Township Proposes $1.1 Million For Capital Improvements, 'Greener' Vehicles

Along with the municipal services budget, the Township Committee introduced an ordinance on Tuesday to set aside $1,096,180 toward the Capital Improvement Fund for a variety of new purchases.

The funds will be used over a period of five years or more to make various capital improvements throughout the township, the bulk of which are earmarked for Department of Public Works equipment, facility and grounds improvements and motor vehicle replacements.

"Infrastructure improvement remains one of the most important things we do," Township Administrator Bruce McArthur said during the budget hearing. The township also approved a plan to do maintenance work on the sidewalk, curbing and drainage infrastructure in Bernards this year.

Fund Allocations

Amount                  Primary Use

$425,000               Purchase of DPW equipment, including street sweeper

$157,000                Facility improvements, including Engineering Services Building,
                                 Health Department, Police HQ, Parks and Rec facilities and
                                 Municipal Building

$135,000               Purchase of various grounds maintenance equipment

$101,000               Purchase of motor vehicle fleet replacements

$90,000                Purchase of emergency equipment for Basking Ridge Fire
                                Company and First Aid Squad and Liberty Corner Fire Company

$79,680                 Purchase of police equipment, including bullet proof vest
                                 replacements, digital video cameras, digital license plate reader,
                                defibrillators and radio equipment

$50,000                Parks and Recreation facilities improvements and renovations

$38,500                System improvements, hardware/software updates, police mobile
                                data terminals

$20,000                Engineering Department GIS System upgrade, including aerial
                                photography update

DPW Upgrades

The money set aside for DPW equipment will be spent primarily on a street sweeper replacement, as well as used for other small equipment, according to McArthur. As with the other allocations, the fund is meant to be used over the next several years.

"It's important to have the funding in place," McArthur said. "We're not rushing out to bid for a street sweeper, but our current machine is probably past its useful life."

"That's how we're approaching vehicle replacement," he said.

Motor Vehicle Fleet Going Green

The $101,000 earmarked for vehicle replacements will probably be used over a period of three years, according to McArthur. The township is also making an effort to move to cheaper, more energy efficient and "greener" vehicles as older models expire.

In May of this year, the Township Committee approved the purchase of three 2010 Hyundai Accent vehicles, EPA rated at 34 miles-per-gallon highway (28 for city), and traded in two 1998 Jeep Cherokees and two 2000 Ford Explorers, which can drop below 15 miles-per-gallon for city usage. The total cost of the transaction was $34,999.50.

"We've scaled back on buying expensive energy efficient vehicles," McArthur said, " But, the little Hyundais driving around town have replaced some Jeep Cherokees that were getting an atrocious 13 miles-per-gallon."

Other Purchases

McArthur fielded questions about many of the purchases, including the new police equipment, which includes a digitial license plate reader at a cost of about $25,000.

"The police have made a concinving case to me (for the purchase of the reader). One of the things that I was very interested in is can the reader be hooked up to another database and therefore become an efficiency machine?" McArthur said. "We have permitted parking in some areas, and if we have a database, the police could potentially check a parking lot in two minutes (by scanning the plates)."

The township will also pursue grants whenever applicable instead of reserve funds for the purchases, according to McArthur.

The Township Committee voted unanimously to introduce the ordinance and a public hearing will be held on August 10.