The Alternative Press

HARDYSTON N.J. - Hardyston Township in Sussex County had its third township council meeting of the year on Feb. 5. The council discussed many things, but the biggest was the township budget.

The meeting was broken up into three sections. The first being a workshop meeting. The second part of the meeting was the regular meeting, in which the council passed everything that was on the agenda to be discussed for the night. The third part was the council's executive session.

During the workshop the council began by swearing in their new councilman, Frank Cicerale. Cicerale squared off the four member council joining Stanley Kula, who is also deputy mayor, as well as Wayne Ross and Carl Miller. The council is headed by Leslie Hamilton, Mayor of Hardyston Township.

The workshop meeting consisted of the councilmen and Hamilton discussing spending with other Hardyston officials which included Marianne Smith, Hardyston's township manager. They discussed the budget, which included a possible raise in taxes. The proposed tax hike stands at about $100 per household.

Smith explained the reasoning behind the tax raising. Council members agreed Hardyston Township is the one of the lowest taxed towns in Sussex County. The taxes will help to go to hire a few more township workers, and to help purchase a new street sweeper for the township. The sweeper would cost around $250,000.

“We believe this is not going to be a reoccurring problem,” Smith said.

The street sweeper was under a lot of discussion during the first part of the meeting. The council discussed possibly paying for it in a “pay-as-you-go” method. Meaning that residents of the township will pay for it in their taxes, by approximately about 10 percent a year. This ensures that only current residents will be paying for the street sweeper. If a person only lives in the township for one year, they will only pay their percent for that year, because that is all the use of the street sweeper they will get.

A street sweeper can last anywhere between five to 15 years. This ensures that people will only be paying for the sweeper as long as they benefit from it by living in the Township of Hardyston.

Another issue discussed during the workshop portion of the meeting was the planing of a new ambulance building on Wheatsworth Road in Hardyston. The council discussed the possible plans for that land. The one that is most expensive will cost around $102,000. This will avoid the township of having to go through the Wetlands committee as well as a few others.

The second part of the meeting proceeded more swiftly. The council went through the agenda as passed everything, including the street sweeper. They also agreed to create new township jobs including court officer and dispatcher in training.

The council then dismissed the public to start its executive session. The next meeting will be on Feb. 19.

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