HILLSBOROUGH: Town won’t pursue county police idea

By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
   Hillsborough has abandoned the idea of joining a Somerset County-wide force after hearing the idea had all but dissolved for lack of interest.
   Mayor Carl Suraci said Tuesday night that they had been told by the co-chairman of a study group formed by the county prosecutor that there was little chance the idea was going to go much further.
   Mayor Suraci and Committeman Doug Tomson met with Dr. Richard Celeste, co-chairman of the study committee, before Tuesday night’s Township Committee meeting.
   The report suggested Hillsborough could align with Manville, Montgomery, Millstone and Rocky Hill in one of five precincts in the county.
   The report said Hillsborough might be asked to locate one of the five proposed precinct headquarters in its municipal building on South Branch Road.
   Hillsborough could have expected to save $3.7 million over 10 years if it joined a proposed regional police department, said the task force report.
   Municipalities were asked to respond by Aug. 1.
   Only a few had, said Freeholder Mark Caliguire this week, and few — perhaps just one — said they would participate further. Montgomery rejected the idea July 18.
   Still, he said many people have called the study well done and a “great tool” and “road map” to future discussion. With pressures on government budgets and the weak economy in general, there is an inherent pressure building toward consolidation of services, he said.
   On Monday, the Democratic candidates for Township Committee in this fall’s election wrote the governing body to ask when it would “seek meaningful feedback from Hillsborough residents before the final decision is made.”
   ”Your silence is deafening,” read a letter from candidates Michael Goldberg and James Farley.
   Mayor Suraci said Tuesday night that he had planned to convene a public forum, but, at this point, conceded there wasn’t going to be a countywide force. Possibly some lesser combinations of consolidation could happen, he said, but a smaller regional force would require a completely new study of costs and logistics.
   ”I think we should continue to look at any alternative that can potentially reduce our costs in town,” said Township Committeeman Frank DelCore. “If that means consolidation on a smaller scale, then we should definitely look at that.”
   ”It is disappointing that so many towns declined it. The best thing we can do now is try to do something regional, if that is possible,” said Committeeman Tomson.
   In total, the report projected the 21 county municipalities could save nearly $44 million over 10 years.
   Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, a Hillsborough resident, said at the release of the report in April that figure would be a low estimate, with $70 million as a middle ground and $100 million as optimistic.
   The figure stands in contrast to the $17.8 million a year savings a consultant estimated in December 2010.
   The assemblyman said then that he thought it would be wrong to look at quantitative figures only and ignore the qualitative side of improved service. Mr. Ciattarelli, who was a freeholder when the study was initiated, was tapped to head an overall financial subcommittee in November.
   The final report differs from a preliminary one by consultant Thomas Banker, who suggested the county could be broken down into three precincts. The consultant also thought the number of sworn officers could be reduced to 541 from the 627 he counted in 2010; the final report says 606 is a better estimate.
   The report says no layoffs would occur, and reductions in force would occur through attrition, estimated at 3 to 4 percent a year. Existing PBA contracts would be honored.
   The final report held to Mr. Banker’s suggestion to have civilians perform jobs that don’t require sworn officers, whenever possible.