Nov. 28 celebration at site
By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
Nov. 28 was a day of deliverance for the Pennington Public Works Department.
That day marked the culmination of nearly 10 years of planning and effort, as the borough’s new 10,000-square-foot, $1.3 million Public Works building opened. The structure is off North Main Street, in Hopewell Township just north of the borough line.
”I’m very happy about it, that’s for sure,” Public Works Supervisor Jeff Wittkop said Monday. “It improves our efficiency. We have enough room to work now, and we can store all our equipment indoors now. From the aspect of our crew, this is a vast improvement in their working conditions. The Pennington Public Works crew is a great crew. They do an amazing amount of good work.”
The new building replaces a sorely dilapidated structure near the defunct Pennington landfill, between East Delaware Avenue and Broemel Place.
”Back there, our crew could be forced to work outdoors on as many as three vehicles at a time,” Mr. Wittkop said. “If it was raining, you did that work in the rain.”
The Nov. 28 ribbon-cutting at the new building was attended by about 70 residents, officials and former officials. Among them were Pennington Mayor Tony Persichilli and former mayors Jim Loper and Sue Riley. David Garber, Joseph Lawver, Weed Tucker, all current Pennington Council members, also attended, as did County Executive Brian Hughes and Hopewell Township Mayor Vanessa Sandom.
Mr. Wittkop said Mr. Garber’s efforts were a major factor in making the new building a reality. Mr. Garber is council’s liaison to Public Works.
”We now have a safe and secure working environment for our Public Works employees,” Mr. Garber said Monday.
”We can finally move our employees off the site of the former dump, where working conditions were poor. The new building also will protect our equipment and vehicles in which we have a significant capital investment. Previously, much of the borough’s equipment was stored outside and was subject to damage and wear from water, snow and ice. The new building and improved working conditions are already providing benefits to the borough in the form of increased efficiency of operations. Many people, going back as long as 10 years ago, share responsibility for making the new Public Works building a reality. Particular thanks go to former Mayor Sue Riley, former Mayor Jim Loper, and former Council members Susan Porcella, and the late Jim Byrnes.”
BURKE SINCLAIR, a former Pennington Borough resident who now lives in Hopewell Township, has given the borough a bucket truck.
The borough council voted unanimously Monday night to accept the vehicle with thanks.
Bucket trucks are used to hoist workers aloft to work in trees, utility wires and the like.
The truck Mr. Sinclair has given the borough will be used by the Department of Public Works. Public Works Supervisor Jeff Wittkop estimates the value of the truck between $10,000 and $20,000. Mr. Wittkop predicted the truck needs work that will cost between $500 and $1,000.
He said the vehicle could be shared with the Public Works department of Hopewell Township, which in turn can (and already does) share equipment with the borough. The township does not have a bucket truck, Mr. Wittkop said.
The borough will investigate training Public Works employees in the use of the truck.
ALSO Monday night, council voted unanimously to renew the lease of the Pennington Senior Citizens Center, on Reading Street, to Mercer County. The county, which operates the center Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m., serves meals there. The county will pay the borough $7,500 in 2008 and $8,000 in 2009. This continues the pattern of raising the rent $500 annually.
Accepted by council Monday night were the resignations of Steve Kohke and Marybeth McDonough from the borough’s Economic Development Committee.
Also resigning was Terry Evanko, the borough’s senior citizen representative to the Hopewell Valley Recreation Committee.

