BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer
MARLBORO — The Township Council has introduced an ordinance that would, if adopted, implement an annual fee for use of the bulk drop-off center. A public hearing on the ordinance has been scheduled for the council’s June 2 meeting.
The township maintains a bulk drop-off center, located near the Marlboro Recreation Community Center, for residents to deposit certain bulk items for disposal. According to council President Joseph Pernice, these items may include wood, bicycles or household appliances.
According to the ordinance, the proposed annual fee is $75 for the use of the bulk drop-off center. Pernice described the fee as a pass that residents may purchase for unlimited use of the center. An additional fee of $25 per item would be required for the disposal of air conditioning units and refrigerators containing Freon. Pernice said the reason for the additional fee is to pay for the removal of the Freon.
The council president said disposal of the items dropped off and the maintenance required to remove the Freon is costing the township a lot of money. Pernice said the council is imposing the fee due to budget constraints. He said the fee will probably go into effect in September.
In other business at the May 19 meeting, the council passed a resolution authorizing Marlboro to enter into a Planning Assistance Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to the resolution, “The government would undertake certain necessary watershed studies and the township would agree to contribute cash and in-kind services equal to 50 percent of the study costs.”
According to information provided by the council, the funds contributed by Marlboro will be used to conduct a watershed study, which is estimated to be completed within one year. The total cost of the study is estimated to be $100,000, in which the township will contribute no more than $25,000 cash and 25 percent of the cost in in-kind services.
In conjunction with Birdsall Engineering’s stormwater management plan, the tasks included in the study will focus on four watersheds — Deep Run, Barclay Brook, Big Brook and Yellow Brook.
Business Administrator Judith Tiernan said the resolution is an “excellent step in the right direction for Marlboro.”
The council members and Mayor Robert Kleinberg presented Douglas Nelson, of Marlboro, with a certificate in recognition of his graduation from Penn State University in the ROTC program and for being commissioned to the Navy as an officer.