second grant expected from the trust fund this fall. The remainder will come from the township’s transportation improvement program, which is funded by contributions from developers.
   In addition to that $491,000, the other $200,000 of the estimated cost of the project was donated from developer’s funds and was earmarked for the project through a supplemental capital appropriation this year.
   Two ongoing projects will be drawn from township tax revenues. There will be $75,000 for improvements to township parks. This will go for items such as new tables and new benches in the township’s parks.
   The ongoing township roads program will receive $270,000 if the capital budget remains unchanged. Under this program, in the previous capital budget, resurfacing was done to Charred Oak Lane, part of Maple Stream Road, Sheffield Road, Debbie Lane and Marilyn Drive.
   Several of the larger items are replacements for major public works equipment. These include $165,000 for a new street sweeper to replace a 1994 street sweeper. Eighty thousand dollars will go toward a tractor with a boom mower to replace a 1989 machine. This mower cuts grass on shoulders, on detention basement slopes and cuts trees back from the roadway.
   A mason dump truck with lift gate and plow will replace a 1991 dump truck at a cost of $50,000. The truck will assist with the collection of bulk goods and for transporting equipment and furniture for the public works department. Because it will be equipped with a plow, unlike the truck it replaces, the truck can be used for snow removal — especially in small areas.
   At a cost of $42,000, a new self-contained leaf vacuum will replace a 1994 unit that needs to be pulled behind another vehicle. The new unit requires fewer people to handle it. After the replacement the township also will have a 1998 pull-behind model and a 2000 self-contained blower.
   Twenty-seven thousand dollars will go for the purchase of an additional wood chipper in order to maintain the present level of service by the township. The new chipper will be able to take longer pieces of wood.
   Also at Monday’s meeting there will be an update on the proposed reconstruction of the Hankins Road, Route 130 and Conover Road intersections, Major Mironov noted.
   "We have not received anything back from the DOT since we communicated with them last November," she said.
   The Township Council passed a resolution approving the proposal to bring the three roads together at one simple intersection rather than the present two intersections or the jug-handle approaches first proposed by the DOT.
   Mayor Mironov noted that Washington Township also has endorsed the approach approved by East Windsor. Hankins Road is part of the border between East Windsor and Washington townships.
   Also on the agenda will be further discussion of the Milford Road S-curve project. Council members will discuss how they want to proceed with the project — whether or not in conjunction with Mercer County’s replacement of a culvert in the same area.
   Council members also will discuss a possible ordinance on selling the existing senior center property.