Moorestown Township Council approved an ordinance on first reading for the appropriation of $250,000, with an issuance of $237,500 in bonds or notes, for preliminary engineering and feasibility study expenses for improvements to the water treatment plants.
At the beginning of last week’s meeting, council made an addition to the agenda approving a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Environmental protection in regard to water allocations. According to township manager Scott Carew, the state DEP determines how much water each water source can provide with its own formula. Last year, Moorestown hit a ceiling on water produced and purchased from New Jersey American Water. Having hit that ceiling, the township had to stop allowing permits for water hook ups.
This agreement will allow for increased capacity and get 40,000 more gallons for 30 to 35 homes, many owners of which have been waiting for months to get the water hook up permit.
Coinciding with this MOA is the ordinance on the preliminary engineering and feasibility study expenses for improvements to the water treatment plants. The $250,000 appropriation for the engineering and feasibility study is to be used to evaluate and improve the water quality, which includes sampling. According to chief financial officer Thomas Merchel, about $150,000 is for the study of all three treatment plants, and $100,000 for any other unexpected expenses.
This is just a preliminary expense to determine what is the best way to go about treating the wells and plants.
In other news:
• Chet Dawson gave a presentation on the condition of Strawbridge Lake and a management plan for the lake. His presentation included findings of the lake and proposals for improvements, including a watershed management plan, taking out the spatterdocks in the lake, a fish study, spot treatment of algae, providing education about the lake and various chemical and physical testing of the lake. Dawson mentioned applying for grants to help with some funding.
• Council passed ordinances on second reading to authorize bonds or notes in the amount of $142,500 for the preliminary engineering and design expenses for the reconstruction of the municipal parking lot, to establish banked cap, to amend the township code to establish regulations governing abandoned and vacant properties, and to establish rules and regulations prohibiting encroachments into public open space land.
• Council approved establishing and adopting a “Complete Streets” policy and appointing a Technological Advisory Committee.
• Council awarded a contract to Millennium Communications Group, Inc. in the total estimated amount of $99,000 for various technology requirements for the town hall, library and North Church Street Recreation Center facilities.
