West Deptford Committee Adopts Budget, Approves DPW Contract

After a flurry of amendments and a bit more than 10 minutes of discussion, the township committee unanimously approved West Deptford’s $30.3 million budget, as well as a new four-year contract with the Department of Public Works, in their work session Thursday night.

Though the amount stayed the same as when the budget was first introduced, some money was shifted around by those amendments before the committee voted for adoption.

The two most significant were dumping anticipated revenue from a redevelopment deal with Fieldstone Associates that was still in negotiations–a deal axed completely later in the evening–which was offset by shifting $2 million from a water and sewer inner fund, money that otherwise would've gone into surplus, according to township treasurer Richard Giuliani.

Committeeman Sean Kilpatrick raised concerns over that $2 million’s potential effect on the water and sewer operating fund.

“It feels, to me, like we’re banking on us having a good year, and putting ourselves in a tight spot with the water and sewer budget,” he said.

Kilpatrick added that the department doesn’t know what the fallout will be from the recent rust in the water system, and said maintenance and repairs on the Jessup Road tank could run between $500,000 and $600,000, depending on what they find after an inspection.

Giuliani assured Kilpatrick that the money being shifted from water and sewer was in no way from the department's operating budget.

When all the columns are totaled, the new budget slashes $400,000 off last year’s and saves the average taxpayer $106. Two-thirds of West Deptford homeowners will see at least some reduction in their property tax bills under the approved budget.

Deputy Mayor Len Daws also advanced the idea of planning the budget well ahead of time, especially given the challenges coming in 2012 to try to balance the budget against a more than $3 million jump in bond payments, going beyond just meeting with department heads and having wider discussions as a committee.

“A penny saved this year is two cents next year,” he said.

Before giving the final nod to the budget, the committee approved a new contract with the Department of Public Works, a four-year deal retroactive to 2010 that will run through 2013.

The deal, which eliminates sick-time buy back, guarantees workers a two-percent raise each year through the life of the contract, and requires them to contribute 1.5 percent of their salaries toward health benefits through the end of this year.

Starting on Jan. 1 of next year, however, workers will have to kick in whatever percentage is mandated by pending legislation spearheaded by state Sen. Stephen Sweeney, a West Deptford native.

Township administrator Eric Campo said it's difficult to pin down exactly how much those increased contributions will save the township, because the percentages aren’t set yet, but he estimated it could be at least $100,000.

“We’re anticipating significant savings,” he said.