Mayor Anticipates Challenges, But Promises Improvements, in New Year

Mayor Nancy Malool kicked off her term in 2010 Tuesday night by warning residents that the township will face a host of challenges yet again this year.

"There are plenty of tough decisions ahead," Malool said. "We made plenty last year. But I can promise you this, Scotch Plains will be a better place at the end of 2010."

In her annual message of the New Year, delivered during the township's reorganization meeting, the mayor likened Scotch Plains 2009 council with the New York Jets football team, pointing out that both started last year off with new leadership, made a few mistakes along the way, but ultimately worked together and finished strong.

"2009 was probably one of the worst years in all of our memories, but our team did come together, and we made it through the year," Malool said, citing cap issues, layoffs, sewer increases, reductions in state aid, reductions in property tax payments and interest income, increases in insurance pension payments and unemployment payments, and reduction in services as the top issues of last year.

This year, Malool said, the township needs to work even harder to create a capital plan that best serves the interest of the residents.

"Last year I asked that we issue no bonds because we needed to conserve money," the mayor said. "This year, I believe that we need to move forward and create a long-term capital plan for equipment, roadways and facility improvements. We need to invest our capital in order to keep improving quality of life in Scotch Plains and we need to use it wisely."

Malool noted that the township has opportunities for savings through increased cooperative purchasing and through increased shared services with Fanwood, Union County and others. She also cited supporting the business district and the Scotch Plains Management Corps. in 2010 as an integral part of helping the township thrive.

"Our sewer utility fees are inevitable," she continued, "but we can ensure that we implement the fairest and most accurate fee structure possible. We can improve our communication through an improved Web site. ... We also need to consider a joint library with Fanwood."

"Scotch Plains remains an excellent place to live and work, but I have to ask whether we can make it better in 2010," Malool said. "I think our residents want us to make it better, but they want us first of all to fill the basic needs, fiscal responsibility, health and safety, maintain services, and provide recreational opportunities for all. I think we can provide all of those ... Working together again we can get by another year, but is it enough to just get by? I don't think so and I don't think our residents want us to just get by. We need to get ahead of issues and we need to move Scotch Plains forward. It's a new decade."

Watch the video on the right to hear her full speech.