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.

“Department heads and directors will be required to submit budget requests to the borough administrator, and those requests will be subject to council review,” Vahalla said. “A schedule will be prepared by the borough administrator and presented to the council in order to set up review dates and times.”

In 2008, the total of grants and aid received by Metuchen was in excess of $1.4 million, but Vahalla said that it would be unlikely that the “ailing” state budget would provide aid equal to or even close to what Metuchen received last year.

“We will apply for and work hard to get our fair share of aid, but we must brace for more budget cuts,” Vahalla said. “I assure you that any new budget program or service will fulfill a bonafide need and will be funded with clearly identified sources of revenue.”

The mayor highlighted plans for the construction of the District at Metuchen.

“The Renaissance development will provide Metuchen with a grocery store, improved traffic patterns, and synchronized lights, and create an $80 million ratable, an asset our borough sorely needs,” he said.

The borough will also examine ways to save money through other efficiencies.

“We must also re-evaluate and study the possibility of refinancing bonds and notes to take advantage of the lower interest rates,” Vahalla said. “This year we must encourage more efficient recycling, re-evaluate our bulk pick-up and schedule of charges, and continue to emphasize volunteerism.”

To reward volunteers, the mayor proposed that fees such as dog and cat licenses, pool fees, marriage license fees and fees for local recreational events should be eliminated for volunteers and members in good standing of the fire department, auxiliary police, and first aid squad.

At a previous council meeting, the council had also discussed its plans to apply to a state program to study how certain municipal buildings could be made more energy-efficient, and in the process, save taxpayer money.

In closing, Vahalla also noted that 2009 would bring a continued effort to make Metuchen government more transparent.

“Ordinances should now be accompanied with a short synopsis describing where the ordinance originated and what changes the ordinance will address,” he said.

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.

“The program will assist us in identifying cost-justified energy efficient measures for buildings we identify as being part of the program,” he said. “It will help us to reduce energy costs and in turn hopefully lower the local tax burden. The [Clean Energy Program] is quite optimistic that all municipalities that participate will see some savings. It will also help us lower our carbon footprint in the world.”

The New Jersey Clean Energy Program (NJCEP), which is administered by the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU), promotes energy efficiency and the use of clean, renewable sources of energy, according to NJCEP’s website.  The BPU is a state government agency that works to ensure safe and proper utility services at reasonable rates across New Jersey.

“This is a first-come first-serve program, and it has been announced for three weeks now, so we are looking to get in before it is too late,” Waldron said.

According to the program’s publicly described guidelines, the state would study municipal buildings chosen by Metuchen and will reimburse the borough for 75 percent of the study’s cost. The remaining 25 percent may also be reimbursed if the borough implements the study’s recommendations, as long as the cost of the renovation work meets or exceeds that amount. The cost is capped at $100,000 to encourage as many local governments as possible to apply.

“Long story short, we would get all our buildings audited for energy efficiency at no cost to us,” Waldron said. “The only cost to us would be to implement the energy efficient recommendations they set forth.”

The time frame for the study would be six months from its start, he said.

“They will look at our historic energy consumption, and our energy conservation measures such as lighting and heating in the buildings. They will estimate the annual energy cost savings as well as the lifetime cost savings we could realize.”

Precisely which government buildings that would be part of the study had not been determined as of the Nov. 3 council meeting. Those that were suggested as likely candidates included borough hall, the library, the department of public works building, and the senior center.

For more information, go to NJCEP and click on “Local Government Energy Audit Program Now Available” at the right under Program Updates. For more general information how you can save on energy costs, please go to EnergySavers.gov.

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