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Politics & Government

Hillsborough Again Will Not Borrow for Capital Plans

Township using 'pay-as-you-go' philosophy for 10th straight year.

For the 10th consecutive year, Hillsborough will not borrow money to fund its annual capital spending plan.

By following a “pay-as-you-go” philosophy, Chief Financial Officer Nancy Haberle explained at Tuesday’s meeting, the township has avoided going into debt to fund the purchases, which Mayor Carl Suraci called "essential."

That has saved Hillsborough, $1.27 million in interest payments since 2003, Haberle said.

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“Those are tax dollars that do not have to be raised because debt is avoided,” Suraci said.

This year’s capital spending plan, approved unanimously by the Township Committee on Tuesday, is $323,503, approximately 50 percent less than last year’s $560,000.

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“We take fiscal responsibility very seriously on this committee as demonstrated by our continued commitment to our taxpayers,” said Committeeman Bob Wagner, who said it was a result of “recession-based decision-making.”

One of the major purchases is a $42,500 heavy-duty vehicle lift for the DPW garage on East Mountain Road. Haberle said the lift, which can accommodate vehicles up to 72,000 pounds, will allow DPW to perform maintenance and repairs on large vehicles, such as trucks and the senior citizen base, at the facility instead of taking them to Valcheck Bus Co. where there is a lift, she explained.

The budget also calls for $20,000 to monitor the remediation of contamination of the DPW site. The contamination was caused more than two decades ago with the removal of underground fuel storage tanks.

The DPW will also get a $40,000 dump truck and a $35,000 utility vehicle, both with snowplows. They will replace two vehicles that have been in service since 1980.

The Parks and Recreation Department is in line for a $10,118 72-inch mower and a $7,985 tilt travel trailer to unload the large mowers at the 100 acres of township parkland and more than 40 pocket parks. Haberle said the trailer was a recommendation of the township’s insurance carrier.

The Hillsborough Rescue Squad  will receive a $12,500 emergency generator for its headquarters on East Mountain Road and about 100 pagers, valued at $45,000, for its members.

In addition, to meet a mandate by the state Department of Health, the squad will receive a $64,000 computer upgrade to log accurately its response time. The squad will also receive $5,000 to upgrade its radio communications to fulfill a mandate from the Federal Communications Commission.

The will receive $18,000 for various computer and network upgrades, along with $20,000 in new carpeting. The carpeting has not been replaced since the municipal complex opened 20 years ago.

The plan also calls for $3,500 to purchase two replacement defibrillators for police vehicles.

The township will also use $176,000 in money leftover from last year’s budget and a $200,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation to overlay Hamilton Road from Route 206 to the railroad overpass. The township will also use $75,000 in leftover money for various sidewalk repairs.

The items in the capital ordinance have been recommended by the township’s Capital Planning Committee based on requests from township department heads.

The capital spending plan comes on the heels of a $26.5 million municipal budget, which is down $1.6 million over the 2011 budget. The money for the capital budget is included in the municipal budget.

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