“The borough administrator has already begun the process of seeking cuts from every department,” said Mayor Thomas Vahalla at the Jan. 5 reorganization meeting of the Metuchen Borough Council. “With the state and nation mired in a deep recession and the outlook for 2009 glum, maintaining or improving services and protecting our property values will be the ultimate challenge.”

Vahalla said that New Jersey, along with the rest of the country, is in a period of “economic crisis.”

“Last year was the worst year for the stock market since the 1930s,” he said. “Our country has endured at least 10 straight months of lost jobs. The housing market is in turmoil caused by tight credit and record declines in home values.”

According to the mayor, all line items and department areas will be carefully examined throughout the budget process.

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How can Metuchen’s buildings become dramatically more energy-efficient?

The answer to this question was discussed at a Nov. 3 Borough Council meeting, during which it was disclosed that the borough plans to apply to a state program to investigate how some municipal buildings could become more energy-efficient, and in the process, save taxpayer money.

“There are some estimates we can save 30 percent year over year [on energy costs],” councilmember William Waldron said.

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