Governor Murphy Announces NJDEP To Directly Oversee TWW Operations....and more

By now, most of you know that the State NJ Department of Environmental Protection will have "direct operational" oversight of Trenton Water Works. Governor Murphy issued the following Press Release:

https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562022/approved/20221012b.shtml

From the Press Release, the Governor writes, "Despite many recent efforts at the local level to improve operating conditions and advance long-overdue capital improvements at TWW, the system continues to struggle in maintaining compliance with regulatory obligations and requirements. To ensure that maintenance and operational needs crucial to the protection of public health are met, and that long-overdue capital improvements may receive the benefit of new and considerable state and federal funding, DEP has determined that a capacity-building program with direct operational oversight is necessary to ensure TWW’s near- and long-term success in meeting the needs of the 200,000+ residents served by the system in Trenton, as well as portions of Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell, and Lawrence."

Though the advocacy to improve TWW has gone on for years, the Township joined other municipalities to intercede and participate in a civil action initiated by the NJDEP (in 2020) against the City of Trenton and TWW in response to sustained poor performance of the water utility. I described the process in a blog article dated July 13, 2020 (which supplemented other articles I wrote about the issue).

https://lawrencetownshipnjmanagerkpn.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-municipalities-file-their-motion-to.html

Since that time and throughout the litigation, the municipalities (its officials and legal counsel) aggressively pursued legal arguments to compel the City of Trenton to properly fund TWW and take the necessary steps to improve the facility and its operations. Though we saw progress, it was always "a step forward and a few steps backward." Seeing the City of Trenton council vote down critical funding for infrastructure improvements to the water utility was frustrating, to say the least. From my vantage point, despite the best efforts and advocacy by Mayor Gusciora, it was clear that the only viable option to properly fund the water utility was either a sale to a well-funded and established water company or a State takeover.  Thankfully, the State took action we needed it to take!

The news that the NJDEP will now have direct oversight over the facility and its operations is, without a doubt - very good news. Having the State take such action will give us all the best chance to remove our (conscious and subconscious) fear of using unsafe water in our daily lives. It will take time to get to this head space....but we are on our way. And this doesn't mean we turn our attention away from this issue. We will continue to advocate for all of the community's residents and visitors using water provided by TWW.  

Paying Your Property Tax Bill With Your Online Bill Pay Feature From Your Bank? Consider this......

          For those that don't have the time for all of my words (people say I am a bit "wordy"), I am starting with my conclusion so you can move along with your day. If you have a hard deadline for bill payment, DON'T use your online bill pay feature with your private bank. There is no guarantee that your physical check will be mailed in time to meet the deadline (even after you do your calculations and conclude that the date you select is plenty of time). And if you use your online bill payment feature to pay your property tax bill to Lawrence Township, understand the risk involved. If the Township does not receive your check by the deadline (which always includes a grace period), interest and a penalty will be imposed. Ok, if you want the full, long-winded version why, keep reading.

            It seems like at the same time each year (3^rd Quarter Tax Payments), the Lawrence Township Tax Collector and her staff are on the receiving end of angry and frustrated taxpayers that received a notice that their property tax payments were late and that interest and penalties are being imposed (as required by N.J.S.A.  54:4-66). It doesn't matter whether the interest is.08 cents or $25 or more, the degree of anger and disrespect delivered from the property owner to the Tax Collector and her staff is the same. And when they hear that the interest and penalty will not be waived, the level amps up --- and then I receive the phone call. The conversation I have with the callers doesn't give them the relief they demand because waiving the interest and penalty are not optional. The callers offer all kinds of excuses, and some demand for the Township to prove their check was received late. A policy that empowers a municipal employee to use discretion on voiding interest and penalties creates an unrealistic situation to manage. Undoubtedly, those denied will feel unfairly treated, and accusations of wrongdoing and favoritism will abound – wasting even more time and resources. It just won't work.   So, I thought, why not write a blog article about this issue and, hopefully, get out in front of the problem for the next go-round?

