By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
The Twin “W” First Aid Squad has agreed to sell its former headquarters building at 21 Everett Drive — around the corner from the Municipal Complex — to West Windsor Township for $700,000.
Township council introduced an ordinance to purchase the 2.85-acre parcel, which includes the building, Monday night. A public hearing and final action on the ordinance is set for the council’s Aug. 3 meeting.
The building will be used to house West Windsor Township’s paid emergency medical technicians. Emergency medical services had been provided by the all-volunteer Twin “W” First Aid Squad, which was organized in 1972.
Township council decided in March to cease using the Twin “W” First Aid Squad after it failed to meet a deadline to sign a memorandum of understanding with the township. The township no longer dispatches the Twin “W” First Aid Squad for emergency calls.
Council President Bryan Maher said Monday night that the Twin “W” First Aid Squad had put the property on the real estate market for sale, and subsequently approached the township to see if it was interested in purchasing the property.
The township was preparing to construct a building for its paid emergency medical services unit, but when township officials learned that the Everett Drive property was for sale, the decision was made to try to purchase it.
Purchasing the property will cost much less than building a new facility, Mr. Maher said. It also means that the township’s emergency medical services unit will be able to move into its own facility much quicker, he said.
“It’s a win on many levels for us. It will save us easily $1 million, plus a year of our time,” Mr. Maher said. It would likely have taken about a year to build a new headquarters for the township’s paid emergency medical technicians.
Meanwhile, the contract of sale between Twin “W” First Aid Squad Inc. and West Windsor Township includes some of the contents of the building, including the Sean Kehler Memorial, a glass display cabinet and plaques.
The memorial was dedicated in Mr. Kehler’s honor in 2013, two years after the 41-year-old West Windsor Township resident died unexpectedly. He had been a member of the volunteer first aid squad for 24 years, including stints as chief and president.
The contract also calls for the inclusion of the existing glass display cabinet and its contents, and the plaques honoring services provided by the Twin W emergency services workers. The township will continue to display the memorial, plaques and glass display cabinet at the Everett Drive property for as long as it is used for emergency services.
If the building ceases to be used for emergency services, the plaques and the contents of the display cabinet will be displayed at a new location in the township. The Sean Kehler Memorial may be relocated to the Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Co. headquarters, where he had also been a volunteer firefighter.
