Holmdel prepares $4.1M sewer bond ordinance BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer HOLMDEL - Upgrading the Country Woods development to sanitary sewers from septic tank systems is one step closer to becoming a reality. The vote on authorizing the preparation of a bond ordinance for the sewer projectwas 3-1-1, the necessary majority vote. At the Feb. 21 meeting, the Township Committee voted to authorize interimTownship Administrator Joseph Annecharico to prepare a bond ordinance for the proposed $4.1 million sewer installation project at CountryWoods. Democrat Committeeman Larry Fink voted against preparing the bond ordinance and Committeewoman Janet Berk, present via telephone, abstained fromvoting. Republican committeemenAlanBateman andRocco Pascucci voted in favor of authorizing the bond ordinance along withMayor Serena DiMaso. Of the 92 homes surveyed in the development, 53 homeowners voted in favor of the sewer project, 23 voted against it, 13 did not respond and two voted maybe. If the ordinance authorizing the issuance of bond is approved, the 92 homes will be switched from septic systems and hooked into a newsewer system. The bond ordinance will need a minimum vote of four in favor in order for the project to get under way. Residents turned out to express their concerns as well as their support, but the committee remained divided. Bateman lives in the Country Woods development but according to Township Attorney Duane Davison, "It has been ruled that the interest the committeeman has is the same as the rest of the taxpayers in that area." Berk abstained fromthe vote, stating that she felt she did not have sufficient information on the matter. Pascucci disagreedwithBerk, saying that they had all received a packet with the details. Pascucci also added that he felt committee members should be present at committeemeetings because part of the job is to witness the reactions from the townspeople present. "Tonight, I see an overwhelmingmajority of people who want the sewers," he said. "To me, it is clear that the residents want this. I'mnot concerned thatwe are opening a Pandora's Box for high-density housing because you got Lucent with sewers sitting right there. I'm worried about other things." According to township Engineer Edward Broberg, of T&M Associates, the cost per household ranges from$13,000 to $23,000 for septic removal and sewer installation and hookup. Broberg also said that this project has similar topography to the sewer projects done 15 years ago at the Estates of Holmdel and the Hills of Holmdel, which served as a template for CountryWoods. Residents expressed concern over rising property taxes that could occur as a result of the switch from septic to sewer. "The sewers go in, but the taxes don't necessarily go up," Broberg said. "The property value goes up and after the re-evaluation, the house is worth more with sewers and then taxed accordingly." Others lamented the duration of the project, fearing that their lawns will remain ripped open for more than two years. "I can't imagine the project taking more than 19 or 20 months to complete," Broberg said in response to questions about how long the construction will take. Fink expressed his concern over extra costs not included in the packet both committee members and residents received. "I am concerned about the cost of landscape removal and reinstallation and how that will affect the residents," Fink said at the meeting. "And this packet doesn't seem to address costs that may result from different indoor plumbing alterations to connect to the new sewers." "I don't buy into the scare tactics," Bateman stated. "I am not withdrawing my motion and I think this is good for the property values in that area." "This has been going on for years and years,"DiMaso said. "The county is telling us they do not like ourwastewatermanagement plan, so we need to do something. Unfortunately, this is just the way democracy works; the majority of the people want it and the majority wins."