Township of Montville – 2010 Municipal Budget Adopted
At their regular meeting on Tuesday, June 22, 2010, the Montville Township Committee adopted a budget with a municipal increase of 1.71%. The budget process began with a preliminary budget that was prepared at the end of 2009. Since the beginning of this year, the 2010 budget experienced two (2) major hits, both due to loss of revenues. The first was a loss in surplus, principally due to tax appeals, and the second was a loss of over $500 thousand in state aid. These losses total almost $1.5 million and drove the municipal tax increase to 6.82% during preliminary stages.
At the May 25, 2010 public meeting, the Montville Township Committee introduced a budget with a municipal tax increase of 1.71%. Cuts have been made - the Police Department fleet maintenance has been outsourced, capital projects have been deleted, public event funding has been significantly reduced.
In order to AVOID layoffs the Township has been successful in negotiating personnel and salary concessions from ALL four (4) unions (PBA, Superior Officers, Blue Collar, and White Collar) and non-union employees. The Township is very appreciative that its personnel worked with the Township Committee in order to avoid all but two (2) layoffs and bring the budget in at the targeted tax increase.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 June 2010 )
BPU Adopts Formal Order Approving PSE&G Project
As reported previously, on February 11, 2010 the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved the Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) project to upgrade the power lines through Montville and other Morris, Hunterdon and Essex County towns. The upgrade, along the existing 45 mile right-of-way will include 195-foot high towers. Board members approved the plan by a 5-0 vote, citing that the PSE&G had proven the “reasonable necessity” of the project to ensure future power supply to state residents.
The order does address the towers behind the Lazar School on Changebridge Road. The order specifically states:
"7) PSE&G provide a report to this Board within ninety (90) days of the date of this Board Order identifying a relocation or realignment of the proposed new towers that are located on or around the Lazar Middle School in Montville Township to maximize the distances of the towers and transmission lines from the school property. PSE&G should explore the option raised by the Montville BOE, as well as any additional options. If PSE&G believes that relocation or realignment is not possible,they shall report to the Board, in detail, the reasons for that conclusion;"
Other conditions include possibly relocating other towers, minimizing environmental and visual impacts, eligibility for federally-backed mortgages, and the study of electromagnetic fields that will emanate from the new, higher voltage lines.
The project is also subject to this coming fall’s PJM power need forecast.
Last Updated ( Friday, 23 April 2010 )
BPU Approval of PSE&G Project Leads to Settlement
In spite of the Township of Montville’s best efforts to fight the approval of the new Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) transmission line through the existing Right-of-Way (ROW); including formally intervening in the process by being one of the seven municipal interveners to for a municipal coalition to fight the project, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has approved the new transmission line. Based upon the BPU’s approval, and the very remote potential of a reversal, the Township has entered into a settlement agreement with PSE&G. It is extremely important to know that the financial benefits ($380,957) of the agreement to Montville are contingent on the ultimate construction of the project. The Township will not receive any of the funds earmarked in the settlement until after construction is underway.
The payments to Montville are broken down into three (3) components:
Reimbursement for emergency preparedness and safety -$135,000
Vegetation compensation - $65,957.40
Compensation for construction impacts - $150,000
For further details on the settlement, please use the attached link to access a copy of the agreement:
