HIGHTSTOWN: Police Department officer is promoted

In other news, councilwoman opposes adding chemical fluoride into drinking water

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
   HIGHTSTOWN — An officer was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and concurrently recognized for 23 years of service in the Police Department last week at the Aug. 20 Borough Council meeting.
   ”We have the pleasure of swearing in Lieutenant Frank Gendron, who has been a sergeant here for many years,” Hightstown Mayor Steven Kirson said asked he asked Lt. Gendron to step forward for the swearing in process.
   Mayor Kirson administered the oath of office to Lt. Gendron with lieutenant’s nieces by his side.
   Council President Larry Quattrone presented Lt. Gendron with his lieutenant bars.
   Lt. Gendron thanked everyone by shaking the mayor and each council member’s hand. He also received a standing ovation as he walked by the audience and joined his fellow officers along with family and friends in the back of the meeting room on Bank Street.
   In other news, the council voted 5-1 to approve adding fluoride to the borough’s drinking water at a level of .7 parts per million.
   Council member Susan Bluth opposed the measure.
   The fluoride is slated to be added to the town’s drinking water in September, possibly by Sept. 10.
   ”The pumps that we need to get and the prep to the room itself will take a week or so to get online,” said Michael Theokas, Hightstown’s business administrator, in an email to the Herald on Aug. 22.
   In the past, fluoride had been added to the town’s drinking water, however, most New Jersey municipalities do no add the chemical into their public drinking water, as previously reported in the Herald.
   In March, the Hightstown public learned that the fluoridation of the borough’s drinking water had previously ceased — back in September 2010 — after a pump broke. As it took more than a year for the borough to inform the public of the 2010 cessation of fluoride, an investigation followed, which was shortly closed thereafter. As previously reported, according to Hightstown officials, there was an unintentional breakdown of communication.
   And last week, fluoride was back on the agenda.
   ”It is our recommendation to continue fluoridation,” said Jill Swanson, Hightstown’s health officer via a shared service agreement with West Windsor.
   ”I recommend as a council, we go with our professionals and your recommendation because you know a lot more about it then we do,” said Lawrence Quattrone, council president.
   ”Just because we pass this tonight doesn’t mean that tomorrow morning we go out and turn on the valve and it starts,” Mr. Quattrone said. “There is a process. There is some equipment we need for the people who handle the raw material.”
   ”We will be in compliance with (Department of Environmental Protection) regulations and public notifications before we do it,” Mr. Theokas said.
   Additionally, the council unanimously passed a resolution to purchase playground equipment for Association Park.
   ”The overall playground plan is doing some safety surface issues,” Beverly Asselstine said, secretary of Parks and Recreation Commission.
   ”For equipment, we are expanding the play space to accommodate a new swing set which will be dedicated to toddlers,” Ms. Asselstine said.
   In addition, the new seat hardware will be replaced, talk tubes put in, renovating the fire truck jungle gym, play trails benches and accessories, and new trash cans as well as a bike rack, according to Ms. Asselstine.
   ”The funding is entirely from the Triathlon,” Ms. Asselstine said when Mr. Thibault questioned where the money was coming from.
   ”This is phase one and there will be a possible two that we will do next year that includes some climbing equipment, target older kids, an entry sign and maybe a water fountain,” said Pat Duncan, chair of Parks and Recreation Commission.
   Volunteers will be helping to install the equipment, according to Ms. Asselstine, who noted that the goal was to have the upgrades completed by the winter.
   ”Great job,” Mr. Thibault said. “This is one of those good news things that doesn’t get enough attention.”
   ”It enhances the community and someone is going to come in and see it’s a beautiful park,” Mayor Kirson said.