Shared Service Pact Reached on Roads in The Hills

Sometimes good ideas result when you hit a dead end — and that’s literally true for the public works departments of Bedminster and Bernards.

Bedminster public works manager John Mantz told the township committee Monday that a shared services agreement was born when Bernards began considering repaving Cobble Lane in The Hills development.

When Bernards discovered that a cul de sac at one end of Cobble Lane is half in Bedminster and half in Bernards, Bernards offered to repave all of the cul de sac, including the part in Bedminster.

Because many of the roads in The Hills are in both Bedminster and Bernards, Mantz began talking to his counterparts there, and they developed an agreement that would give the responsibility for the road to the municipality in which the majority of the road is located, township administrator Judith Sullivan said.

"This is the way local governments should be working together,” Mayor Steve Parker said. “We’re going to make sure The Hills' residents get the best roads.”

And for those looking to spruce up their lawns, Sullivan reminded residents Monday that free mulch is still available at the DPW building on Miller Lane.

“It’s very nice mulch,” Sullivan said. “It’s been grinded twice.”

The mulch was generated from branches and limbs left from superstorm Sandy. Mantz said the production of the mulch came in $5,000 under budget.