By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
After tabling a proposal to purchase four new vehicles for $80,000, Princeton Borough Council members said they favored formation of a committee to review the borough’s vehicle replacement schedule.
The proposal, tabled Tuesday, was for the purchase of two Ford Crown Victorias and a Dodge Durango for the Police Department and a Mercedes-Benz Smart Car for borough parking enforcement.
The move followed a discussion at last week’s council meeting during which a local merchant told council members they should look at cheaper alternatives to the purchases, which come with a price of $15,056 for the Smart Car, $20,695 for the Durango and $21,738 for each of the Crown Victorias.
Councilwoman Barbara Trelstad, who noted some vehicles set for replacement had as little as 15,000 miles on them, offered the motion to table the purchases after saying previous presentations just “raised more questions.”
She said the schedule appeared “uneven” with some years scheduled for more replacements than others. She asked for “another week to come up with a solid plan.”
Councilman Roger Martindell said economic conditions call for a departure from the replacement schedule.
”I don’t think we need to heed a schedule of police car acquisitions (created) when we were flush,” Mr. Martindell said.
Mr. Martindell said he would like to know if the Smart Car has been used for parking enforcement duties elsewhere.
Other council members asked if the borough’s own parking enforcement officers had weighed in on the idea of using a Smart Car for traveling around the borough and ticketing cars.
Following the discussion, Mayor Mildred Trotman asked all council members to transmit their questions about vehicle replacement to borough staff for future discussion. Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi signed off on the delay, telling council members “there’s no dire situation” in terms of the condition of existing vehicles.
Earlier in the meeting, council heard a request from Elm Court senior housing to waive more than $3,000 in fire inspection fees.
Rather than waive the fees outright, Councilman David Goldfarb recommended the development pay the fees after which they could receive money out of the borough’s affordable housing funds.
The move would save general fund dollars while maintaining accuracy during a review of the inspection department’s efficiency in bringing in fees, Mr. Goldfarb said.
Also Tuesday, the Borough Council instructed staff to draw up an ordinance amendment that would allow leashed dogs in certain parks in the borough. Councilman Andrew Koontz said the amendment would be in place for the rest of the year, on a trial basis, with a possible sunset clause ending its effectiveness at the end of 2009.
Mr. Goldfarb, however, recommended simply reviewing the ordinance amendment at that time.
It would be easy to change existing signs to notify park patrons of the ability to bring leashed dogs to the parks, Mr. Koontz said.
The change would affect a handful of borough parks, Mr. Koontz said.
