Mayor David Del Vecchio
State of the City Address
January 1, 2010
Residents, invited guests, members of Council, good morning and happy new year.
From myself and my family – my wife Karen and our kids Alex and Matthew – I hope this new year will be one of great joy for you and your families.
On behalf of the governing body, we wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous 2010.
As is fitting, the start of a new year is the time to tack stock of our accomplishments of the prior year and to set the agenda that we will follow in the months ahead.
Some immediate change in on the horizon.
As we know, in 19 days, we will have a new Governor.
Even though we are of different parties, I look forward to working with Governor-elect Christie. Shortly after his election, I met briefly with the Governor-elect. He understands the pressures residents of towns like Lambertville face every day, and I do not doubt his sincerity in wanting to fix the systemic problems of our state.
We wish him well in his new job.
Staying the Course in an Uncertain Future
As New Jersey was buffeted by the winds of the deepest recession in several generations, Lambertville also suffered. No one needed to do more than to talk to their neighbors or see the slower foot traffic downtown to see how the economy has affected us all.
Luckily, though, the decisions we made over the past several years and the strength of our residents kept the City strong in 2009, and well-positioned for a bright future.
Over the past two years, Lambertville has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in state aid. And, as the state itself looks to grapple with a budget gap quickly approaching $9 billion for the coming year, any chance at us recouping lost money has all but disappeared entirely.
Ensuring the continuance of essential services and the stability of city finances while minimizing the impact on property taxpayers has not been easy, but I do believe it has been successful.
It is easy to say that in times like these you need to do more with less, but as public officials, it important for us to practice what we preach.
We already have eliminated one public works employee, and will convert one full-time City administrative job to a part-time basis. We also intend to similarly replace a full-time municipal court position with a part-time employee.
The City also continues to look to its neighbors for creative and effective shared services programs that can save money while maintaining the high quality of services we all expect and desire.
This past year, we began renting our old packer truck to West Amwell, providing a revenue stream to the City while also allowing the township to implement a single-stream recycling program that will save them money.
The South Hunterdon Renewable Energy Cooperative also has had a productive year. And, as we enter 2010, we are putting the final touches on our RFP with the hopes that we will be able to enter into a agreement with a solar-power company later this year (Energy Efficient Audit).
I would like to thank the members of the Lambertville Board of Education, the West Amwell and board of education, South Hunterdon Regional’s Board of Education and the Lambertville Municipal Utilities Authority for being such willing and able partners in this endeavor.
As I said last year, I am committed to investigating every possible avenue of partnership and shared services. It is still my belief that residents don’t care about the name written on the side of the vehicle, so long as the services are provided in a timely and efficient manner.
Earlier this month, the City and West Amwell Township received the results of the study we requested examining the feasibility of merging our police forces.
While the report was positive and endorsed a merger, obvious obstacles remain to be overcome.
But it would be foolish for anyone to dismiss the report out-of-hand. Any municipal official can read the writing on the wall that the days of every town having all its own services are quickly coming to an end.
The state is moving to a point where sharing services and merging operations will not be encouraged, but demanded…where partnerships won’t be voluntary, they’ll be mandated.
We can either work together to find a way to create a merged police department and controlling our own destiny, or we will run the risk of someone stepping in and doing it for us.
Rebuilding and Renewing Lambertville
There is no doubt that Lambertville remains one of New Jersey’s best places to work, visit, live and raise a family.
And the investments we are making in our community will only keep our City strong for years to come.
Luckily, through the pursuit of grants and in partnership with the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, we have been able to undertake many important infrastructure projects without the costs being shouldered by property taxpayers.
This past year, we saw the restructuring of Coryell and North Franklin streets, as well as Lambert Lane, with new sidewalks and traffic calming measures included to enhance pedestrian safety.
Along North Union Street, the City installed new street lighting and completed our new City Square at the intersection of Bridge and Union streets to make our downtown more inviting.
We broke ground for out long-awaited traffic light at Swan Street and Route 165.
The City restructured Blair Tract and Highland Ave, to improve drainage and the road surfaces.
And we’re still not done.
This year, we will seek to complete traffic calming and drainage projects on South Franklin Street. This is in conjunction with multiple talks with the residents, and with their help and to respond to their concerns – traffic was rerouted through Mount Hope Cemetery.
I also am hopeful that we will receive final approval from FEMA for our proposed flood gates along Ely Creek and Swan Creek. We have been lucky to have not recorded any significant flooding for the past three years, but I – like many residents and business owners – won’t feel entirely comfortable until our flood mitigation projects are constructed.
This year we also will undertake reconstruction of the sidewalks along North Union Street, again in the name of pedestrian safety.
A True Lambertvillian
In just a little while, the governing body will name Ron Pittore as our new municipal judge.
Everyone here has known Ron in one capacity or another: neighbor, friend, colleague, husband and father.
His love for his hometown and dedication to its residents is without qualification.
He knows the law. And he knows fairness.
That’s why I asked Ron to be our new judge.
On the governing body, I will miss his deliberative nature and his insights into Lambertville that could only have been fashioned by a lifetime in our city.
But those are also the qualities that will suit him so well for serving in this new capacity.
The Pittore family has long been one of the bedrock families of Lambertville.
When our city was down on its luck. Mayor Phil Pittore was there to re-envision its streets and begin the process of transforming this former industrial town into one of New Jersey’s premier antiques, cultural and dining destinations.
Ron’s wife, Cheryl, has spent her career educating our kids. And now she’s been joined by their daughter, Kendra.
Ron’s brother, Pat, is one of the leaders of our rescue squad.
It is rare to see a family so enmeshed in the fabric of its hometown. But it’s just what the Pittores do.
Ron, I will miss you on the governing body.
But I know you’ll only add to your family’s legacy from this bench. I, and all of us on the governing body, wish you nothing but the very best.
A New Term
For me, I have just taken the oath of office for the seventh time.
Never have I forgotten how important this job is. Nor have I ever taken for granted the trust the voters have placed in me.
Lambertville certainly will meet its share of challenges in the coming years. And I will face them the same way I have in the past: openly and honestly.
This year I also will serve as the 1st Vice President of the New Jersey Conference of Mayors, which will put me in line to serve as President in 2011.
These opportunities are not important so much to me, personally, but rather are important to our city.
Despite being a small town at heart, Lambertville is a big town in stature.
Serving in the leadership of statewide organizations – whether it be the Conference of Mayors or the League of Municipalities – only helps grow our standing in our statewide community.
We live in a very special place in very uncertain times.
Now is our time to show New Jersey how neighbors work together to tackle the tough issues of the day.
And in doing so, we will show New Jersey just how strong a community Lambertville is.
Thank you.