By: Cara Latham
HIGHTSTOWN The borough won’t have to replace its water meters after all.
The Borough Council approved a resolution Monday to seek bids on radio-read water meter equipment.
The equipment would clip on to existing water meters, explained Borough Administrator Candace Gallagher.
"Instead of the guys now having to ride down the street and read the meters, there will be a base station on our water tower or wherever," she said. "They can push a button, and it will read it up to four times a day."
Since August when the council approved a $250,000 bond ordinance to finance the purchase of about 1,700 radio-read water meters throughout the borough the new clip-on technology had become available, said Ms. Gallagher.
The borough will not know exactly how much the new technology will cost or whether there will be any impact on the bond ordinance until it receives the bids, Ms. Gallagher said. But it is expected to save the borough money because it would eliminate the need for borough employees to go out to read the meters, she said.
Presently, two borough employees are needed to read each meter, most of which are more than 10 years old, during a one-to-two week period each year.
Councilman Larry Quattrone announced at Monday’s meeting that the borough’s First Aid volunteers are taking back a third night of service, on Sundays, each week beginning April 15.
The Borough Council voted unanimously last month to authorize a three-year contract with Washington Township for emergency medical services. Washington’s EMS personnel are working with the local volunteers, and as the latter group takes on more hours, the borough saves money. To be exact, the borough would cut $4,200 of the $177,000 it will pay Washington this year if the volunteers continue to man three 10-hour night shifts, according to Ms. Gallagher.
"I’m very excited about this," Mr. Quattrone said Wednesday. "The volunteers are really trying hard to come back."
The borough was forced to outsource EMS at the beginning of last year because of a lack of volunteers.
In other business Monday, the council voted to advertise for bids on the third phase of the downtown revitalization project. The work is primarily comprised of streetscape improvements on Mercer Street from Rogers Avenue to South Academy Street.
Most of the work is being financed by a grant, but the borough has committed $100,000.
Borough Engineer Carmela Roberts said Monday that the borough has received the last permit it needed from the state DOT for the project.
The council also approved a resolution authorizing a local agreement with the county and East Windsor for the "Mercer At Play" program, which will provide additional recreational facilities to be constructed in the township for use by residents in both municipalities.
The township recently received a $250,000 grant for the program and would provide supplemental funding and labor. But, Mayor Patten said, the borough, as a co-applicant for the grant, will have a say in the use of the facilities.
Vic Monaco contributed to this story.