            Ninety percent of the time, the late payment involves a taxpayer's use of the online bill payment feature offered by their private lender. The taxpayer believes their payment was mailed on the day they scheduled it. That may be the case, but it doesn't mean the check will be received by the deadline. What people don't know or realize, despite their bank's notice that it does not guarantee delivery of payments by a specific date, the thousands and thousands of online bank payments are physical checks released by their bank on the day scheduled but are seemingly sent to a clearing house and ultimately collected together and mailed in bulk --- not necessarily on the day you expected it to be sent. 

            When tax payments are due and collected, the Tax Collector's office receives hundreds and hundreds of physical checks mailed in bulk daily. These checks are often dated differently and days apart from one another. Meaning a check dated September 15 and a check dated September 20 are in the same bulk delivery to the Township by U.S. Mail. Notably, the day the check is physically received by the Township is the day it posts it to your account – without fail. No check is left unposted for a day or days in the tax office. It doesn't happen. People seem to assume that their property tax payments are handled similarly to the I.R.S. and State tax returns, with the date they are mailed being the date that counts. It's not true. The date the payment is received is the date that matters for collecting property taxes --- everywhere, not just Lawrence Township.

            To assist taxpayers in making sure they meet the deadline (and the grace period), Lawrence Township offers four ways for you to pay your taxes:  (1) A taxpayer may take the short ride to the municipal building Monday through Friday between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM to make their payment in person. The added benefit to this option is that you can offer some warm greetings to the municipal staff as you see them in the hallways; (2) A taxpayer may take the short ride to the municipal building and use the secured black box positioned at the North Entrance to make their payment. It is available 24/7, 365 days a week. The box is checked multiple times a day and first thing Monday morning. The added benefit to this is that you can avoid all human contact and take care of business and move along with your day; 3) A taxpayer, comfortable in using an online payment option, can use our E-check payment feature to make sure the date you make the payment is the date it will be posted to the account. The administrative fee for this is $2. And, no, it is not a grand scheme to make revenue for the "Township." It is a fee paid by the "user" of the service, with the "Township" making no money from it. Unlike your online bill payment option from your lender, this option is received and posted to your tax account on the same day, and (4) A taxpayer can pay by credit card. Some like getting the points, I guess. But to use this, there is a more significant fee based upon a percentage of the total payment made. If you are unnerved by being assessed interests and penalties, this option is not for you!

            Do your due diligence by contacting your bank to verify how online bill payment works. You will most likely find the information on the site where you use the feature.   So, if you have a hard deadline for payment, don't use your online bill payment feature!

            Now, on a personal level, most of you may not understand the kind of verbal abuse (and, at times, threats) our Tax Collector and her staff take from residents and business owners who fail to take the proper steps to ensure they pay their taxes on time. Trust me; it is unsettling, to say the least. We also have many saved envelopes with the most disgusting things written on them from people who take their "tax payment" anger out on our staff. I guess it makes them feel good – at the expense of the good people who work here.

            As I try to do from time to time when I write on social media, I again want to remind you that all of us working for the Township are living and breathing human beings. Many of us live in town. We are your friends, neighbors, and family members. And, no, we all are not working in concert with one another to bilk you for $10, $15, or $50 in interest in late fees. Contrary to some who believe the worst, we are not corrupt or evil. We come to work each day and do the job the community needs us to do.

            Oh, one other thing, for as long as I can remember, the August tax payments are customarily billed later than the other quarters. We send out the tax bills immediately after we receive the County tax rate from the County.   It just is what it is (and it has nothing to do with us) – and all that we can do is promptly send out the bills when all of the information is received – and we do.   We also provide an extended grace period when tax bills are later than expected.  Ok, no more “words” for now!  Have a great day, Everyone!

                 

Pasquale A. Colavita, Jr. (January 5, 1945 – September 20, 2022)

The following are my thoughts and reflections.   They are not to be considered official statements of the municipal government or the elected officials of Lawrence Township. If you have no interest in what I think, move along, and have a wonderful day!

