The borough made one final change order to a massive cleanup project at the department of public works building, which will see a near $100,000 savings.
The commissioners approved a change to the cleanup work at the DPW site, reducing the overall project by $90,000. The project comes in at a final mark of $309,548.
The costly repair and cleanup project was hurriedly approved in May of 2010 when it became apparent that the DPW building was leaking diesel fuel into ground and a nearby creek.
The DPW site is located at a section of the borough with a very high water table. The contaminated water was funneled into a large container, filtered, cleaned, and directed back into the Borough’s storm drain system.
The facility, Mayor Tish Colombi said, is nearly 70-years-old.
Commissioner Jeff Kasko applauded the reduction in cost and said it was great news that the project didn’t cost nearly as much as originally budgeted.
Administrator Sharon McCullough said the borough’s insurance offset some of the cost of the project as well.
In other borough news:
An advantageous business agreement will continue in Haddonfield, Commissioner Ed Borden explained, as Borough Solicitor Mario Iavicoli will return for a 33rd year as Haddonfield’s legal counsel.
Iavicoli will receive a flat fee of $70,000 for the year — an increase of about $5,000 from 2011 — to provide the borough with legal advice, Borden said. Typically lawyers will be brought in under a retainer and then paid hourly, he said, but Iavicoli will simply be paid $70,000 for the entire year no matter how many hours he works for the borough.
“In some cases I’ve seen retainers for more than $70,000 for a year,” Borden said. “I’m delighted he will be our lawyer again for this year.”
Iavicoli brings “good judgment” to the position and serves the borough well, Borden said.
Borough resident Joe Haro criticized the borough’s decision to close the Haddonfield Information Center for the entire month of January. Why, he asked, is the information center closed for the entire month when it could be open a day or two a week to save on costs?
Colombi said that the decision was reached along with Arlene Fiorelli, director of the information center. January, Colombi, is typically a month where the center receives the least amount of visitors.
“People can still go online and purchase the borough wide gift certificates,” Colombi said. The information center sells the gift certificates year round.
This was the best option that had been explored by the borough, Kasko said. Representatives actually considered closing the center — which is located in Kings Court — and moving it to the Borough Hall. Also, the option of closing the information center entirely was considered as well, he said, but ultimately was rejected.
Currently, the Haddonfield Business Improvement District also kicks in funding each month to support the information center, Kasko said.
“This doesn’t make us happy, we don’t want it closed for an entire month,” Kasko said.
Several Haddonfield School District representatives, including Superintendent Dr. Richard Perry, were on hand at the beginning of the meeting to accept a proclamation from the commissioners.
Perry, Board of Education members Andrew Berlin and Glenn Moramarco thanked the commissioner for proclaiming January 2012 as “School Board Recognition Month.”
“We have a great working relationship with the commissioners and we appreciate what they do,” Perry explained. “It benefits our students in the district.”
