By Kristine Snodgrass, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY After months of grappling with budgetary shortfalls, the Township Committee plans to unveil its 2009 budget at its meeting Thursday night.
Township administrator Donato Nieman said Monday that the final details of the budget still were being worked out, but it is expected to be ready for introduction Thursday.
With revenues falling, the committee found itself forced to make difficult decisions in recent months.
Speaking at the committee’s reorganization meeting in January, Mayor Louise Wilson warned the budget would result in cuts to services as well layoffs, salary freezes, reduced hours and possibly furloughs for township employees.
”Like the rest of the state and the nation, we in Montgomery face brutal economic realities,” she said. “The budget process this year will not be about belt tightening. We began that years ago and are way beyond it now.”
Personnel cuts came later that month. Four part-time employees were laid off, and five full-time employees were reduced to part time.
Employees were laid off from administration, the clerk’s office, tax assessment and the planning department. The hours for building subcode inspectors and one geographic information department worker were reduced from 40 hours per week to 25. However, these employees kept their benefits and pension.
Adding to the township’s difficulties is the decrease in state aid this year. Under the budget proposed by Gov. Jon Corzine last month, the township’s aid is set to fall by $80,000 compared to last year.
In February, the committee approved an ordinance to increase its budget cap to 3.5 percent in order to avoid what Mr. Nieman said would be “draconian” cuts.

