Hamilton Post
SEPTEMBER 2019
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Down the drain Sewer dispute leads Hamilton to file $2.8M lawsuit against Robbinsville
By micHele alPeRin Since 1987, New Jersey state law has mandated recycling, but Mercer County residents canโt seem to figure out what is recyclable and what isnโt. The result has been increasingly contaminated containers and huge increases in recycling costs. The issue is statewide, and local towns are no exception. According to Chris Rupp, director of public works for Robbinsville Township, the townโs recycling costs โhave doubled from $125,000 per year to $250,000 per year.โ Dan Napoleon, director of environmental programs at the Mercer County Improve- Capt. Don Snedeker from Fire District No. 7 shows Kateri Proulx what it feels like ment Authority, says that the to put out a fire during National Night Out at Veterans Park Aug. 6, 2019. For more cost per household per year photos, turn to Page 18. (Photo by Suzette J. Lucas.) now averages around $29, which generates large bills in populous towns. The major change on the recycling scene, says Frank Fiumefreddo of Solterra Recycling Solutions, is that โthe quality of the material we were shipping Township Station 18, Matt ers opened the bedroom window, overseas had gotten to a point Sanders woke up at 2 a.m. and all three people and Sandthat it was unacceptable.โ As a Aug. 4 to the sound of a smoke ersโs dog escaped the burning result, in 2018, China lowered the alarm going off in his Hamilton home through the window. minimum allowable percentage No one was injured in the home. Sanders opened his bedof contamination in recycling, room door and noticed smoke blaze, but the fire damaged throwing the entire recycling and heat filling the hallway. He the home extensively and industry into crisis. Solterra is By RoB antHes yelled across the hallway to his destroyed nearly all the familyโs the contracted hauler for curb- ranthes@communitynews.org sleeping father, Rich, a long- possessions. side recycling in Robbinsville The next day, the Hamilton time EMT in the area. and towns served by the Mercer Rich crawled to Sandersโs Career Firefighters FoundaFirst responders from across County Improvement Authority, the country have answered the room and shut the door. Sand- tion established a GoFundMe including Hamilton. call after a pair of their own lost ers, his girlfriend and Rich were campaign to help the Sanders. โThey went from maybe five everything in a fire last month. trapped in the room. Knowing In the weeks since, hundreds of A firefighter at Hamilton there was no other way out, SandSee RECYCLE, Page 12 See SANDERS, Page 14
$18K raised for firefighter
Hundreds rally to support family who lost everything in house fire
By RoB antHes ranthes@communitynews.org Hamilton Township has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Robbinsville, the latest twist in a months-long saga surrounding the regional sewer authority shared by the municipalities. Hamilton announced the litigation Aug. 26, one week after Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaedeโs administration came under fire for appearing to backtrack on a study to analyze the finances of the township sewer department. The Aug. 20 announcement that Hamilton would not agree to an independent sewer rate study shocked involved parties in Hamilton and Robbinsville, and raised questions about why the administration would not want it. These questions were the โfinal straw,โ Hamilton Township business administrator Dave Kenny said in a township press release. The lawsuit seeks $2.8 million from Robbinsville, an amount the Yaede administration says its neighbor has not paid for increased usage of Hamiltonโs sewer system. For months, Yaede has claimed that Robbinsville owes Hamiltonโs sewer utility a seven-figure sum, but has been inconsistent in the exact amount, recently increasing the debt from $1 million to $2.8 million. She said in an interview with the Hamilton Post Aug. 22 that Robbinsvilleโs usage of the See SEWER, Page 10
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