Transition Costs Estimated at $1.6-$1.8 Million

Princeton has spent $288,000 on transition costs to date and preliminary estimates show transition costs will total about $1.5-$1.7 million, Finance Subcommittee Chairman Scott Sillars said Wednesday.

In comparison, the Consolidation Commission estimated $1.2 for transition costs.

“The biggest category difference is there’s about $250,000 in separation costs in that (updated) number,” Sillars said, adding that the Commission did not include separation costs.

Earlier this year, the Transition Task Force personnel subcommittee estimated separation costs between $290,000 and $659,000, but higher than expected resignations and retirements means fewer layoffs. As a result, the estimate is now expected to be about $250,000, he said.

Not included in Sillars’ estimate are costs that are expected, but so far unknown. These include costs to harmonize salaries between former Borough and Township employees after consolidation and building renovation costs (including the basement of Borough Hall for Corner House’s impending move).

Not included in Sillars’ estimate is more than $200,000 cost to upgrade police dispatch and 9-1-1 equipment because there’s still debate if those could be considered transition costs.

“There are some costs that Princeton may be incurring now because it makes sense, even if they’re not necessarily what the State would consider transition costs,” Sillars told Patch.

Princeton is paying to merge and upgrade its police emergency equipment during consolidation both because it’s old and because of FCC licensing requirements.

“We have to put the two departments to together and it made sense to do the upgrade now and be done with it,” Sillars said. “We’re trying to make sure that we’re being honest about what is transition costs and what is not.”

Gov. Chris Christie has pledged that the state will pay 20 percent of qualifying transitions costs for the Princeton consolidation. Transition Task Force Chairman Mark Freda said officials should provide a fair but “aggressive” accounting.

“We are the poster child for consolidation in the state and if the state is serious about pushing other communities to do this, they have to be somewhat reasonable about transition costs,” Freda said. 

Below are the most recently available figures how much has spent on Princeton transition costs for consolidation, per Scott Sillars:

Transition Task Force

Consulting

$47,981 Clerical Support $1,151 Legal  $8,820 Supplies $198 Printing/Copies $418 Misc./Contingency $125 Consulting

Rodgers Group (police)

$14,333 Omland Engineering (tax maps) $99,853 VOIP Consulting (phones) $46,699

Legal

MGP (Township attorney)

$20,116

Hill Wallack (Borough attorney)

$24,875 Labor attorney $18,391

Misc.

Signs- new voting districts

$2,272 Employee workshops $2,500 Selection Committee $89 Total $287,732

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