By Lea Kahn / Staff Writer
In the wake of the Trenton City Council’s approval of a 40-percent water rate hike last week, Lawrence Township officials plan to meet with their counterparts from Ewing, Hamilton and Hopewell townships to discuss their options.
Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun said the four townships plan to meet to review their options, including the possibility of an appeal of the ordinance, and to determine "what other remedies may exist, if any."
The Trenton City Council gave final approval to a proposed 40-percent rate hike for users of the Trenton Water Works at the council’s Sept. 4 meeting, according to city spokesman Kent Ashworth.
The rate hike was approved by a 5-2 vote, Mr. Ashworth said. The increase, which takes effect Oct. 1, affects about 5,000 households in the southern part of Lawrence Township. The new rate means the typical water user would see the quarterly bill increase from $75 to about $103 or $104.
Mr. Krawczun, who attended the Trenton City Council meeting, said he asked the council to consider tabling the ordinance. The mayors of Ewing and Hopewell townships joined him in that request, which was unsuccessful, he said.
"My position was, there should be an alternative to the ordinance," Mr. Krawczun said. "First, a meeting of the city and the four townships to discuss in detail any related information and improve communications and improve the understanding of the capital and operating needs of the Trenton Water Works."
The township manager also proposed that the practice of transferring surplus funds from the Trenton Water Works budget to the Trenton municipal budget should be halted. In the last two years, the city has transferred $9.2 million from the Trenton Water Works surplus fund to support the city’s budget. This year, the city expects to transfer $3 million to its operating budget from the water utility’s surplus fund, he said.
Mr. Krawczun said the city already benefits from Trenton Water Works revenue because the water utility is "contributing" $1.3 million to the city budget to cover a portion of costs in several departments, including the Department of Public Works, the City Clerk’s Office, the Administration, the Legal Department and the Fire Department.
Finally, Mr. Krawczun suggested to the City Council that it should review the need to budget for 20 vacant positions — at a cost of $643,000. If the city eliminated the practice of allocating money from the water works surplus fund and did not include the vacant positions, the rate hike would be about 28 percent, he said.
Asked for his reaction to the City Council’s action, Mr. Krawczun said he was not surprised. He said the four townships would like to work in a more cooperative way with Trenton and try to "better watch" the need for such a large increase.
City officials do not need the state Board of Public Utilities’ approval for the rate hike. The city equalized the rates for all customers in October 2006, which means it does not need BPU approval.
City officials have said the rate hike is needed to pay for improvements, which range from a $70 million upgrade to the water treatment plant to a $7 million project at the central pump station.
Although township officials have criticized the city’s transfer of water-sewer utility surplus funds to the city’s operating budget, the state Department of Community Affairs has indicated that the city may transfer those funds.

