Dear Mayor Hsueh and Council:
(1). On February 18 at 10:30 a.m., I observed a Mercer County DOT snowplow heading eastbound on County Route 571 with its blade down, plowing residual snow on to the shoulder.
(2). Not two minutes later a West Windsor Department of Public Works truck heading in the same eastbound direction drove with its snowplow blade raised.
(3). Since this is budget season, it seems worth an analytical review for West Windsor to plow most Mercer County roadways within the township with the exception of Old Trenton Road and state DOT-contracted Route 1.
(4). I do not have the benefit of the master snow removal schedule to see if prospective synergies and savings could be effected.
(5). It seems counterproductive to have township taxpayers pay twice for the same service. Since County DOT trucks must arrive from the Mercer County Airport depot, the roadways quickly get snow-packed prior to county plowing.
(6). Surely Mercer County has identified and calculated/unbundled its annual costs for snow removal and leaf pickup within West Windsor. Could proactive discussions result in a commensurate offsetting tax credit/relief?
Peter R. Weale
