West Windsor has purchased its first environmentally-friendly car: a 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid for the code enforcement division of its Department of Community Development.
But at least one council member who worried that the new SUV was too expensive.
Councilwoman Linda Geevers said she was concerned that the $29,872 price tag was too high for the township’s first test in purchasing a sustainable vehicle. The town would pay in the low $20,000s for a non-hybrid, estimated Business Administrator Robert Hary.
The measure, originally scheduled for approval in November, was postponed to the December 7 meeting because of council’s concerns about the price. According to Hary, the cost is expected to be only slightly higher thanks to a state grant.
Hary said the state Board of Public Utilities, which offers financial incentives for vehicles that are healthier for the environment, told him it would provide the township with a $4,000 rebate for buying the hybrid.
Geevers, however, worried that there is no guarantee that the township will receive the funding, or that it will have to jump through hoops to obtain it.
Hary said the township was told “in our discussions with the BPU that monies are available.” BPU officials said that once the purchase is authorized, the township can apply for the grant and will receive the money.
Geevers asked whether administration compared prices with other hybrid vehicles, or did any other research to see whether the township could save money.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said that the purchase, from Warnock Automotive, of East Hanover, is part of a state contract for that particular vehicle.
“In 2002, when we received the recognition as the first Green Town USA in the whole state, that was one of the recommendations for improvement,” Hsueh said. “With the new technology this year and incentives coming from the state, we can start documenting” the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a hybrid car.
In addition, “we are not talking about all of the cars being replaced, and we get to see how it compares to the regular car. I know there is some risk involved here but getting one car to do this kind of try is a good idea.”
In other business during the meeting, the council also approved the purchase of four 2010 Ford Crown Victoria police cars, totaling $79,048, from Hertrich Fleet Services, of Milford, DE. The council also appointed Christopher Mangone to fill an unexpired term as a member of the Site Plan Review Advisory Board until June 30.