Pasquale A. Colavita, Jr. (January 5, 1945 – September 20, 2022)

                Today, September 26, 2022, Pasquale "Pat" Colavita, Jr. was laid to rest at a funeral mass at St. Ann Parish. I have known Pat pretty much my entire life. The Colavitas from the Eldridge Park area are a family engrained in the DNA of our community, and our families have always been fondly connected through longstanding friendships. As a life-long resident, Pat's light shown brightly during his life as a teacher, public servant, community leader, and a warm, loving, charismatic yet humble human being. For those who may not know him, over decades, he served his community in a variety of elected positions:  Lawrence Township Board of Education, Lawrence Township Municipal Council (and as Mayor), and Mercer County Freeholder (now known as Commissioner) and gave his time and talents to too many charities to mention here.   His daughter, Courtney Colavita, gave a wonderful eulogy – one of the best I have heard in the many funerals attended. She eloquently captured the "man" that proudly was her father. Setting aside the list of his accomplishments (which were many), she focused on his human qualities that deeply connected him to so many people from so many walks of life. Of the many characteristics of her father she talked about, the one that resonated the most with me is that when you spoke with him, he made you feel like you were the most important person in a room filled with "important" people. He was present in the moment and made sure to personally connect with you – and just as quick, he was off speaking with someone else, giving them that same feeling! The man could work a room like no other!

                From time to time, I have "difficult" conversations with residents when they call to complain about one thing or another. It is a part of the gig but never fun. About two weeks ago, I had a resident call to complain about an incident that had nothing to do with municipal operations. I directed him to the utility involved and moved along with my day. A short while later, he called back to tell me that the matter was taken care of, but he wanted me to know I was no help to him. Quite surprisingly, and out of nowhere, the resident blurted out, "you are just like your father and just like Pat Colavita!" Now, being an astute listener and hearing the tone in his voice, I quickly realized his comment was meant to hurt me. I further surmised he was someone that judged the character of a person by their voter registration. I ended the call - leaned back and rubbed my eyes - readying myself for the next challenge of the day. But as the surprise of his comment wore off, and I implemented some positive thinking strategies, a smile crossed my face, and I thought… "OK, I am just like my Dad and Pat Colavita, huh?" "Not too shabby, Kevin." I will take that comment "FOR THE WIN!" God bless you and rest in peace, Pasquale. You, Sir, had a life well lived, and you did it with style and grace!

$725K Grant Received for the Study and Design of a New Emergency Management Facility

            In a letter issued to Mayor John T. Ryan dated July 6, 2022, Senator Shirley K. Turner (15^th District) advised that the State allocated $725,000 to Lawrence Township in the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget for the study and design of a new emergency management operations facility, tentatively called "Lawrence Road Emergency Management Operations Center." 

            Specifically, we requested funding for the research and development of a new, centralized facility to house our Fire and EMS operations at the site currently occupied by Lawrence Road Fire Company (1252 Lawrence Road). The funding will cover the study of the grounds (including environmental), creation of site plans, architectural plans, bid preparation, and the costs associated with effective public outreach. 

            Presently, our community is served by three volunteer fire companies (Slackwood FC, Lawrence Road FC, and Lawrenceville FC, located in the south, central and northern areas of town) and career staff.   Our career firefighters cover the day shift Monday through Friday, and our volunteers cover the evening, weekends, and holidays. As with many local governments, there has been a dramatic decrease in volunteer firefighters, and our community is no different. Given this fact, we had a fire study prepared in 2020 by The Rogers Group (link to the report is here: https://www.lawrencetwp.com/media/Departments/EmergencyManagement/RodgersGroupStudy11-12-20.pdf)  that provided a detailed assessment of our current firefighting program, which included thirty-eight recommendations for improvements. Since the report issuance, we have systematically implemented most of these recommendations. The most significant is Recommendation 19, which provides, “Revise the municipal ordinance to create a single, combination volunteer and career fire division under the authority of a full-time, career fire chief.”  (The link to this new ordinance is here:<a href="https://ecode360.com/33962393" target="_self">§ 20-13: Division of Emergency Management.</a> We took this action and are working through the challenges involved in combining the volunteers and career firefighters with our Emergency Medical Services professionals.   The benefit of this change is readily apparent, and the future is looking bright.  We needed the volunteers and career staff to buy in, and they have.               

