Proposed bond ordinances introduced by unanimous votes of the Hopewell Township Committee Monday night would pay for sewer improvements, work on township roads and equipment
By John Tredrea, Special Writer
Proposed bond ordinances introduced by unanimous votes of the Hopewell Township Committee Monday night would pay for sewer improvements, work on township roads and equipment for various township departments, if adopted.
Public hearings and adoption votes on the measures are expected to be on the agenda of the committee’s March 24 meeting, said township Clerk Laurie Gompf.
One of the proposed bond ordinances would, if adopted, appropriate $327,800 for sewer improvements. Of that amount, $300,300 would go to the township sewer utility served by the Ewing-Lawrence Sewerage Authority (ELSA). The remaining $27,500 is earmarked for the township sewer utility served by the Stony Brook Regional Sewerage Authority (SBRSA).
ELSA serves the large Brandon Farms development and other areas of the southern section (tier) township. The bond ordinance would provide new pumps, improvements to the roof of a pumping station and a sewer camera.
The SBRSA serves the 122-home Princeton Farms development in the east-central section of the township. If adopted, the bond would provide $27,500 for a sewer camera there.
Another proposed bond ordinance would appropriate $1.57 million for road work. Of that amount, $766,260 is for chip seal work on various township roads. The remaining $801,656 is for improvements to Cedar Drive, Crestview Drive, Viewpoint Drive, Birch Street and Blackwell Road East.
A third bond ordinance would appropriate $3.1 million for work on roads, drainage work and equipment for departments of township government.
Among the many items covered by this measure are $57,000 for the Police Department for a four-wheel drive patrol vehicle and computers; $462,406 for work on Hopewell-Wertsville Road, Blackwell Road East and other areas; $1.58 million for drainage work on New Road and other areas; and $272,500 for the acquisition of various equipment items, including circulating pumps for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in the public works garage.
IN OTHER BUSINESS Monday night, the committee agreed to delay, until March 24, a vote on a resolution that could result in sewer service from ELSA coming to properties on the east side of the Pennington Circle and near the circle on Pennington Road.
Under the measure, the property owners would pay all costs of connecting to the ELSA system. The connection could be made to a nearby pumping station.
The property owners involved have formed the Pennington Circle Group Corporation. The members of that group are, running north to south geographically, Marco’s Pizza, Wildflowers, a small shopping center with Circle Cleaners and two other stores, a private residence, and Blackwell’s Funeral Home.
The committee held off on voting on the resolution at the suggestion of Committeeman Harvey Lester, who thinks an effort should be made to revise the resolution to give the township better financial protection in the event that one or more members of the Pennington Group Circle Corporation go bankrupt.
It was agreed that Mr. Lester and Mr. Pogorzelski would discuss the matter with the township’s legal counsel.

