Officials discuss North Greenwood bridge, other matters.
By Francis Mahoney
Hopewell Borough Council held both reorganization and regular meetings Jan. 6.
Mayor David Nettles opened the meeting with a few remarks, thanking council members, borough professionals and volunteers for their service in the past and their continued cooperation in the future.
In his remarks, the mayor said he had instructed the Building and Grounds Committee to come up with a meaningful comparison of the long-term options for Borough Hall for council’s March meeting. Mayor Nettles said that he expected "some decision in the next few months."
Council has been looking at various options for its municipal building, including a new municipal complex and renovating the existing facility. The issue has been discussed at length at several council sessions during the past year. Among issues driving council’s attention to this matter is the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires public buildings to be handicapped-accessible.
Mayor Nettles also took the opportunity to thank outgoing Councilwoman Alice Huston, who decided not to run for re-election last November, for her work as a council member for the last six years. Ms. Huston was presented with a plaque.
Also during reorganization, Paul Anzano, who now holds the seat left vacant by Ms. Huston, was sworn in by Borough Clerk Michele Hovan.
David Mackie, who was re-elected to his council seat in November, also was sworn in.
Appointments to borough positions were approved by the council, as well. They include: John Holliday as public defender, Edward Hunter as municipal prosecutor, Beverly Weidl as municipal historian, Joseph Miko as member of the Parks Commission, and Mel Meyers as the superintendent of school’s representative on the Library Board of Trustees.
Councilman David Knights was elected council president.
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AFTER REORGANIZATION, the council held its regular monthly meeting, at which Borough Engineer Dennis O’Neal raised the issue of the North Greenwood Avenue railroad bridge.
The bridge is slated to be replaced by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT).
Borough officials have met with NJDOT over preliminary issues and have relayed their wishes for what the new bridge should look like.
NJDOT has not yet reached the design stage for the bridge, but is in the process of putting together funding, according to Mr. O’Neal.
When the bridge will be closed and for how long are among council’s major concerns, since North Greenwood is a main road in and out of town.
A hole about the size of a baseball and with cracks radiating from it has formed in the walkway on the northbound side of the bridge.
In response, the Department of Public Works closed off the walkway. The walkway will remain closed for an indefinite period. Walkers can use the walkway on the opposite side of the bridge.
ANGELA CLERICO, a representative from Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association (SB-MWA), presented the organization’s final report on Hopewell’s municipal assessment.
"This is a report that isn’t meant to sit on the shelf," Ms. Clerico said.
According to Ms. Clerico’s presentation, the SB-MWA report evaluated the borough’s land use ordinances and attempted to find areas in which the language of the ordinances could be strengthened to help better protect the watershed area.
Also included in the report was a "highlights section" that listed all the things the borough already was doing. Ms. Clerico noted the borough’s Web site and the ongoing improvements in Hopewell Borough Park.
The main thrust of the report gave the borough 12 steps for improvement in the borough. "Each one can be a project in itself," Ms. Clerico said. None of the steps were detailed in the presentation.
"We’re doing some of the things already," Councilman Mark Samse pointed out. Looking at the list, Mr. Samse felt that "seven or eight" of the projects suggested would require the cooperation of Hopewell Township.
"The quality of life (in Hopewell Borough)," Mr. Samse continued, "is all contingent upon what happens around our boundaries … We can only do what we can do."
According to Ms. Clerico’s presentation, the municipal assessment cost the borough nothing and was funded by outside grants.
COUNCIL also heard an update on the stormwater management plan, which was presented by Mary Paiste-Goldman of Princeton Hydro, LLC.
Ms. Paiste-Goldman told council what the borough needs to do to comply with new stormwater regulations.
Some of the requirements included an April 1, 2005 deadline when the borough needs to adopt its stormwater regulation plan. Also, annually the borough must hold an annual educational event. Ms. Paiste-Goldman suggested that the borough take care of this requirement with a booth at the Harvest Fair. The borough needs to label its storm drain inlets as well. The labels would inform the public what cannot be put into the drains. The deadline for the labeling is not until 2007.
Ms. Paiste-Goldman also described a mitigation plan that would offer waivers for sites that cannot comply with the new stormwater regulations.
COUNCIL also discussed the issue of parking along the North Greenwood Avenue, particularly at the corner of North Greenwood and Model Avenue.
The parked cars crowd the northbound lane and force traffic into the southbound lane.
Council members discussed banning parking along that section of North Greenwood.
Councilman David Mackie remarked that if parking were to be taken away something would have to be done to mitigate the speed of cars after the freeing up of the roadway.
"I think it’s a no-brainer," said Councilman Mark Samse, to eliminate parking on North Greenwood.
Councilman Anzano cautioned that it might affect the businesses within the immediate area.
Officials decided to ask Engineer O’Neal to look into the issue and report back before a decision was made.
WHEN the meeting was opened to the public, Peter Macholdt, a member of the Hopewell Borough Planning Board and a borough resident, brought up the condition of the Hopewell Business Association signs around town.
Mr. Macholdt said the signs need to be maintained and the poles that hold them need to be straightened. He also said there are signs for businesses that no longer exist in the borough.
If the signs cannot be maintained, Mr. Macholdt suggested, "they should be taken down."