            Another recommendation in the report (#5) provides (in part), “the Township should undertake an in-depth study… to determine the feasibility of constructing a new fire station in a central location...A new fire station should be designed to accommodate the Fire Department, EMS, and Emergency Management functions of the Township.”  Our application to the State of New Jersey for the funding was a direct response to this recommendation.   This money allows us to strategically plan for the future to deliver the best fire and emergency medical services to our community. 

            I am sure some may take this as a signal of the end of the volunteer fire companies, and they would be wrong. The long, proud tradition of Slackwood Fire Company, Lawrence Road Fire Company, and Lawrenceville Fire Company will continue for years and remain an essential part of our overall public safety plan. We need them, and we value their service.

            Why do this now if we have no immediate plans for change? Well, we knew the grant money was available now, with no guarantee that it would be available in subsequent state budgets. The saying “strike while the iron is hot” is applicable here.  

            As a result, we made our case for this funding from the State. We argued that “development and improvement plans to enhance the safety of the community with coordinated and efficient emergency response is a valuable use of taxpayer dollars. A centralized emergency operations center will have a lasting beneficial impact on the community by providing necessary responsive emergency assistance.”  We apparently were persuasive enough to receive the total amount we requested. It seems clear that we will not need funds from our municipal budget to complete this work. An ideal situation (says, Captain Obvious).

            We are grateful to Senator Shirley Turner, Assemblyman Anthony S. Verelli, and Assemblywoman Verline Reynolds-Jackson for supporting and advocating for funding this vital project. I am equally thankful to our Mayor and Council Members. They have consistently supported our volunteer fire companies and have the wisdom to commit to planning for our future to ensure the best public safety for the community. 

A personal reflection on the mass shooting in Texas...

PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU ARE UNINTERESTED IN MY PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON THE TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING.

Though these tragedies happen far too often, they should always be reflected upon anew, giving due thought, compassion, and empathy for the family, friends, and loved ones of those murdered and for the first responders that are called upon to handle the crisis in real-time while it is occurring and handle the devastating aftermath.

We simply can't begin to imagine the pain of loss in such a violent manner, but we can collectively mourn and pray for those involved.

Why these mass shootings occur most often in America must be examined. We are failing in all respects: morally, politically, legally, and as a society and we must do better. An 18-year-old should not be allowed to legally purchase assault weapons and Kevlar protection....period.

A genuine start to addressing these tragedies is in the law; regulating in the strictest manner possible, the ability for citizens to purchase assault weapons. The Second Amendment was most assuredly not enacted to make it as easy as possible for someone who is not even able to legally drink alcohol to purchase firearms. And, please, I am not saying this is the answer to it all. It isn't. Social media and genuine hate that is so easily spewed by so many, video games that feature shooting people, racism, mental health -- the list goes on. But we need to start somewhere.

Yes, I am outside the parameters of my role as Municipal Manager. I am posting this to the people who are my FB friends not to the community at large. I am speaking as a member of our society and a father of two children that prays every day for their health, safety, and success. Let's all collectively mourn this tragedy and reject the notion that it is just another one to add to our collective conscience and rationalize it away.

Peace and love....peace and love!

A little look under the hood to see what's going on…..

 

             Over the past five-plus years as the Municipal Manager, the one thing that has become crystal clear to me is that significant capital improvement projects progress at a snail's pace, and rightfully so from the perspective of private citizens.  The pace is slow for various reasons, but most assuredly because the use of public funds requires compliance with local, state, and federal laws at every stage.  Though at times frustrating to navigate through, these laws are a good thing enacted with the best intentions.  This may not be readily apparent to some or most of you, but I offer it up to all of you to factor in when trying to wrap your head around why things take so long to complete!  Trust me when I tell you that work is happening even if it is not visible from your vantage point.  

            I thought I would take the time to inform you of the status of some of the projects that we continue to work on behind the scenes:

 The Pit Stop

             The "Pit Stop" is more formally known as 1175 Lawrence Road.   Historically, it was the site of several gasoline service stations, the last being the "Pit Stop."  To get you up to speed, I encourage you to check out my April 10, 2019, and July 12, 2021 articles in this blog.  Since then, we have completed the demolition of the long-standing and dilapidated building and are now working through the site's Remedial Investigation to determine the extent of environmental contamination.  We hope to meet with NJDEP in the coming months to discuss the project and our next steps in applying for additional funding to finalize the site clean-up.  The goal is for the site to be certified by the NJDEP to be "clean." We will then take ownership of the property and repurpose it as a passive community park with a gazebo and other aesthetically pleasing elements which are more appropriate for this prominently situated site within our town, turning it from a source of embarrassment to one of pride.

