Council to Vote on Revaluation Funding Ordinance

The next meeting of Lawrence Township Council will take place today, Tuesday, Sept. 4, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal building at 2207 Lawrence Rd. (Route 206).

The meeting agenda is available from the township’s website and the Patch media box to the right.

According to the agenda, a public hearing will be take place concerning an , under terms that will allow the township to spread that cost out over a five-year period.

The township was ordered by the Mercer County Board of Taxation to complete the revaluation. Without the passage of such an ordinance, the township would have to account for the full amount during a single budget year – 2013.

A related resolution, if approved by council, would award a $729,780 contract to Professional Property Appraisers Inc. of Delran for the completion of a majority of the revaluation work, according to the agenda.

Also on the agenda:

• an ordinance concerning the sale of township-owned land is scheduled for introduction;
• two other ordinances (concerning a pedestrian crosswalk and increases to certain fees charged by the township) are scheduled for public hearings and subsequent adoption votes by council;
• a bid for the installation of a new segment of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail is scheduled for awarding; and
• seven other resolutions concerning legal services and other businesses are scheduled for approval.

Township Manager Richard Krawczun’s traditional pre-meeting explanatory memo is also available from the township’s website and the media box above.

In his memo, Krawczun notes that discussion of the during the Manager’s Report segment of the meeting.

For the convenience of readers, the contents of Krawczun’s memo are also reproduced below:

Upcoming Meeting 9/4/2012

Introduction of Ordinances

There is one ordinance for introduction.

Ordinance 6-A authorizes the sale of Township owned properties to contiguous land owners. The price of the parcels is the assessed value of the property. The successful purchaser is responsible for $500 of the legal fees and other costs necessary for the property to be transferred. The conveyed parcel must be consolidated with an existing adjoining lot and is deed restricted from being subdivided or utilized for the construction of a dwelling or other structures except for accessory buildings such as a shed.

Resolutions

The agenda includes routine administrative authorizations as well as resolutions providing for refunds, bond releases and acceptances.

Resolution 7-C authorizes an amendment to the professional services contract of Michael W. Herbert, Esquire as Special Counsel for open legal matters. The amendment is to increase the contract by the amount of $1,400 to a new maximum of $6,400. Mr. Herbert served as the municipal attorney in 2011 and the services of his firm were needed to complete his portion of work on pending matters. This amendment will conclude the need for his firm’s services with the exception of the Trenton Water Works litigation.

Resolution 7-D authorizes the sale of personal property recovered by the Lawrence Township Police. The items will be sold at public auction on September 18. The items to be sold include one motor vehicle, a motorcycle and twelve (12) bicycles.

Resolution 7-E authorizes Lawrence Township to enter into a Deed of Temporary Easement with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) for the construction of a multi-purpose trail on their property located adjacent to Lewisville Road. BMS has granted an easement to the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation (LHT) for the placement of the trail. The LHT has received a grant for the construction of the trail in this location from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. The LHT has authorized Lawrence Township as a subgrantee to bid for the construction of the trail. The grant will pay for the construction with no costs being incurred by Lawrence Township. The trail will be available for public use.

Resolution 7-F amends the professional services agreement of Brian Slaugh, PP, AICP of Clark Caton Hintz as planning consultant to the Zoning Board. The amount of the increase is $3,000 and a new contract maximum of $33,500. Funding is available from the Zoning Board Other Expenses appropriation.

Award of Bids

There is one bid award on the agenda.

Resolution 8-A awards a bid to All Surface Asphalt Paving, Incorporated of Point Pleasant, New Jersey for the installation of a multi-purpose trail adjacent to Lewisville Road on the site owned by Bristol Myers Squibb. The amount of the award is $180,840. Funding is available from a grant from the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation.

Adoption of Ordinances

There are three ordinances for adoption.

Ordinance 9-A authorizes a mid-block crosswalk on Lewisville Road between the Bristol Myers Squibb property to The Lawrenceville School. The crosswalk will connect two sections of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail. This ordinance does not authorize funding for installation.

Ordinance 9-B amends the Lawrence Township Administrative Code by increasing various fees. The amended fees were presented previously as recommendations and the new rates are expected to raise approximately $30,000 of additional revenue.

Ordinance 9-C authorizes a special emergency appropriation for the funding of the revaluation of properties in Lawrence Township. The Local Budget Law provides for the total cost to be equally funded over a period of five years. In addition, the ordinance will authorize the issuance of special emergency notes for the providing of funds.

Resolution 9-Ci authorizes a bid award to Professional Property Appraisers, Incorporated of Delran, New Jersey for the revaluation of township properties. The amount of the contract is $729,780 excluding the Quaker Bridge Mall, Sears, JC Penney, Lord n Taylors and Macys. Funding is subject to approval of the special emergency appropriation for said purpose.

Manager’s Report

Discussion of 2013 municipal budget.

For Municipal Budget Background, See:

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