A Message from Mayor Randall W. Teague, Commissioner Paul Dougherty & Commissioner John Foley

For the Summer 2010 Issue of the Haddon Press

Your Tax Dollars at Work in Haddon Township!

Welcome to the latest edition of the Haddon Press, our official guide to keeping our residents up to date on important Township information.  Since our last newsletter there has been much to report to as your elected officials.

The 2010 Municipal Budget

With a particular awareness of the uncertain recovery from the economic downturn, we worked with staff and exercised responsible financial planning measures to ensure a zero tax increase for our residents.  By reducing costs, finding efficiencies and increasing revenue potential where possible, we were able to develop the 2010 Municipal Budget that will deliver the same high level of service with a decrease in spending over the 2009 budget.

Throughout our term in office, we have effectively cut spending; even while state aid has been reduced totaling over $550,000.00 and pension costs have escalated in excess of $91,000.00.   We have restructured all municipal departments and reduced staff, put all professional contracts out to bid each year in order to receive the most desirable rates, instituted a “no contract” policy for non-union workers, outsourced custodial maintenance, and limited vacation time carryover for employees.  By putting contracts out to bid, we successfully saved the town $20,000.00 in auditing fees, $6,000.00 a year in website maintenance fees, a more favorable interest rate on investments through banking services, and an anticipated savings of approximately $200,000 by taking advantage of market conditions and refinancing our debt service over the life of the bonds.   We successfully negotiated an inter-local agreement with the Borough of Audubon Park in excess of $380,000.00 in revenue for police and municipal court services, over $300,000.00 in grants for improvements to streets and roadways and over 2.6 million dollars in grants for the remediation of the Dy-Dee redevelopment project.   We are proud for the second year in a row, to present an operating budget that has lowered taxes.

There were many factors affecting this year’s decrease in spending, including the move to an Accelerated Tax Sale for delinquent taxes, a further reduction in Township personnel, as well as taking advantage of more outsourcing opportunities.  The change to an Accelerated Tax Sale enables the Township to collect 100% of its outstanding taxes and water/sewer rents. (Typically, Haddon Township collects nearly 97.5% of their outstanding taxes.) The Township must budget each year for uncollected taxes.  By moving to an Accelerated Tax Sale, it enabled the governing body to reduce the allocation by $482,000.   In addition to the Accelerated Tax Sale, the Department of Public Works combined its water and sewer departments.  By placing both operations under the management of one individual, the Municipality was able to save the salary and benefit expenses of one full time equivalent employee.  A decision was made to outsource the operation of the concession stand at the Crystal Lake Pool Complex, which ran a deficit in 2009 of $10,000.  We awarded the bid to F & J Joint Ventures, the owners of Weber’s Root Beer in Brooklawn to run the concession stand for the summer season, generating an additional $3,500.00 in revenue.  The Police Department has implemented a new records management program. Moving to the new system along with greater budget controls provided an additional savings of $40,000.00 for 2010.

As your elected officials, we are always exploring new opportunities for cost savings while maintaining high quality services.  Recently the Township negotiated with a wholesale energy consultant, Archer Energy, to see how we could save money on the Township’s electricity expenses.  After reviewing our monthly electric bills, we were able to save the Township as much as $70,000 over the next 2 years by purchasing our electricity wholesale through a third party provider.  The resolution to authorize this transaction was passed at our April meeting.  Similar cost saving measures will be pursued for gas utility expenses when our current contract expires in 2011. Likewise the Township intends to accept a bid to lease space for communications equipment on the Briarwood standpipe, generating $500.00 per month in revenue.

Township Infrastructure

A major priority of our administration has been our aging infrastructure.  Numerous water and sewer main breaks throughout our town are clear indications that our infrastructure has deteriorated and is in need of desperate repair.

Storm Sewer Main at Edison Woods

A contract has been awarded to replace the Storm Sewer Main at Edison Woods.     Testing has been completed and construction will begin at the close of Thomas Edison Elementary for summer recess.

Improvements to Ivywood Avenue

The Public Works Department has completed test pits on Ivywood Ave. between Patton Ave. and Memorial Ave.  We are currently incorporating the data into plans and specifications. With the significant rain fall this spring, it appears that the existing storm piping on Memorial Ave., in front of the high school, has collapsed and will require replacement.   Key Engineers has completed the field work and is currently adding the necessary storm drainage improvements to the construction plans for the Ivywood Ave. project.  We anticipate bids this month.  This project will improve storm water drainage and reduce icing conditions in the winter months.

Bettlewood Sewer Rehabilitation Project

All of the sanitary sewer main and service laterals have been replaced on the Bettlewood Sewer Rehabilitation Project.  Work in the easement areas behind the commercial establishments on the White Horse Pike has begun and is expected to be completed by early to mid June.  A preconstruction meeting has been held with the Gas Division Office of PSE&G.  Gas main replacement work on Johnson Ave. has been started.  Underground Utilities Corporation is in the process of removing the concrete roadway on East Ormond Ave. and East Oakland Ave. Both the gas mains and water mains on these two streets will be replaced by mid June.  After the new mains have been installed and tested, work will begin on East Greenwood Ave. and East Collingswood Ave.  New curbing, driveway aprons and handicap ramps will then be installed and with weather permitting a base coat should be down by midsummer.  We would like to thank the area residents for their patience and cooperation during this time.  Please look for upcoming notices and information on road closures on the Township website at www.haddontwp.com.