 Hero Dog Park

             Hero Dog Park will be constructed at the long underused Hamnett Park located on Ohio Avenue.  Please refer to my June 1, 2021, and June 17, 2021 blog articles for more background information.  We have the park advancing through the design plan phase (as we continue to hunt for grant funding).  In addition to two fenced-in areas (one for small and one for large dogs), the plans include a multipurpose walking path around the perimeter, pedestrian-scale lighting, shade structures, landscaping, and other related amenities.  We anticipate bidding on the project for construction in the fall of this year.  

Brunswick Streetscape

             Yeah, this one is taking long!  But I am happy to report that we received $700,000 in funding to install streetscape improvements along Business Route 1 from the Brunswick Circle to Lake Drive.  The project is in the final design stage and will include improved sidewalks, high visibility crosswalks, pedestrian-activated beacons, center median street trees, lighting, and other amenities.  Please refer to my February 20, 2022, blog article for more details.  We anticipate bidding on the project for construction in the fall of this year.

 Craven Lane Improvements

             The Township received an $80,000 grant for pedestrian safety improvements along Craven Lane between Lawrenceville Elementary School and US Route 206.  The project will include sidewalk and intersection improvements, high visibility crosswalks, and a pedestrian-activated beacon at the Johnson Trolley Line crossing.  This project is in the design phase, and we plan to bid the project for construction in early 2023.  We are also in the running for additional grant funding that may be a gamechanger on this project!

 Colonial Lake Park Improvements

             The Township received a $75,000 grant to install a multipurpose path through the recently acquired Sheft Property to complete the trail network around Colonial Lake.  This project is in the design and permitting phase, and we plan to bid the project for construction in early 2023.  We also intend to improve the recently acquired portion of the park (adjacent to the bowling lane) as a passive park with enhanced parking.

Electric Vehicle Fleet and Infrastructure

             The Township received an $8,000 grant to install a second fleet charging station at the Municipal Complex.  We are continuing to expand our fleet of electric cars to pursue our sustainable goals and reduce our GHG emissions.  We anticipate installation in the fall of this year.

Cold Soil Road Improvement

            The Township is planning improvements to Cold Soil Road this summer that will include a sidewalk connection along the east side of the roadway from US Route 206 to Bergen Street.  Back in 2020, the residents in this area petitioned the Township to evaluate the potential for a sidewalk connection.  In 2021 the Township applied for and received a $550,000 grant from NJDOT to improve the roadway and install the sidewalk connections.

LA Fitness

             The project is still on hold; however, there is a potential that it could get started this summer.  We are hoping to get an update from the ownership later this month.  As I have said publicly before, I think the addition of LA Fitness at the Lawrence Shopping Center is a critical piece to continue the resurgence of the center and the surrounding commercial sites along US Route 1.  So far, we can all agree that LSC is making a solid comeback with further improvements pledged by the owners.  Keep supporting our local businesses!

40 Enterprise Avenue Site

             The Township identified this property as an area in need of redevelopment.  After completing a preliminary investigation, it was determined that the site contained vacant, sub-standard, dilapidated structures that were unsafe and detrimental to the community's health, safety, and welfare.  A redevelopment plan was developed and adopted by the Planning Board and Governing Body.  In June of this year, we anticipate an application being heard before the Planning Board to create a 261,000 square foot warehouse with aesthetically pleasing elements that will significantly improve this long-languishing area just within the boundary of the Township next to the City of Trenton.   And before you say we don't need more warehouses in our town, I remind you that it doesn't work that way.  We don't get to tell private property owners what to do on their land.  Please refer to my December 1, 2020, blog article that explains the development process.  I also suggest that as long as we all love the convenience of ordering items online and having them delivered to our homes, we will need more warehouses. 

 

Shoulda Coulda Woulda is not a great plan during a pandemic....

