Author	Message
Jeff M.	Posted: Fri, Jun 13 2008, 9:44 pm EDT    Post subject: Re: Cranbury to conduct warehouse survey The warehouses have opposed this legislation. We know the owners from our tax roles. Why can't we use our town's staff and have them reach out to the warehouses? Also, at this point with the state paying lip service is there a real validation in this consultant? If the state is not listening to our statements from the beginning and ignoring the warehouse owners when they speak, why will they listen to a report issued by a consultant? My guess is not that we're using this for the arguement today. However, this is preparation for any legal action that the town may be taking. In terms of the cost, I could see a time and expense contract. However, even then we should be aware of the estimated expenses that will be incurred.
Cranbury Conservative	Posted: Fri, Jun 13 2008, 7:48 pm EDT    Post subject: Re: Cranbury to conduct warehouse survey I agree with your statement. During all of my years of experience in my line of work (Information Technology) I have never entered into an agreement with a consultant without first knowing the cost upfront. Or at lest having a fee schedule of some kind for the work. I just don't understand how the TC can enter into an agreement without some kind of knowledge of the cost upfront.
Guest	Posted: Fri, Jun 13 2008, 6:19 pm EDT    Post subject: Re: Cranbury to conduct warehouse survey "Township officials are unsure of the cost of the survey, but hope to have it complete in the next few months. " Here we go again - That's great that our town is being proactive. But how can we approve an agency to do a report without knowing how much it will cost us? Any bids out there? Hey, I buy a car and I know how much it is costing me ahead of the purchase. Hint . . . Hint . . .
Guest	Posted: Fri, Jun 13 2008, 6:13 pm EDT    Post subject: Re: Cranbury to conduct warehouse survey Cranbury Press wrote: ”What needs to be presented to COAH is Cranbury’s data,” said Ms. Smeltzer. “The important thing for us to get is the facts.” The Trenton-based architectural and planning firm Clarke, Caton and Hintz along with Mary Beth Lonergan, the township’s affordable housing consultant, will be conducting the survey. Ms. Smeltzer said they plan to contact every warehouse’s human resources office to have company representatives sign and confirm the number of employees they have on staff. http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/06/13/cranbury_press/news/doc48528f1134917658790024.txt I have a question which I hope someone has the answer to: What if one of the businesses refuses to give over the number of employees or refuses to sign an affidavit? Then this report will not be valid and COAH will still use their own numbers. Isn't there another indisputable way to get these numbers maybe by corporate disability payments to NJ, tax records, IRS, some governmental employee numbers that cannot be disputed?
Cranbury Press	Posted: Fri, Jun 13 2008, 12:48 pm EDT    Post subject: Cranbury to conduct warehouse survey Friday, June 13, 2008 11:26 AM EDT By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer CRANBURY — The township is conducting a survey of its warehouse district in an effort to gather data that would refute the Council on Affordable Housing’s findings concerning jobs and warehouse ratios. The survey is in response to the revised third round rules that COAH. The rules were handed down on Dec. 17, amended on May 6. An initial statewide commentary period on the revised rules which ended in March, prompted COAH to decrease its ratio from 1.5 jobs to 1 job per every 1,000 square feet of warehouse. COAH has since extended it’s commentary period to August. This ratio, among other factors, contributes to the number of affordable housing units the state requires each town to build. The growth share ratio which had also been amended in May now stipulate that there should be one affordable unit for every 16 jobs. * But Cranbury officials say those statistics are still not accurate when it comes to warehouse space in the township. Township Administrator Christine Smeltzer said officials believe the ration is closer to one employee per 1,000 square feet of warehouse, at least in Cranbury’s district. The initial third round rules introduced in December more than doubled the statewide obligation from 52,000 to 115,000 and increased Cranbury’s obligations from 160 to 469 affordable housing units. To meet its round-one and round-two obligations, the township had to build or plan for 223 income-restricted units, Cranbury met those obligations by negotiating regional contribution agreements, which allowed a municipality to transfer up to half of its state-mandated affordable housing obligations to other communities in its region. Township officials are still in the process of recalculating the new affordable housing obligations. ”What needs to be presented to COAH is Cranbury’s data,” said Ms. Smeltzer. “The important thing for us to get is the facts.” The Trenton-based architectural and planning firm Clarke, Caton and Hintz along with Mary Beth Lonergan, the township’s affordable housing consultant, will be conducting the survey. Ms. Smeltzer said they plan to contact every warehouse’s human resources office to have company representatives sign and confirm the number of employees they have on staff. From there they plan to take their numbers directly to COAH Executive Director Lucy Voorhoeve. ”They recognize that there was some problem with the data,” Ms. Smeltzer said. “What (COAH is) willing to do is look at it on a town-by-town basis. “ Township officials are unsure of the cost of the survey, but hope to have it complete in the next few months. http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/06/13/cranbury_press/news/doc48528f1134917658790024.txt