VOL. 63, NO. 36
Friday, September 14, 2018
hopewellvalleynews.com
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Public hearing on plastic bag ban to resume next month By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
A public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would, if adopted, ban Hopewell Borough businesses from handing out single-use plastic bags to customers has been carried to the Borough Council’s October meeting. Mayor Paul Anzano suggested carrying the public hearing to the Oct. 4 meeting to allow councilwomen Debra Lehman and Shelby Tewell an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed ordi-
nance. Lehman and Tewell left the Sept. 6 meeting early. At the same time, acknowledging the diversity of opinions on the ordinance, councilmen Ryan Kennedy and Chris Fossel have been tasked with drawing up an alternative ordinance for possible introduction at the Oct. 4 meeting. Under the proposed ordinance introduced Aug. 2, businesses and stores would be permitted to hand out paper bags, which can be recycled, or they could make reusable bags available to customers,
either for sale or for free. Customers would be able to bring their own bags, or carry out items they purchased without a bag, according to the ordinance. Store owners would be encouraged to promote reusable bags and to post signs encouraging their use. Several attendees at the Sept. 6 meeting said they favored the proposed ordinance that was set for final action. Mary Lou Ferrara, who sits on the Sourland Conservancy Board of Trustees, said the group favors
the ordinance and expressed its gratitude to the council. The nonprofit group “stands behind you,” she said. Jim Waltman, the executive director of the Watershed Institute, also urged the council to adopt the ordinance. The Watershed Institute is the new name for the former Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association. “Here is this borough, leading the parade, not following it,” Waltman said. On behalf of the Watershed Institute, he pledged it would provide 1,000 reusable
bags for Hopewell Borough because “we want to help get it started.” But Councilman Sky Morehouse repeated his opposition to the proposed ordinance. He was critical of it because it does not contain an educational component. He said he would like businesses to post a placard or poster near the cash register that would ask customers to think about whether they need a plastic bag. Morehouse pointed to the
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The Brothers Moon to close down later this month after 17 years By Samantha Brandbergh Correspondent
When Will Mooney — Hopewell resident and The Brothers Moon chef and owner — attended culinary school in 1987, he had set the goal of owning his own restaurant, and keeping its doors open, for 15 years. The Brothers Moon opened on West Broad Street in March 2001, but after dinner service on Sept. 29, the restaurant and bakery that prides itself on “farm-to-table” dining will be closing its doors after more than 17 years. Mooney and his wife Beth announced the closing via The Brothers Moon Facebook page on Sept. 4. “The Brothers Moon could not have been what it is without each and every one of you,” the post reads. “We are forever grateful to our customers who have become like family and thank you for your ongoing support throughout the last 17+ years.” Sitting in one of the dining room’s plush, red leather booths, Mooney reminisced on the past 17 years. “We’ve touched a lot of folks in wonderful ways,” he said. “We’ve been a major part of the community. We’ve done the [Hopewell] Harvest Fair, and this is going to be the first time we’re not doing it.” Mooney has been a chef since 1993 and was working at Bon Appetit in Princeton before the future The Brothers Moon property, which housed The Village Market at the time, went up for sale. After calling a few banks, the family bought the property and built the restaurant from the ground up. Aside from his goal of keeping a restaurant open for 15 years, Mooney also dreamed of owning
a bakery, deli and takeout service, as well as a catering business. With The Brothers Moon, he got all four in one. Four years ago, the family worked to complete a total renovation of the restaurant, with light fixtures and wall decor made out of baking sheets, designed by Beth. “When we bought the place, we wanted to have a place in our hometown that we didn’t have to commute to, that would feed part of the community and [where] we could raise our kids,” Mooney said. His children Liam and Aria weren’t raised in the restaurant, but rather “grew up with it,” he said. The two have worked parttime at The Brothers Moon while in high school, often having their birthday parties there. “There is a lot of family, growing up stuff that happened here that I’m sure we’ll miss,” Mooney said. Some life changes over the years partially contributed to the idea of closing and selling the restaurant. Mooney said the family had been discussing selling the property in the early spring, right before his son Liam graduated high school. At that time, Mooney began searching for realtors. Once the property was listed, it only took a few months for a buyer to make an offer. The new buyer, Mooney said, will continue operating the property as a restaurant under a different name. Since the announcement of the closing, community residents and regular patrons of The Broth-
Photos by Scott Friedman
Celebrating a regal insect The 16th annual Insect Festival included a celebration of the monarch butterfly on Sept. 8 at the Mercer Educational Gardens. Below, Harry Hess and Joan Schwarzwalder, of Pennington, marvel at a tagged monarch butterfly that landed on his arm.
See CLOSING, Page 3A
Pennington Borough Council introduces $400K bond ordinance for senior center renovations By Samantha Brandbergh Correspondent
The introduction of a nearly $400,000 bond ordinance to fund renovations at the Hopewell Valley Senior Center was recently approved by the Pennington Borough Council. During its Sept. 4 meeting, the governing body unanimously approved the bond ordinance’s introduction. According to the proposed ordinance, a bond of $373,059 will
be issued to fund the renovations. Along with a $19,635 down payment, the total amount will be $392,694. Officials expect to pay back the bond over the next 10 years. A separate $136,347 reimbursement grant from Mercer County, and any in-kind donations, Lawver said, “will be used to reduce the amount that is drawn against the bond or will pay down the bond.” Money from the Mercer County grant has already been used to
repave the senior center parking lot, Lawver said. The renovations will include new roofs, floors, kitchen appliances, bathroom facilities, lighting, windows, doors and exterior siding. Lawver added that the repairs to the senior center were crucial for safety reasons. “The siding is falling off, the roof is leaking, the kitchen is hazardous,” he said, “We had to go and disconnect the burner off the stove because it was stuck and al-
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ways on.” Talks of renovating the senior center started back in 2017, and the council aims to bring the building up to a standard so it can be a “safe and welcoming” place for senior citizens again, Lawver said. The ordinance will be open for public hearing and possible adoption during the Pennington Borough council meeting on Oct. 1 in Borough Hall.
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