2013 budget already adopted
By John Tredrea, Special Writer
After a long discussion on the issue Monday night, Pennington Borough Council decided to take no action on Hopewell Township’s request that the borough contribute $5,000 toward Valley-wide services for senior citizens, Mayor Anthony Persichilli said Tuesday.
The mayor said the borough would request information from the township on how money for senior services has been spent in the past and on how many Pennington seniors have used those programs.
In operation for many years on Reading Street in Pennington is the Hopewell Valley Senior Center. Seniors who live in all three of the Valley’s municipalities — Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough and Pennington — use the center.
Senior services are overseen by Abigail Waugh, the Hopewell Valley senior services coordinator.
Mayor Persichilli said Tuesday that, since Pennington Borough already has adopted its 2013 budget without a line item for the $5,000 the township has requested, the borough would need permission from the state to add the $5,000 to its already-adopted spending plan.
He added that the borough may propose to the township an arrangement under which the township would not pay nearly $5,000 toward maintenance of the senior center this year — as stipulated by an interlocal agreement passed by both towns several months ago — in exchange for the borough’s not paying the $5,000 the township is requesting now.