Township to joinn county police dispatching center
By Amber Cox
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP The township is waiting for approval of its proposed budget cuts from the Department of Community Affairs to cover the $540,822 township deficit, now that its effort to exceed the 2 percent state-mandated spending limit was rejected.
A special referendum to raise that amount was defeated April 27 by a vote of 816-283. Residents assessed at the average $302,300 would have paid a proposed 41 cents per $100 assessed value for a total of $1,238.20 in municipal taxes, an increase of $151.
The budget was originally introduced at $10.7 million with a tax levy of $6.2 million. It is now a total budget of $10.1 million with a tax levy of $5.6 million.
The township tax rate is now proposed at 37.8 cents per $100 of assessed value for a total of $1,142.69 in municipal taxes.
Mayor Michael Dauber said positions throughout the township are being cut along with discretionary spending to make up for the deficit. Effective July 1:
Three Public Works laborers, one full time and two part time, will be laid off to save the township $36,948;
All four dispatchers from the Police Department are being laid off and the township is switching to the county dispatching service, Central Communications, where those dispatchers will be offered jobs, for a savings of $99,935;
A court position is not being replaced, for a savings of $26,738;
The position of code enforcement officer, who is retiring, for a savings of $5,000;
All nonemergency overtime will be stopped.
Discretionary spending will include cutting some funds for the Senior Center, community events and others, and will save the township $12,475.
Committeeman Bruce Hill said he wanted to clarify with the township that he has never stated that he wanted to close the Senior Center.
”I’m receiving phone calls at my house asking, ‘how come I’m shutting down the Senior Center,’ so for the record, those words never came out of my mouth about shutting down the senior community center,” he said.
Committeeman Jason Medina backed up Mr. Hill and said he has never heard him make such a statement.
”We spoke about some of the township events that are going to be cut because of the budget,” Mayor Dauber said. “The reason that some of these have to get cut is for the cost of the overtime and other costs to the township that are being removed from the budget. We are going to look at what the total cost is for each of these events and what would be the ramifications on the township if they’re handled by strictly volunteers.”
Mayor Dauber said these events include the Fishing Derby, Community Day and Veterans Day, among others.
”Those are the three main events,” he said.
”We’re looking at other costs for the township and instituting some user fees to offset the cost of some of these centers that we use,” Mayor Dauber said. “If a small group uses the senior community center for a meeting they can hold the meeting here in the courtroom, because this building is occupied.”
Mayor Dauber urged anyone with questions about the budget to call him and said he’s always open to talking with the residents.
The dispatchers that are being laid off are being offered jobs at Central Communications.
”We had the opportunity to get the dispatchers jobs at the county,” Mayor Dauber said. “If we waited six months to do this there was no guarantee that the dispatchers would have jobs.”
Mayor Dauber said the township will make whatever changes it needs to the Police Department to ensure the continuing safety of its residents. There will be a phone located in the lobby of the municipal building that will connect right to dispatch in the case of an emergency. The township is also weighing the option of getting a panic button in the lobby to summon police.
Mr. Medina said that although he is not happy with some of the budget cuts, he “is comfortable enough with it to vote for it.”
”I think the fiscal realities of 2011 were well-forecasted a couple of years ago,” he said.
Mr. Medina said is happy about the township switching over to Central Communications.
”In my, opinion there is a cost savings here,” he said. “In that regard, I’m glad that we are finally joining every other municipality and utilizing the services of the county.”
He said he is sure all of the members of the committee will work with the chief to make sure that public safety is not compromised in any way.
Mr. Hill said he is not happy with the dispatch unit leaving the township but is glad that the dispatchers from the township are going to Central Communications.
”At least they are going to be picking up our dispatchers, who know our township,” he said. “Thank God for that.”
The Township Committee plans to hold a meeting sometime next week to have a public hearing on the amended budget and vote for adoption after it is approved by the Department of Community Affairs.

