Oct. 5 Scotch Plains Council Recap

On Tuesday night, the Scotch Plains Township Council met at 7:00 p.m. for the conference meeting, and then reconvened at 8:30 p.m. in the Town Hall meeting room for the televised portion. Issues involving leaf pickup and an update from the Scotch Plains Management Corporation were discussed.

In the conference room, the council discussed action items; all ordinances and resolutions were unanimously passed later in the meeting room portion. These items included an ordinance to conform with state and county-mandated recycling standards,  a resolution authorizing a cooperative pricing agreement and a resolution authorizing the use and maintenance of the Ponderosa/Sevell property.

Public Works Director Kevin Ward spoke to the council in the conference room portion regarding the 2010 leaf collection. Oct. 25 marks the kickoff of the first leaf collection; residents are allowed to keep their leaves on the street starting on Oct. 15. Ward noted that piles of brush will not be picked up, and Councilman Kevin Glover wanted to make it especially clear to residents, "please do not do so."

The pickup crew will likely make two runs, potentially followed by a last, third pickup with a "skeleton crew," said Ward. The third pickup would occur "mid to early December."

The issue of brush pickup was also discussed. "We could save 10 to 15 thousand dollars if we don't do [brush pickup]. That money is for purely operation disposal, it doesn't even include fuel, and wear and tear on the vehicles," said Ward.

The council agreed that it would be best for both financial and planning purposes to hold off on the brush pickup. "It would be a disaster to have [brush pickup] this year and not next," said Mayor Nancy Malool.

David Biagini of the Scotch Plains Management Corporation (SPMC) made the trip up from Mississippi to give the council updates on multiple projects he is running.

Biagini started by detailing the recent summer concert series, assisted by the SPMC, noting the one thousand water bottles they provided.

Then, he detailed the recent success of the magazine Simply Scotch Plains, organized by the SPMC. Biagini said the magazine was mailed to every residence possible (about 8500 in count), and success in ad sales enabled on-the-street handouts and mailing to businesses.

"I judge the success of the magazine by four things," Biagini said, "first, we met and surpassed our advertisement goal…second, we received advance order for our holiday season." Biagini went on to describe the third: the most responses to a town-centered crossword puzzle that he has ever seen (in five or six other towns). He received 193 returns on the puzzle, and then noted that "as some of you who've taken business classes on direct mailings know, two percent is fantastic."

Finally, the fourth barometer for success was that the magazine provoked the strongest reaction he had ever seen. Biagini said that residents seemed anxious to tell the SPMC where they had made mistakes. The next issue will mail right before Thanksgiving.

Biagini continued with explicating a retention and recruitment plan for local businesses. Potential businesses (and businesses currently residing in Scotch Plains) will be targeted in a television ad that will aim at 200,000 subscribers in New Jersey. "We also plan to make separate commercials for Route 22 and downtown businesses," said Biagini.

Malool told Biagini "I think you're doing a great job, you've done things we didn't even imagine."

In the meeting room portion, with approximately fifteen community members present, residents announced that tomorrow is "walk to school day", this week (Oct. 3 to Oct. 9) is fire prevention week, and that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Finally, the election debates were publicized: Monday, Oct. 11 and Tuesday, Oct. 26, both at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall municipal room.