By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ENGLISHTOWN – The cost to connect to water and sewer service in Englishtown will increase under two ordinances that will be up for adoption by the Borough Council on Oct. 26.
During the Sept. 28 meeting of the governing body, council members introduced an ordinance that will raise the cost of connecting to the borough’s water system from $2,869 to $2,913.
The ordinance states that “for all taps on installations from the main to the curb stop made by the Water Department, the owner shall be charged ($2,913) to be paid to the Water Department at the time of the issuance of the permit.”
Council members also introduced an ordinance that will raise the cost of connecting to the borough’s sewer system from $915 to $919.
The ordinance states that “the owner of every residential house, building and/or structure hereafter constructed, modified or improved in (Englishtown), which may be occupied or used by human beings, shall … be charged a connection fee of $919.”
Council members Lori Cooke, Marianne Krawiec, Eric Mann, Cindy Robilotti, Lou Sarti Jr. and Greg Wojyn voted to introduce the two ordinances.
Members of the public may comment on the ordinances when they are placed on the agenda for adoption at the council’s Oct. 26 meeting.
In other action, the council voted 5-1 to promote Robert J. Smith III, who has been employed with the borough’s Department of Public Works since May 2015, to a full-time position as DPW-Level 1.
The resolution promoting Smith states there is a need to have a full-time public works laborer and that Smith “has shown the skills necessary to perform the duties of a Level 1 position.”
The appointment was effective Sept. 19 and carries an annual salary of $31,200. Cooke, Mann, Robilotti, Sarti and Wojyn voted yes on the promotion. Krawiec voted no.
Smith’s performance in the position will be evaluated by Public Works Supervisor Dan Megill following a 90-day probation period, according to the resolution.
And, the council extended conditional offers of employment to Alex Sarti and William Murphy for part-time laborer positions with the DPW at a rate of $12 per hour for 25 hours per week. Each applicant must be fingerprinted and successfully pass a background check, according to the resolutions appointing them as borough employees.