LAMBERTVILLE: Council postpones bonding measure vote

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   LAMBERTVILLE — The Lambertville City Council decided at its Nov. 19 meeting to postpone, until its Dec. 17 meeting, a public hearing and adoption vote on a proposed ordinance that would amend a previously adopted $500,000 bond ordinance pertaining to the 9/11 Memorial Garden in the pocket park at Bridge and Union streets.
   Officials said the amendment would not change the dollar amount of the ordinance. The amendment pertains to a change of how the money would be used, they said.
   — Introduced by a council vote Nov. 19 as a $20,000 bond ordinance that would fund the purchase of computers, office equipment and related items for use by the city. This measure is expected to be scheduled for a public hearing and adoption vote at council’s Dec. 17 meeting.
   — Also introduced by the council at its Nov. 19 meeting was a proposed ordinance that would amend a previously adopted bond ordinance. If adopted, the ordinance would reappropriate $21,281 from a jail roof fund toward the purchase of generators for City Hall, plus two portable generators.
   The generators provide a source of electricity during power outages. This proposed ordinance also is expected to be scheduled for a public hearing and adoption vote at the council’s Dec. 17 meeting.
   — Passed by the council at its Nov. 19 meeting was a resolution reappointing Ron Pittore as the city’s municipal court judge. The reappointment is effective Jan. 1, 2013.
   In December 2009, then Councilman Ron Pittore said he was resigning to become Lambertville’s Municipal Court judge. He would become the judge in January 2010.
   Mayor David Del Vecchio, who selected Mr. Pittore for the judgeship, said of him: He has “a good temperament and good values . . . I’ve never seen him lose his cool. He’s just a very levelheaded guy who would make a great judge. He’s got the right temperament, and he’s got wisdom.”
   Members of the Pittore family have long devoted themselves to service to the community. For example,. Judge Pittore’s father, Phil Pittore, served as Lambertville’s mayor for many years and was a city commissioner when Lambertville operated under a different form of government.
   — Another resolution reappoints Helen T. (Bambi) Kuhl as the city’s public assistance director. Her reappointment runs to July 31, 2017.
   — And another resolution authorizes the city’s agreement with Hunterdon County on the Cooperative Pricing System for Snow and Ice Control Materials. Under this agreement, the city will pay an amount not to exceed $51.87 per ton for rock salt, which is used to clear roadways of ice.
   — Also, at the meeting, the council announced that state Sen. Shirley Turner had informed Lambertville that it would receive a $5,786 recycling tonnage grant from the state DEP.
   — And, it was announced that the city’s Public Works Department will begin picking up leaves at the end of December. Leaves should be bagged and left at curbside.