By Audrey Levine, Staff Writer
Despite praise over the Township Committee’s plans to seek 0 percent financing through the Environmental Infrastructure Trust (EIT) to pay for work to be done during the building of sewers in the Claremont community, one resident questioned if anything can be done about high connection costs.
Tom O’Donnell, of Anne Street, said the cost of hooking the sewers up once they are actually built will be $6,000 per household, and asked the Township Committee to investigate ways to lower the costs at the April 14 meeting.
”I thank you for pursuing low interest rates,” he said. “There is a lot of cost involved and we recognize that, but we are surprised at the Municipal Utilities Authority’s (MUA) hook up fees.”
Township Clerk Kevin Davis said the Hillsborough MUA charges $3,500 to hook up into the system, while the Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority charges an additional $2,500.
”Normally, that cost is given to business owners,” Mr. O’Donnell said. “They just lose money in profit margins.”
Instead of requiring homeowners to pay these fees, Mr. O’Donnell asked the township to consider working out a deal with the MUA to defer payments while residents are paying their share of the special assessment fees for construction, or allowing them to make smaller payments each year for a certain amount of time.
”That is an interesting idea,” Mayor Frank DelCore said. “I understand that price is fairly steep.”
Mr. Davis said the township can speak with the MUA about accommodating the residents, but he does not know if anything can be done about the Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority costs.
As far as the EIT loans, the Township Committee unanimously approved an ordinance to appropriate $5,805,000 for the construction of the sewers, with the issuance of $5,775,000 in bonds or notes. A prior ordinance had authorized $600,000 to begin the project, with $570,000 in bonds, all of which is included in the new ordinance.
According to Mayor DelCore, the township is required to approve the ordinance for bond notes in order to move forward with the application for EIT loans.
”Obtaining the lowest possible interest rate will benefit residents,” he said.
If the application is accepted, the 0 percent financing will be used to finance the repaving of about three miles of road affected by the sewer system project, which will cost a total of $1.6 million and will be done on Anne Street, Sunnyside Lane and High Acre, Onka, Craig, Franklin, Claremont and Theodora drives.
Parts of the road had to be cut out in order to install the sewers, and the temporary patching done to fix them will not last long term.
As for construction for the sewer project, Mayor DelCore said he expects to receive bids in July or August.
The project itself will be done at no cost to the taxpayers, and will be paid for by special assessments of the affected residents.
”It is nice to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Mr. O’Donnell said.

