During a work session meeting on Monday, March 18, members of council approved to submit a layoff plan to the New Jersey Civil Service Commission proposing to layoff off three public works laborers and one bus driver.
Council members also agreed to outsource trash collection, township manager Maureen Mitchell said.
She said the township awarded the three-year trash collection contract to Republic Services.
Mayor Linda Bobo said residents will no longer have trash collected by township workers, but they will receive the same services as before.
According to Bobo by outsourcing trash pickup the township is saving $1.1 million over the next three years, or more than $300,000 per year, Mitchell said.
“It’s a difficult thing to do. You don’t want anyone to lose their job, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that residents would save $1.1 million dollars over the next three years,” she said.
According to Bobo, the township will now look into ways to use in-house workers to provide services such as grass cutting, snow plowing and leaf pick-up “making the department more efficient.”
“We know that we will be able to provide better service at a more affordable rates,” Bobo said, referring to opening up public works positions in other areas of the township.
