By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
ROBBINSVILLE — Township Council has passed a $1 million bond ordinance to build a pump station and sewer lines on Route 130 in order to encourage commercial development.
Only a few residents were present for the council’s Sept. 25 meeting, when the ordinance passed by a vote of 4-1, with Councilwoman Sonja Walter against it.
”I do agree that the sewers are needed and they probably will be a benefit to us economically,” she said. “I think I would’ve been a little more comfortable had we done the authorization in phases.”
During the public hearing before the vote, two residents spoke to the council about the ordinance.
Nancy Tindall, of Hillside Drive, asked if there had been a cost-benefit analysis of the project, how long the township would have to carry the debt for it and about the possibility of requiring existing property owners to connect to the lines once they are built.
Township Engineer Jack West said while an older township ordinance did require property owners to connect to sewer lines within 200 feet, “the new ordinance that we have to adopt will actually require those businesses to pay their fair share of the cost of the sewer line.”
He said the question of debt service is “an economy issue,” but added that several existing businesses have expressed interest in the new lines, as have projects that are approved or are planning to seek approval.
”I’m confident something will happen there,” Mr. West said. “Will it happen in six months, six years? That I can’t answer, but I believe that there’s enough activity in the area.”
Ms. Tindall said she thought residents should not have to take a hit from the project.
”My concern as a ratepayer is the debt service that would result somehow,” she said, “(and) whether or not ratepayers are going to be absorbing that or if it’s going to be absorbed by those that are directly benefiting from it.”
Mr. West replied, saying, “The plan is we’d be reimbursed 100 percent,” including the debt service.
Township Administrator Mary Caffrey said Robbinsville as a whole would profit from the sewer project.
”The benefit is that we’re going to end up with ratables much faster than we otherwise would have,” she said.
John Ruch, of Spring Garden Road, voiced his support for the project, saying, “I 100 percent support your efforts to bring sewer lines down (Route) 130 and get something hooked up because it certainly changes the business model.”
He said developers should have to sign an agreement that they will reimburse Robbinsville for the sewers before the township spends the money to build them. Mr. West said such an idea had been discussed, but the exact terms of repayment still had to be worked out.
Even with the ordinance passed, no money has been borrowed yet. A $50,000 down payment in cash from the township will fund a final design and permitting, which Mr. West said would take at least six months. Ms. Caffrey said the work needs to be done before the township can figure out exactly how to divvy up costs for the project.
Mr. West said if after six months nothing has happened in terms of development, “at that point you can make the decision not to build it and not to spend the money. We’re not borrowing the money at this point.”
The ordinance was introduced at the council’s Aug. 28 meeting, when Mr. West and utilities engineer Carmela Roberts, of Roberts and Reymann Engineering in Hamilton, presented the plans.
The pump station for the new lines is slated for the Gordon-Simpson tract off Gordon Road, which is a site for possible development by Sharbell Development Corp. Sharbell has preliminary approval to build retail stores and apartments along the highway, and Mr. West said last week that ideally he would like to see the company take on responsibility for building the pump station.
He said the pump station and force main would be necessary for and constitute about half the price tag of the project, but otherwise the township could build in “any number of phases.” The gravity line on the west side of Route 130 could be eliminated from the plan if need be, he added.
Construction of a sewer extension aimed at encouraging commercial development on the south side of Town Center began last week, causing changes in the traffic pattern on Washington Boulevard.

