While the question of who will be the next West Windsor Township attorney lingered in the background, the last of the outstanding contracts between the township and the collective bargaining units that work with the town has been ratified. At its May 27 meeting, the Council authorized the township to enter into a collective bargaining agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1032 by a 4-0 vote (Bryan Maher was absent).
The contract covers the three-year period from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015. The negotiated wage increases for all employees in the CWA are 1.25 percent for 2013, 1.5 percent for 2014, and 1.75 percent for 2015 — the same increase as had been included in the agreements with other unions within the township, explained business administrator Marlena Schmid.
Council also approved an ordinance recognizing the creation of several new bus stops and shelters, as well as an ordinance to allow a new PNC Bank on Quakerbridge Road to connect to the Lawrence Township sewer system. The bank’s location made it difficult to connect to the sewer system used by West Windsor.
In addition council approved a measure allowing the township to cancel the bond appropriations in the amount of approximately $200,000 for capital projects that had previously been identified by township CFO Joanne Louth as being no longer needed (The News, May 16).
Said Schmid: “The administration is currently working with the engineering department to identify engineering capital projects, which is the largest portion of open bond projects that might fall into this category. Township engineer Francis Guzik is expected to make a presentation to outline which engineering bonded capital projects can be canceled.”
The township attorney issue may soon move to the front burner. The clerk’s office has announced that nine applicants have responded to the RFP for the position. “The administration is preparing a comparison chart for the benefit of the review committee” and later for public review. The first committee meeting, which will be open to the public, is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, at a time and location to be determined.
The next Council meeting will be held on Monday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the municipal center.
