An interesting item on the docket for Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting. The description for Resolution #12-643 reads,
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CONTRACT WITH NEW JERSEY AMERICAN WATER, RARITAN MILLSTONE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, P.O. BOX 102, BOUND BROOK, NJ 08805, TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY WATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATIONS TRAINING DURING THE PROPOSED SALE OF THE OUTSIDE ASSETS OF THE WATER UTILITY (Not to exceed $39,512.45)
Huh? “Proposed Sale of the Outside Assets of the Water Utility?”
What’s up with that? Can anyone shed some light on this?
I suspect this is the connection hardware that sets between Trenton’s system and American Water’s system. These interconnects were built during the time that it was thought that parts of the Trenton system were going to be sold to American Water (which of course didn’t pan out). They would have served to provide Trenton bulk water to those newly acquired American Water customers. The price seems very low to me, but I don’t have any direct knowledge of what the costs were in building these connections.
I didn’t know what to make of it either…
Kevin:
Can’t swear to this; you’ll have to check the contract. I seem to recall that part of the deal was that NJAW was to trainTWW personnel in anticipation of the splitting off of the township part of the utility. My guess is that the service was performed while the actual transfer was pending but before it went to referendum and was defeated. I wonder if it is enforceable? I’m sure George Dougherty would have further info to confirm my suspicion and also some thoughts on the enforceability.
That makes some sense, I think. George D also questions this. If it is something that old, it escapes us all. Billing it and/or authorizing this over two years later is odd, if that’s in fact the case. But, it is Trenton. Whatever!
Thanks, Jim. Thanks, Joe. Thanks, Bobby.
this is a total surprise to me, i thought that the sweet deal was over (for the previous mayor) when is was defeated.
this definitely needs further looking into.
btw there has been connections between surrounding water departments since the filtration plant flooded(about late 1970’s). then the water was off for a number of weeks as a new pump was being installed. the interconnects were installed so if a repeat occurred, other water depts could aid each other.
the more i think about this, the more confusing this becomes. that kind of training can be easily done in-house. turning a gate valve on/off doesnt require a class. that is a normal responsibility(i know this since i worked there >30yr ago), as for installing the interconnects, who authorized that. as for maintenance they just need to be kept permanently “on”.
$39k is way out of line.
the city should go back to the old water billing, i.e. the water bills for city residents was 1/2 of the surrounding twsp’s this was the payback for the city residents for owning the water dept. the current billing was brought about so that the system could get easy approval by BPU for the sale to you know who.
i wonder if JoJo was involved