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County of Sussex and Borough of Andover to Share Services under New Agreement

Release Date: October 20, 2008
The County will provide public works services, including road maintenance and plowing, to the Borough of Andover and fueling services to the Andover Borough Fire Department.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Further Information, Contact:
Freeholder Director Hal Wirths
   (973) 579-0240
County Administrator John Eskilson
   (973) 579-0250
Shared Services Coordinator Keith Armstrong
   (973) 579-0200 Ext. 1129

On October 22, 2008, the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders approved a Shared Services Agreement between the County and the Borough of Andover whereby the County will provide public works services, including road maintenance and plowing, to the Borough of Andover and fueling services to the Andover Borough Fire Department.
The Agreement is projected to save Andover Borough approximately $19,605.00 annually, or 3.24% of its total annual budget. Andover Borough does not have a department of Public Works and has relied upon neighboring municipalities and private contractors to provide those services to its residents. Under this Agreement the County will incorporate maintenance of the Borough’s two miles of roads into its Andover District, encompassing 40 miles of roads. The County will absorb this responsibility without adding to its current staff.
Last winter Andover Borough paid $38,265.00 to a private contractor for winter road maintenance. Under the terms of the Agreement, the County will provide the following services for the same price Andover paid for winter road maintenance alone last year:
  1. Roadway Shoulder Maintenance
  2. Pothole Repair
  3. Roadside Mowing
  4. Brush Cutback on Roadways and Chipping
  5. Plowing, Salting & Sanding of Roadways & Municipal Building Parking Lot
  6. Salting & Sanding Fire Company Parking Areas
  7. Plowing, Sanding & Salting of Sports Park Parking Lot
  8. Street Sweeping
  9. Catch Basin Cleaning
Because the County purchases motor fuel under competitive bid and is tax exempt, the Agreement will provide a savings to the Borough. Currently the Borough uses a commercial station and pays the current market price, plus tax, for its fuel.
As part of this Agreement, Sussex County and Andover Borough will seek grant funds from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs SHARE Program for the purchase of computerized equipment that will track the amount of road salt, grit, and fuel being used for winter storm services. This computerized equipment also calculates the precise disbursement of salt and sand, reducing the environmental impact on County roads, with additional cost savings resulting from closer monitoring of materials.
Freeholders and Andover Mayor
Left to Right: Freeholder Glen Vetrano, Liaison to the Department of Engineering & Planning, Division of Public Works (Office of Roads), Freeholder Susan M. Zellman, Freeholder Jeffrey M. Parrott, Freeholder Director Harold J. Wirths, John A. Morgan, Mayor, Borough of Andover, Freeholder Phillip R. Crabb, Liaison to the Department of Central & Shared Services, John Eskilson, County Administrator, Keith Armstrong, Sussex County Shared Services Coordinator
Freeholder Director Hal Wirths said "One of the keys to meeting the challenges of these difficult financial times is better cooperation of local governments. We hope that this agreement with the Borough of Andover serves as a model for additional cooperation in the area of public works in the future."
Andover Borough Mayor John Morgan, who has been working closely with Keith Armstrong, the County's coordinator of Shared Services, and Steven Losey, Roads Supervisor, to craft this agreement, said that "it will significantly reduce the cost of services that will now be provided by the County while assuring that those services are provided by a workforce that is known for its capability to keep the County's roads in tip-top shape. Another benefit of this agreement is the availability for our fire department to fuel their trucks at the Andover Yard at significantly reduced costs compared to commercial providers that are currently being utilized. The proximity of the Andover Yard to the Borough makes this partnership a win-win situation for both entities."
Andover Borough Councilman Arthur Copcutt said, "Next year with the implementation of a computerized tracking system the Borough will be able to better budget for its needs as precise costs can be accumulated whereas the past budgets were based on historical estimates. The end result is savings for the town and its taxpayers through the efficiency resource provided by the County. Both the Mayor and the council is looking forward to this cooperative effort with the County."