Princeton University Will Host Consolidation Seminar

Princeton Police will participate.

State to Reimburse Princeton $464k for Consolidation Costs

Consolidation has saved Princeton 40 percent more than expected in its first year and officials will consider Princeton will consider lowering the proposed tax rate at the next Council meeting.

  The State of New Jersey will reimburse Princeton $464,000 to help offset consolidation transition costs, according to a May 16 letter from the state's Department of Community Affairs, Mayor Liz Lempert announced. The amount equals 20 percent of the one-time transition costs and is what Gov. Chris Christie pledged in 2011, Lempert said.  Princeton's 2013 consolidation-related budget savings have already exceeded the projections of the Consolidation Commission by 40 percent, she said, adding that Council will consider a further reduction in the municipal tax rate at its next meeting. “With a single government, we are now delivering better services at a lower cost," Lempert said. "At the end of three years, when consolidation is fully …

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Residents Invited to Help Name Municipal Buildings

Winners will receive a certificate, a $250 McCaffrey's gift certificate, season tickets to Princeton University football or basketball, a family membership to the Princeton Community Pool and free CD/DVD library borrowing privileges.

  Princeton and Princeton Public Library are holding a competition to rename Princeton's municipal buildings- the buildings known as Princeton Borough Hall (1 Monument Drive) and Princeton Township Hall (400 Witherspoon St.). The contest is open to Princeton residents at least 18 years old, the contest runs through Feb. 15 at 5 p.m., the deadline for entries to be submitted to the library. Contestants may submit one name for each building accompanied by a typewritten essay of not more than 250 words in support of the recommendation. If a contestant need access, the library has 100 computers and a typewriter available for public use. “We are pleased that the Princeton Public Library is sponsoring this competition,” Mayor Liz Lempert said. "…

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SFB

4:17 pm on Sunday, April 28, 2013

Joe R - your comment is mystifying. "Pay the price of admission"?? You do realize this is a living town, not a movie theater? So what, you are content for only rich people to live in Princeton?   more ›

Princeton U Gives $2.475M to Municipality

The discussion of accepting of the University’s donation revealed conflict in the newly seated council at its first business meeting of the year.

  Princeton University will make a voluntary contribution to the town in the amount of $2.475 million for 2013, Council agreed on Monday. “In totality, this is the same amount as the two municipalities received in 2012, however in 2012, $500,000 of that money was restricted for use in defraying the cost for consolidation,” Council President Bernie Miller said. The University has also pledged $20,000 for operations of the Princeton Fire Department and $300,000 for future additions to the Witherspoon Street fire station should the three houses merge into one station, Miller said. The discussion of accepting of the University’s donation revealed conflict in the newly seated council at its first business meeting of the year. After Council …

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[VIDEO] Princeton Celebrates Historic Consolidation

Residents and officials gathered on New Year's Day to celebrate a unified Princeton.

The consolidation of Princeton caps a nearly 60-year history. Prior to the November 2011 vote to approve the merger of the two Princeton, citizens had rejected three previous referendums (in 1953, 1979 and 1996). The merger is the first major municipal consolidation in the state of New Jersey in over half a century, reducing the number of municipalities in the state to 565, and serving as a potential model for other mergers. Keep up with Princeton news by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and subscribing to our newsletter.

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Curbside Garbage Collection Available to All Residents Beginning Jan. 2

Township residents who want to use this service will need to cancel their private haulers by the new year.

  Effective Jan. 2 2013, all Princeton residents will be eligible for weekly municipal curbside trash collection, officials have announced. This is not a change for Borough residents, who already have this service.  Township residents who would like to participate in the municipally funded service should contact their trash hauler to cancel their service provider in writing at least seven days before Jan. 1.  According to the NJ Customer Bill of Rights 7:26H-5.12 Section C 2, “Residential customers who are responsible for hiring their own collection service have the right to select their solid waste collector on a competitive basis and to discontinue service at any time, provided the collector is given seven days written notice.” …

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2013 Consolidation Savings Expected to be 40 Percent Higher Than Expected

Already in 2012, Princeton has saved $705,000, through earlier than expected staff departures.

  The latest projections show that consolidation savings for 2013 are at least 40 percent greater than what was initially projected by the Joint Shared Services and Consolidation Commission in 2010- at least $2.26 million v. $1.61 million. There’s also an additional $350,000-$400,000 in savings for next year, achieved by combining old contracts, health benefit plans and signing new contracts, according to Scott Sillars, a member of the Transition Task Force's Finance Subcommittee The finance subcommittee has both calculated high and low consolidation savings projects from 2013-2016, the period of time it will take Princeton to fully consolidate.  Consolidation savings for 2014 were estimated at $3.1 million. Updated projections show that …

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See What Princeton University Students Think of Consolidation

Patience Haggin '14, a reporter for The Daily Princetonian, interviews fellow students for to find out what they think of the impending merger of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township.

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Transition Costs Estimated at $1.6-$1.8 Million

Less than $300,000 has been spent so far.

  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 …

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