J&J wins energy-saving award and turns check over to schools

Montgomery board discusses NPDC cleanup plan

By: Jake Uitti
   MONTGOMERY — Iris Grossman, the associate director of media relations at Johnson & Johnson, presented the township school district with a $1,000 check on Tuesday to be used for science education.
   The check, Ms. Grossman said, is the result of her branch winning a Johnson & Johnson Worldwide Sustainability Award for the solar energy system located behind the company’s buildings off Grandview Road. The solar panel system was installed a year ago and, at the time, was the largest and highest output ground-mounted solar system in the eastern half of the United States, Ms. Grossman said.
   "The Consumer Company’s Skillman location was one of only three Johnson & Johnson locations around the world to win an energy innovation award this year," Ms. Grossman said. As part of the award, employees of her branch received a $1,000 donation to be given to the organization of their choice — they chose Montgomery schools.
   "They have been such a great corporate citizen for many years," Board of Education President David Pettit said. "We offer a heartfelt thank you."
   Erin Peacock, director of curriculum and instruction for science, recommended that the money be put toward the district’s environmental sciences program so students can study such topics as renewable energy.
   In other business Tuesday, the board approved a memorandum of agreement with the Montgomery Police Department.
   It is a state requirement each year for the superintendent, the police director and the board president to sign such a memorandum. The cooperative agreement, Police Director Michael Beltranena said, ensures that the safety of the children is a top priority and also assures their privacy and their rights.
   Mr. Beltranena said the agreement outlines who is to be contacted if certain problems occur within a school. For example, he said, if the principal discovers there is a criminal act in the school, the agreement specifies that the principal will notify the police department and the police director. The document also outlines students’ rights in the event of a search on school premises.
   Board member Arun Rimal updated his colleagues on a meeting he attended with school officials from neighboring districts to discuss options to lobby the state about property-tax and school-tax issues.
   "We want to lobby to make sure school districts like Montgomery are active in the debates going on," Mr. Rimal said.
   He said he met with officials from Bernards Township, Watchung Hills and Holmdel.
   Mr. Rimal said there may be property-tax relief for many of the districts in New Jersey, but Montgomery may not be one of them. In order to help Montgomery and its increasing problem with high property taxes, he said, he would be looking into several options, including getting a group of board members from districts like Montgomery and meet with Gov. Jon Corzine. More information, he said, would be coming in the next few weeks.
   The board also discussed the remediation process for Skillman Village — the former North Princeton Developmental Center — and its impact on Village School.
   Board members met recently with township officials and will continue to meet monthly to discuss the remediation process, officials said.
   "The township was very amenable to our staying involved at a very high level of detail," board member Andrea Bradley noted.
   A meeting has been slated for Nov. 27 for officials to sit down with the demolition contract specifications and look to make sure there is nothing there adverse to the Village School staff and students, Ms. Bradley said.
   "The work has to be done in accordance with strict state and federal regulations," she noted, such as air-quality monitoring.
   Board member Saul Rubinstein suggested the school board meet with Chris Daggett, the environmental consultant the township has been working with for the remediation process. Mr. Rubinstein suggested Mr. Daggett come to a board meeting and discuss the process, with public meetings scheduled in the near future.