HIGHTSTOWN: Borough Hall’s future: Controversy

By Christina Whittington, Special Writer
   HIGHTSTOWN — In a council meeting attended by nine residents on Tuesday, the future location of the Borough Hall was again debated.
   When Hurricane Irene hit last August, it forced Borough Hall and the Police Department to relocate due to damages caused by intense flooding. Borough Hall has yet to reopen. The Municipal Court operates out of Robbinsville while the borough administrative offices have set up shop inside the Public Works building on Bank Street.
   Spurred by a special workshop meeting on Borough Hall that was held by the council on Aug 23, a discussion session on Tuesday attempted to pinpoint a location for Borough Hall.
   Borough Clerk Debbie Sopronyi confirmed on Thursday that there will be a resolution put on the Sept. 18 agenda concerning the future of the Borough Hall. The resolution will state that, per council determination, its location will remain on the North Main Street municipal-owned property, where the vacant complex still stands. The decision regarding what will be done at that site has yet to be determined.
   Noteworthy, Councilwoman Lynne Woods said that FEMA is looking for Hightstown to adopt 2008 flood maps.
   According to Business Administrator Michael Theokas, although the 2008 maps were in existence at the time of Hurricane Irene, they were not officially adopted at that time. The old flood maps from 1977, which put Borough Hall in a high risk zone, are the ones in use.
   ”It was suggested that we think about applying for a LOMA — which is a Letter of Map Amendment,” Councilwoman Woods said. “If we get a LOMA, it would mean that instead of waiting for these maps to become official and going through the whole process, which could take a year or more, this process could be done within two or three months.
   Borough Engineer Carmela Roberts said, “In order to be eligible for the map amendment, a survey group has to go to the site and what they are looking for is whether there is any land adjacent to the building that is lower than the base flood elevation. If there is you are not eligible for the LOMA — but at Borough Hall, it looks very close.”
   Also discussed was the borough’s open claim with FEMA. Originally the claim filed by the borough was for $837,821. Last month, that amount changed.
   The new amount was not mentioned at the meeting, however, Mr. Theokas did indicate that it was being contested.
   Mr. Theokas told the Herald on Wednesday, “I hesitate to make a prediction on timing or amounts.”
   ”We want the most cost effective option that we can get up and running efficiently as soon as possible,” Councilwoman Woods said on Tuesday.
   ”I find it very difficult for me to make a decision. I was ready to move to Lucas, I said it at the last meeting. But now, the numbers are changing,” said Larry Quattrone, Borough Council president.
   ”The numbers are going to change until they cut the check and that could quite frankly be years from now,” Councilwoman Gail Doran said. “We have to have a Borough Hall where our employees can function and do their jobs — we need it back.”
   Mr. Theokas said, “With all due respect to mayor and council, you are making planning decisions here. You have a Planning Board. This is not necessarily a council’s decision.”
   ”I disagree,” Councilwoman Doran replied, who sits on the Planning Board. “The Planning Board is there to make a judgement on whether a use is an appropriate use, according to the Master Plan. The Planning Board’s job is not to advise the council on what direction the town should go in. The Planning Board’s job is to examine the proposal of renovations and make sure it fits within what we already have in place in terms of the Master Plan. The Planning Board doesn’t lead the council. The council leads the Planning Board.”
   Of the future of the Borough Hall, Mayor Steven Kirson said, “I have been sitting here for a year, I have gone through all of this — I have heard all of it. It’s the council’s decision. I am sitting here as a weak mayor.”
   Mayor Kirson, who can only votes on measures when there is a tie among council members, added, “I don’t understand how keeping Borough Hall down here will revitalize our downtown . . . Let’s say we put up a brand new spanking Borough Hall right where it is, let’s say we get all the insurance money and we spend $3.7 million bucks. On a beautiful day in spring, summer or fall, who is going to come from Freehold, Princeton or West Windsor or anywhere around a 50-mile radius of us, to come to Borough Hall of Hightstown because they have heard so much about it?”
   ”I think it is time for council to step up and make a decision. Is council ready to do that?” Councilwoman Woods asked.
   Borough Attorney Fred Rafetto recommended that council adopt a resolution setting forth a policy determination outlining that, as the governing body, its members find that the old Borough Hall site is the appropriate location to keep facility.
   The resolution would be added to the Planning Board agenda for review, if passed by council.
   During the public comment session, residents expressed concerns.
   Said resident Gary Lucas, who is the brother of Matt Lucas — who owns the Lucas Electric Co. property on Mercer Street, “You shouldn’t be talking about anything except how much money you have to spend and what can we do with the money we have to spend . . . I was really expecting something different tonight.”
   Hightstown resident George Zeldwick said that putting the borough employees in temporary leased trailers on municipal property, for a short period of time, may be the least expensive option for those men and women — so that they have reasonable working conditions.
   ”Ten years from now, we really are going to be consolidating — that is my vision,” said Bill Gilmore, a Greater Hightstown-East Windsor Improvement Project member.
   The Herald has learned since last week that GHEWIP meetings are not open to the public.
   Mr. Gilmore told the council, “You’ve ignored all the downtown business people. You’ve ignored the Historic Preservation Committee. You’ve ignored the studies that have been given to you. You’ve ignored the Planning Board in terms of what they have suggested to do. I again ask, where is the vision? Obviously you don’t have one.”
   ”This is an opportunity to improve Hightstown. What are our priorities for improvement?” asked Denny Hansen, who is running for Borough Council on the Republican ticket. “I don’t think it shows any thought or vision to rush to this decision.”
   The next Borough Council meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18.