Agencies begin budget talks

$6.7 million proposed plan unveiled; taxes to remain the same

By: Casha Caponegro
   The township is looking at paying for four new employees, a tractor and a new police station in 2002 and a new fire truck in 2003.
   The Township Committee heard preliminary budget proposals from the Public Works, Fire and Police departments and the Office of Emergency Management on Monday.
   The $6.7 million proposed budget, unveiled last week, calls for taxes to remain at last year’s level of 68 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
   The committee will use the proposals to formulate a final budget to be introduced in late February and adopted by March 27.
   "At this point we are just hearing people out," said Committeewoman Pari Stave. "At the end of the process we will meet to decide for ourselves what is best for the township."
   Public Works, which is responsible for maintaining municipal buildings, parks and roads, is asking for $752,070 from the township in 2002, up 5 percent from its 2001 budget of $715,151.
   Public Works Superintendent Thomas Witt said the majority of the increase is for an increase in total salaries to cover two new employees.
   "Our work load has increased dramatically in the past two years," Mr. Witt said Monday. "And it will increase more with developments to the Wright property."
   A 12-acre portion of the Wright South property, owned by the township, may be used in the near future to house a baseball field or community center. If that property is developed, the Public Works Department would be responsible for maintaining any township structure that will be built there.
   Mr. Witt said the department would like to hire one employee in May and another in October. The department has requested $264,800 for salaries, up from last year’s budgeted salary of $253,560.
   In addition, Public Works has requested $7,100 to paint and weatherproof the trim on the new firehouse, $7,000 for new exterior doors on the new firehouse to replace the current laminated oak doors that separated and $6,400 to install fully automated underground sprinklers to water the flowers and lawn in Memorial Park, next to the firehouse.
   The department also is requesting $33,000 to refurbish the tennis courts in Village Park on Maplewood Avenue, $10,000 to install a gristmill stone in Heritage Park on South Main Street that will include in the installation of a new sidewalk and planting area and $8,000 for a new sidewalk at Heritage Park, leading to the swim club.
   The department has requested $25,000 to purchase a new 60 horsepower turf tractor to replace the current tractor, which is 27 years old. The tractor will help maintain parks and athletic fields. It also requested $7,120 for a new Aero-Vator soil conditioner to replace the current aerator purchased in 1984 and $15,800 for a new Toro grounds master mower to replace its 1993 mower, which is in fair to poor condition.
   The Fire Department expects to spend approximately $203,000 in 2002 — $18,000 on vehicle expenses, $30,800 to purchase, test and maintain equipment and $4,000 for renovations to the Old Firehouse museum.
   The township is planning to provide $50,000, though the Fire Department is requesting an additional $16,000.
   The remainder of the department’s expenses will be funded through donations and other fund-raising projects. The department expects to raise about $30,000 in donations for 2002 and $4,000 at this year’s Cranbury Day.
   The Fire Department also presented a 15-year plan on Monday for some of the large spending projects it anticipates.
   No large projects are slated for 2002, but the department anticipates buying a new aerial truck next year to replace an existing ladder truck that will be 40 years old in 2003.
   The department anticipates the new truck to cost $850,000. It plans to contribute $100,000 and has asked the township to cover the remaining $750,000.
   The Police Department is requesting $1.296 million from the township for 2002, up about 25.3 percent from last year’s budget of $1.034 million.
   Police salaries will increase 27.2 percent from $946,400 in 2001 to $1.204 million in 2002 to cover two new officers and increase the hourly salary of six crossing guards by 50 cents.
   Also included in the police budget is $91,581 for various expenses. All told, the department is expecting to spend $198,381 on expenses, including money that will be included in the budgets of other departments, said Chief Financial Officer Kathleen Kovach.
   The department plans to spend $7,900 on training, $2,500 for meetings and conferences, $1,500 on the school safety program and $11,000 on vehicle maintenance.
   The department of Emergency Management is requesting $6,750 from the township.
   This amount has increased 5 percent from the department’s 2001 budget of $6,400.
   Emergency Management plans to spend $2,000 on emergency contingency funds, $400 on training and $900 on the repair and maintenance on its radio and computer systems.