The May 11, 2009 Township Committee meeting agenda has been posted.

[Guest]

The May 11, 2009 Township Committee meeting agenda has been posted.

http://www.cranburytownship.org/TC_Agenda_051109.pdf

[Guest]

Does anyone know more about what the stimulus money is for?

[Guest]

Hopefully for something large like the Dam or Liberty Way and not being used for something wasteful.

[cranbury]

It could've been used to hire more police FREE for 3 years...but our bright leaders aren't interested in getting ahead.
Unless it benefits them, they could careless. And the dept is under staffed, but I'm sure they have something up their sleeve. After all Smeltzer is making 100K+ for a reason.

[Guest]

Our police department is not understaffed. If you look at police hiring averages and guidelines, we have more than the average number of officers. However, we do have conditions that warrant the staffing levels we do have: warehouses, Route 130.
Also, federal stimulus money can not go straight to salaries...it has to be "shovel-ready" construction projects.

[Guest]

I am a big supporter of the police and from speaking with the Chief I have no concern that we are okay for the near term where we are in terms of staffing.

You do realize that after 3 years the obligations still continue for the police. We cannot afford to hire more staff in any department this year or next. There are major expenses coming and the tax structure will be bad enough paying for what the TC in the past has refused to reserve for (e.g. the dam and liberty way). There is only so much a tax base can absorb.

[Guest]

I am wondering if the stimulus money is going to be used for COAH housing.

[Guest]

[Guest]

How exactly is the police department under staffed and how do you know?

I agree with the other poster -- the unions make it very hard to control budgets once you make a hire. Its hard to correct staffing levels in the future, make cut-backs or even control salary increases in down times. Under these circumstances, hiring should always be a last resort only done when there is an overwhelming need.

[Guest]

I am curious about why this township commitee pays so much in proffesional fee's ie ..attorneys. This township commitee is paying hundreds of thousands more in lawyers fee's than other commitee's paid just a few years ago.Why are the salaries for town adminstrator and the financial officer so high. Why doesn't the town commitee question this? How can the commitee ask the taxpayers to potentially sacrifice safety and service's when they are hemorhagging money to attorney's and town administrator's? i

[Guest]

The resolution says the money is for "housing and community projects". That doesn't sound like cops, but it does sound like COAH.