        Several days before the start of the Easter and Passover holiday weekend, our Health Officer, Keith Levine, expressed his concern about the steady increase in Covid-19 cases in our area and the expectation of an uptick following the weekend when many people will gather to celebrate the holiday. Keith has routinely kept me informed of positive cases in our town and trends in our county and state. Since we are all aware that this virus will be with us for some time, there will be periods when the spread of the virus will spike and decrease, whether in the short term or the long term. As a result, it becomes necessary for us to be proactive in responding to the data compiled and published by public health officials if the primary goal is to ensure that we maintain government operations without disruption. 

        Since we are more than 2-years into this pandemic, we have become much more knowledgeable about actions we can take to protect ourselves and others.   Just as important, we should also gain back some of the personal freedoms we lost as we grappled with how to fight the spread of the virus.   I firmly believe that private business owners should be free to restrict their patrons by requiring mask-wearing if they conclude it is in the best interests of their employees and gives them the best chance of not shutting down should the virus spread among them. This freedom also extends to the patrons of those businesses. They can freely choose to give them their business or not as they decide whether the restrictions are something they can tolerate. 

        Most of what we do in life is by choice. We can choose to attend family functions, sporting events, business openings, public meetings, etc. We will always have the personal option to wear a mask if that is what you think is necessary to best protect yourselves from the virus. Just as importantly, you can choose not to wear a mask should the event not require you to do so for whatever reason you deem justified.   I think what we have all learned after living through this pandemic is that we have a lot of power to take whatever steps we believe are necessary to protect ourselves (i.e., mask-wearing, keeping social distance, vaccinations, booster shots, etc.), and we should be able to do that without ridicule or judgment.

        But there are also times that it is necessary to take reasonable precautions to better protect against the spread of the virus that may impact what others can and can't freely do. With the primary goal of ensuring our municipal government continues to deliver the services that residents and businesses deserve, expect, and require, I decided that we should close the municipal building to visitors following the holiday weekend.   I based it on the data that showed the increase in covid-19 cases leading up to the weekend and the anticipated further increase after many gather with friends and family to celebrate their holiday.

        My thought process was that "we" (the municipal government) do not function without the people who work for the Township. To safeguard against a shutdown and create an environment within the municipal building that reduces the potential for the spread of the virus from visitors without disrupting the services we provide seemed like a no-brainer to me.    Every employee and every department (Clerk, Tax Collector, Tax Assessor, Construction, Inspections, Engineering, Health, Recreation, Finance, and Fire administration) are still working and doing their job to serve the community with the building closed to visitors.   When the building is closed, all visitors are greeted at the North Entrance by a staff member who facilitates whatever business the visitor needs to conduct with the Township.  Absolutely everyone is assisted, and every township employee is doing their job.  And if you simply need to drop something off, there is a locked, black box at the North Entrance that is checked throughout the day.

        My decision to take the precaution of closing the building to visitors to keep the environment safer for our employees from the spread of the virus did result in me receiving some angry emails and FB comments from those who felt it was an "overreaction" a "power grab," a "denial of their freedom to enter a public building" or "hypocritical" because I was seen out in public without a mask.   Some others believed that since schools were open, we should be "open." Or, since other towns didn't close their municipal building, we shouldn't either. All that I can say is that my only consideration is the obligation to take whatever reasonable actions are necessary to protect our employees and maintain an operating government for the benefit of the community. Making decisions based solely on what other towns or administrators do was a mistake that my Mom and Dad taught me at a young age. Remember the adage, would you jump off a bridge if your friends did? So, no, I will continue to make decisions based upon credible information, careful consideration, and what ultimately is best for our town. Princeton, Hamilton, and Ewing can do what is right for them. 

        I will end by reminding all that the services provided by the Township to residents and business owners can't be duplicated by going down the road and getting them someplace else or provided to you virtually.   We must do what we can to stay operational. I would rather take the criticism instead of having to shut down because I failed to act. Shoulda Coulda Woulda is not a great plan in a pandemic.  From time to time, when proactive caution requires it, the municipal building will be closed from week-to week.  We are back open right now.   Stay safe and well, everyone!

Mercer County Covid-19 Cases Chart: