Skillman Village consultant hired by Montgomery Township

Another step on road to transforming the former North Princeton Developmental Center

By: Jake Uitti
   MONTGOMERY — The Township Committee on Wednesday approved a contract with a consultant to assist in the selection of a developer for Skillman Village.
   The committee approved a contract for professional consulting services with Economic Research Associates Inc., an international economic consulting firm.
   The firm will assist the township in the selection of a developer for the Skillman Village redevelopment project at the former North Princeton Developmental Center, township planner Lori Savron said.
   In addition, the firm will also prepare a market analysis to ensure the economic viability of the final redevelopment plan, Ms. Savron said.
   Ms. Savron said the township has now received 14 responses from potential redevelopers as a result of the request for proposals it sent out in August.
   "We are in the process of evaluating those proposals for completeness and we aren’t releasing any statements about the redevelopers at this time," she added.
   In other business Wednesday, the committee discussed an ordinance that would amend the township code regarding members of the police department.
   Committee members said the amendment is a "housekeeping" item and one that was based in part on the recommendation of Police Director Michael Beltranena.
   In the budget process this year, the committee budgeted for a 34-member police force. The old ordinance limited the force to 32 members. The new ordinance, if passed at the next committee meeting, will bring the allowable number up to 34.
   The committee also discussed the controversial Hillsborough Bypass.
   Committeeman John Warms said he had seen a letter written by county officials that "seems clear to me that the county is in favor of the bypass as now designed" — a design Montgomery officials oppose.
   In addition, Mr. Warms said he has heard comments made by the deputy commissioner of the state Department of Transportation that work on the bypass may begin as early as June 2008.
   "That’s scary stuff," Mr. Warms said. "We have to keep a strong public posture. We have to have letters written by folks all over town."
   Mr. Warms said under one of the alternatives the township is proposing, the state would save an estimated $50 million to $60 million and that Hillsborough would still get the traffic relief it needs.
   "That doesn’t mean we don’t want Hillsborough to have a bypass, but it has to terminate in Hillsborough, not in Montgomery," he said. "DOT has to now deal with the whole Township Committee. We want them to understand they are dealing with a community."