Ms. Palladino said at the reorganization meeting New Year’s Day the committee has been looking for ‘ a better way to do business at a better cost to make a better life for all of us.’
By: Carl Reader
WEST AMWELL The new mayor, Nance Palladino, has had her bad times and her good times while serving on the West Amwell Township Committee, but she said last year was one of the good times.
"It’s not always been a pleasure the last few years," she said at the township reorganization meeting Tuesday. "I have had a pleasurable experience serving with you two (committee members Peter Buchsbaum and Gary Bleacher) the last year."
Chosen as mayor this year since it’s the third year of her three-year term, Ms. Palladino said the committee has been looking for "a better way to do business at a better cost, to make a better life for all of us."
Last year’s mayor, Mr. Bleacher, was sworn in once again as a committee member.
"For anybody who did anything for the township, in any capacity, I just want to say thank you," Mr. Bleacher said.
The committee also set its usual meeting dates as the first and third Wednesdays of the month. It made just two new appointments. Chosen as a member of the Planning Board with a four-year term was Joan Smith, a new appointment. Also a new appointment with a two-year term was Ruth Hall as the first alternate on the Board of Adjustment.
The committee got down to business by holding its usual Wednesday meeting immediately after the reorganization. Foremost of the subjects discussed was how best to get rid of things wood chippings and recyclables. The committee heard from Public Works Director Randy Hoagland about how the program to collect wood for chipping had grown tremendously, and the committee also discussed the possibility of participating with Lambertville in its program to purchase a recycling truck.
"People are putting out huge piles (of wood)," Mr. Hoagland said regarding the wood chipping program. "It’s starting to get bigger and bigger and bigger."
Mr. Hoagland said he and two helpers spent two months last year disposing of the wood, which consisted mainly of clearings from homeowners’ forests. He said in 2000 his team had picked up 26 loads while in 2001 it picked up 56 loads.
Mayor Palladino suggested a schedule could be set to bring the wood in for chipping, and those times could be spread out over different weekends.
"People love the service," she admitted.
Regarding recycling, Mr. Buchsbaum said he and Lambertville Mayor David Del Vecchio were going to discuss the matter of the two governments getting together on the recycling truck early this year. Since the matter hasn’t been hashed out yet between the communities, there was some confusion as to what would be needed to be done. Mr. Hoagland said there might have to be a yard in West Amwell for the recyclables with someone to look over it and a fence around it.
Lambertville City Clerk Mary Sheppard has said there was a possibility of moving all the recycling to West Amwell since it would only be three miles. She added there could be "fantastic benefits for both."
"We need to get all the parties in one room at one time," Mr. Bleacher said.
Mayor Palladino said West Amwell would send a letter to Lambertville as a first step in getting the process going.>