Pump Station Improvements

The Water and Sewer Department Staff was recently able to replace the existing pumps in the Calvert Avenue subsurface pump station at a considerable cost savings to the Township. Also, the staff is gearing up to prepare to rehabilitate the South Park Drive Pump Station by installing state of the art pumps and controls as well as installing a new stand alone emergency by pass pump to service the station during power outages. It is also important to note that there has been a reduction in the amount of hydrogen sulfide gas in the sewer system that is a continuous maintenance problem for both the Cuthbert Road and Albertson Avenue pump stations. The reduction is attributed to the removal of storm-water inflow as a result of the Bettlewood Sewer Project.

Streets and Roads Projects

The Township submitted an application for Municipal Aid for streets and roads to the NJDOT.  We have successfully been awarded $150,000.00 for the Restoration of Emerald Avenue, Phase 3.  This project will begin early this summer.

A pre-construction meeting was conducted for our 2010 Road Maintenance Improvement Program as we continue to repair Township streets and intersections.  Areas slated to be paved:

• Reeve Ave. & Virginia Ave.

• Cambridge Ave. & Melrose Ave.

• Akron Ave. & Alton Ave.

• Akron Ave. & Cooper St.

• Norwood Ave. & Norwood Terrace

• Evergreen Ave. & Estaugh Ave.

• Graisbury Ave. & Forman Ave.

• Belmont Alley

• Marshall Ave.

Recreation

In an effort to improve all of our recreational facilities and increase opportunities for youth athletics, our administration has authorized the following upgrades:

Recchino Fields

New fencing around baseball fields and batting cages, installation of foul poles and new scoreboard, and the paving of the adjacent parking lot have been completed.  The Department of Public Works has be clearing land purchased from PSE&G, formerly known as the Westfield Tract for much needed additional parking.

Crystal Lake Pool Complex

The Pavilion has under gone a complete renovation for the opening of the 2010 season.  New footings have been poured; Timber Tech decking has been installed for safety, along with 6 new ceiling fans.  The entire structure has been stained and painted for this year’s hot summer season.

The Splash Pool has also received a much need face lift.  The pool bottom has been restored with a new quartz plaster surface. Custom coping, new glazed tile, and new concrete decking are just a few of the upgrades completed due to the ongoing deterioration of the Splash Pool.

West Collingswood Heights Field

The Township maintains this field as the primary recreational location for girl’s softball and youth flag football. This spring repairs to the bathroom facilities were completed in house by our Department of Public Works.

The West Collingswood Extension

The Township met and worked in cooperation with the West Collingswood Extension Civic Association on their annual Easter Egg Hunt and Earth Day celebration.  We supplied plants and flowers for their beautification project along Collings Ave.

These are just some of the many steps we have taken to ensure that Haddon Township is moving forward as a safe, thriving, and prosperous community for generations to come.  We hope you have a very safe and relaxing summer.  As always, we welcome your questions or comments.  Please contact us at MayorTeague@Haddontwp.com, PDougherty@Haddontwp.com or at JFoley@Haddontwp.com.

For the Spring 2010 Issue of Haddon Press

Welcome to the first installment of the Haddon Press for 2010. The Press is a valuable instrument that allows the Township and the School District to communicate directly with our citizens. The Press also allows us to update the public on various issues in town. The most commonly asked question I hear is “What is going on with the Dy-Dee site?” While you may not visibly see a lot happening at the Dy-Dee site, significant progress is occurring.

For any municipality, redevelopment can be a very complex, costly and time consuming issue, especially when the site to be redeveloped has been abandoned for more than twenty years and is contaminated. With regard to the Dy-Dee site, the Redevelopment Agreement with Fieldstone Associates also requires the acquisition of a number of properties surrounding the site, which has made the process even more complicated and time consuming.

During the acquisition period, we discovered that several properties, are, like Dy-Dee, also contaminate. This has complicated the acquisition of these properties. There was also a property owner, Sulock (State Farm), challenging its inclusion within the site. I am happy to report that we have settled out of court with Mr. Sulock and purchased his property at the end of December. They will be vacating the property in March and moving their offices to a nearby location.

An environmental investigation and clean-up for a site such as Dy-Dee can take years and cost millions of dollars. The environmental investigation alone for the Dy-Dee site will total over two million dollars. We have been successful in obtaining grants from the State for the entire amount of the environmental investigation. Haddon Township has already received over two and a half million dollars in grant funding.

In addition, we have successfully pursued a Brownfield Development Area designation through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and were one of only three municipalities in the state awarded BDA status for 2009. The BDA designation enables us to streamline the environmental investigation and clean up through DEP and provides 75% funding for the remediation of the site (Fieldstone Associates will pay the remaining 25%).

Recently, our Remedial Action Workplan for the Dy-Dee site was approved by the DEP. What does this mean? As soon as the ground thaws, the clean-up of the Dy-Dee site will finally begin. After more than twenty years, our goal of a “clean” Dy-Dee site will be realized.

Fieldstone Associates are pursuing final site plan approvals before the Planning and Zoning board. Once site plan approval is given, the remediation is completed and the final properties acquired; the site will be sold to Fieldstone Associates. In turn, the Township’s bond will be paid off and construction can begin. The Towne Center at Haddon will revitalize this area as a transit village and will become a catalyst for economic growth for our downtown. The plan consists of residential housing, commercial retail space and accessory parking facilities.

The revitalization of Haddon Ave. is a top priority of this Administration. We are working diligently on plans that will generate long-term sustainable revenue for our town for years to come. Our vision is for a more cohesive, attractive and vibrant downtown—one we can walk to, gather around and prosper from.

As your Mayor, I am more than willing to listen to your suggestions or concerns. Please feel free to contact me at (856) 854-1176 ext. 4111 or at MayorTeague@HaddonTwp.com.