Monday, June 17, 2013
The township is also replacing a damaged radio tower.
What follows is an account of actions taken on June 6 by the Bridgewater Township Council, which, while not breaking news, are still of note. Communications facility to be replaced The council unanimously approved a resolution to award a contract to Communication Specialist, Inc. to repair a radio tower that was damaged during Hurricane Sandy. The contract is for $87,840. Township administrator James Naples said this was a facility and antenna system on Logan Road that was damaged in the storm and needs to be replaced. Naples said fire and police transmit over this tower. Council rehires municipal prosecutor The council unanimously approved a resolution for a contract between the township and Christopher S. Bateman as chief municipal …
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
The council declined to vote on submitting a grant to pay for an additional officer.
With concerns over the possibility of having to add another police officer, the Bridgewater Township Council declined to vote recently on a resolution to apply for a 2013 Cops Hiring Program Grant. The grant would have been for $201,461.87, and provides for up to 75 percent funding of an entry-level salary and fringe benefits for a newly hired officer for three years. The township is required to pay the remaining 25 percent for those three years, as well as the full 100 percent of costs of a fourth year. The grant is made available through the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Currently, township ordinance allows for 74 Bridgewater police officers, and this grant would allow for one more. …
The council also approved its salary ordinance.
What follows is an account of actions taken on May 20 by the Bridgewater Township Council, which, while not breaking news, are still of note. Council approves salary ordinance The township council unanimously approved its salary ordinance, which sets salaries for department heads, and the mayor and council. All salaries for department heads are increasing by 2 percent. Councilman Matthew Moench said not all salaries are increasing. “The salaries for the mayor and council have not increased for at least 15 years,” he said. “We set it every year, but it has not increased.” Salaries for the mayor and council are $15,000, and $7,000, respectively, with the council president receiving $8,000. Bridgewater to close “paper streets” The council …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The council introduced its salary ordinance this week.
Salaries for department heads in the township will increase by 2 percent if the township council approves an ordinance setting compensations for municipal employees. The council unanimously introduced the ordinance at Monday’s meeting. “In general, we are recommending a 2 percent increase for department heads,” said township administrator James Naples. “The council and mayor compensations remain the same, and the prosecutor is paid by contract.” Naples said that none of the salaries will affect the budget because these figures and increases were already figured in to it before it was approved. “This will not increase the budget,” he said. The public hearing for the ordinance will be held May 20. The salary breakdowns are as follows: …
Monday, April 15, 2013
The 2013 municipal budget is set at almost $39 million.
The township council will be holding a public hearing Monday for its 2013 municipal budget with an expected vote to follow. The budget, as introduced in February, is set at $38,935,484.46, an increase of 1.26 percent over the 2012 budget of $38,451,229.13. As proposed, residents will pay a municipal tax of $1,053 for a home assessed at the average value of $411,662. This is the same amount residents paid in 2012. The meeting will also include a public hearing on several amendments introduced, mostly for housekeeping work based on vehicle damages sustained during Superstorm Sandy, as well as grants received. The most recent discussion on the budget concerned overtime costs for both the police department and public works. The 2013 budget …
Monday, April 1, 2013
The township council discusses overtime costs with the police and public works.
Although there were no comments from the public during Monday's budget public hearing, the council focused their attentions on what could be done to possibly streamline overtime costs in the police department. Councilman Matthew Moench said that, in overtime costs, the department spent $290,000 two years ago and about $289,000 in 2012. But this year, he said, they are only budgeting for $260,000. "I want to make sure we are budgeting accurately," he said. "It is great for the numbers to go down if we think they will be roughly the same." Township administrator James Naples said part of the increase in costs in previous years comes from the fact that there were four vacancies in the department—but they are looking to fill three of them very…
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Another resolution is for drainage improvements.
What follows is an account of actions taken on March 18 by the Bridgewater Township Council, which, while not breaking news, are still of note. Council requesting Community Development Block Grant The township council approved a resolution to request funding through the 2013 Somerset County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. If approved, the grant would help fund projects through the Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children; Court Appointed Special Advocates of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties; HomeSharing, Inc.; Adult Day Center of Somerset County; The People Care Center; and RideWise. According to the resolution, the township has prepared one public service application already for “Youth Development Program…
Monday, March 18, 2013
Road improvements are starting on Country Club Road.
What follows is an account of actions taken on March 4 by the Bridgewater Township Council, which, while not breaking news, are still of note. Custodial services approved for municipal building The council unanimously approved a resolution to award a contract to RMC Maintenance Group LLC for custodial services for the municipal building and public works building. The contract is for $39,996.96, and it will expire Dec. 31, 2013. Township administrator James Naples said this was the lowest of 13 bids, and is even lower than last year, despite adding the new Department of Public Works Building to the roster of those needing the services. Township acquires open space property The council approved a resolution to authorize the acquisition of …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Certain changes are being made that will save the township $41,000.
The council approved a resolution to renew its agreement with QualCare for employee insurance with the added protection of reinsurance to cap loses at a certain dollar amount. The renewal is from March 1, 2013, through Feb. 28, 2014. According to township Administrator James Naples, the township entered into a three-year agreement in 2012 that fixed administrative costs with QualCare. “It is a fixed cost, but the estimate is based on the membership,” he said. “The number will change if membership fluctuates. But the per member cost stays the same.” Naples said the township’s plan is self-insured and pays for individual claims as they are incurred for employees and spouses. Now, Naples said, they have added this layer of protection of …
Monday, March 4, 2013
Another resolution continues a shared service with Bound Brook.
What follows is an account of actions taken on Feb. 21 by the Bridgewater Township Council, which, while not breaking news, are still of note. Township to pay for Visiting Nurses Association services The council unanimously approved a resolution to enter into an agreement with the Community Visiting Nurses Association for public health nursing services. The services will be provided for $10,372.75, and services will include older adult immunizations, health screening sessions and more. According to township Administrator James Naples, this was previously supported through a grant—but that money has since been removed from the state budget. “We have to fully fund this,” he said. “There is no grant available, and it is a requirement to have …
Bwater Resident
5:08 pm on Tuesday, June 18, 2013
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