Township Committee Appropriates $600K for Capital Improvements

The Bernards Township Committee voted unanimously at Tuesday's meeting to approve an ordinance appropriating $600,000 for capital improvements and equipment related to the migration of emergency communications to Somerset County. 

Committee members expressed agreement tonight that it was the right decision for local taxpayers based on positive results in surrounding towns that already made the switch. 

Township Committeeman Scott Spitzer said the township will save four to five million dollars over the next several years, after the initial investment, and local residents will reap benefits that others have already taken advantage of. 

“I believe this is the right way to go,” Spitzer said. ”We’re constantly looking for efficiencies, and our taxpayers are asking us for shared services where appropriate and where it makes sense to do. We can achieve significant cost savings for our township residents, providing quality services that other towns enjoy without charge from the county.

"It’s time that Bernards Township stepped up and itself obtained some of the benefits that the other towns in our county have obtained on the backs of Bernards Township residents and taxpayers,” he added.

One member of the public, Todd Edelstein, disagreed with the decision during public comments, saying the township had invested in the current system less than 10 years ago. He also voiced concerns that it would eventually lead to regionalized police services. 

“We already have a system that’s proven that works," Edelstein said. "We have no idea if we go to a county system, if it will work. If you’re going to do away with the central dispatch, that’s only one step away from regionalizing the police department.” 

Township Committeeman John Carpenter pointed out that the equipment currently used by the police dispatch center requires maintenance and software upgrades.

“The equipment we have in our police dispatch center right now is not a static thing," said Carpenter. "There’s costs on the horizon with this equipment that we are going to have to bear, so it’s not like we’re throwing away perfectly good equipment. It’s equipment we were going to sink more money into, so it’s an opportune time to do this.” 

Carpenter said it's the right thing to do.

“We’re certainly not the only town in Somerset County that’s going to be using Somerset County’s dispatch, and I think it’s the right thing to do.”

CFO/Township Administrator Bruce McArthur said the original amount authorized for the purchase of portable communications equipment for volunteers and police is reduced from $544,975 to $426,178. A purchase resolution was amended off the consent agenda to reflect this change.

McArthur said the biggest part of this reduction is due to Somerset County agreeing to dispatch on the existing pager frequency for two more years, saving approximately $84,000 designated for pagers for volunteer squads.

The township also reduced the number of radios they would be purchasing at this time. 

McArthur said with a small investment, the township's VHS system will remain functional and meet federal and county requirements.

"It’s a very workable system for our volunteers and our police when they’re communicating amongst themselves at events…on the scene, on the ground, at fires," he said. 

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the decision to switch to the county dispatch was made Tuesday night. The decision was made several months ago.