By ROBERT LINNEHAN
The year 2010 is old news. It had its day, like bell bottoms and the pet rock. 2011 is trending upward and Mayor Tish Colombi said Haddonfield residents can expect the borough to wrap up several massive road projects and finalize the redevelopment plans for Bancroft in the new year.
Two massive road projects will be completed in early spring of 2011, Colombi said, with Tanner Street and Woodland Avenue being finalized.
Construction workers are still attempting to replace the aged utilities along Tanner Street before temperatures continue to drop. After the utilities are finished, the roadway will be re-asphalted in the spring when temperatures warm and make the work possible to finish.
The utility work at Woodland Avenue is finished, Colombi said, and construction has been halted until the weather warms up for asphalt work.
“Sometimes you get a break in February and March and that’s when all of that asphalt work can be done,” Colombi said. “The landscaping portion of Tanner Street will be finished in the spring when we’re sure the plants can survive. We’ll have trees planted along the street, it will look nice.”
A project that has long been discussed will likely begin in 2011, Colombi said, with the intersection of Ellis Street and Potter Street receiving a complete reconfiguration.
The Camden County-funded project will make the intersection safer, Colombi said, and will add another stoplight near Kress Liquor.
Also, Ellis Street will receive several beautification improvements — including landscaping upgrades and the removal of the retaining wall — to make the entrance into Haddonfield more pleasant, Colombi said.
The commissioners, Colombi said, will likely make a final decision on the Bancroft redevelopment project in 2011. Clarke Caton & Hintz was recently hired — after the decision to let Heyer, Gruel & Associates out of its contract — and was set to begin work on the redevelopment of Bancroft on Jan. 1.
The Bancroft issue has been one of the hottest topics in Haddonfield since June when a project was first floated for a plan to develop the 19-acre property. One of the most controversial aspects of the plan was a Continuing Care Retirement Community that many residents protested because of the span of its size and the impact it would have on the neighboring areas.
All possibilities for Bancroft are still on the table, Colombi said, but it’s important for the commissioners to make a final decision on the project so Haddonfield has control over the property if Bancroft decides to sell.
“At the end of the day, there will have to be a decision made. We are elected to make those decisions, and we always let our residents be involved in the process,” she said. “I see nothing different this time, and I see nothing different in the future. Our residents will be involved in every phase with this relationship with the new firm. No matter what happens, there will be people who are unhappy with our final decision, but we feel that there will be lots of opportunities for public input.”
New services will continue in 2011, including the privatization of trash collection.
Changes and tweaks will be made in the New Year, Colombi said, as several residents have expressed concerns over not knowing what the company will pick up or not having their items picked up at all.
E-Waste changes are also coming in the new year as residents must now recycle all electronic waste materials.
These items will be picked up on the same day as trash collection and should be placed on the sidewalk, Colombi said, not in the recycling buckets. The service began on Jan. 3.
The borough will also be involved in two contract negotiations in 2011, she said, with the Teamsters and Department of Public Works employee contracts expiring. Borough Administrator Sharon McCullough will be handling most of the negotiations, Colombi said.
Both unions seem to understand the economic situation the borough is currently in, she said, and hopefully will be flexible. In 2010, the police officers had their contracts renewed, Colombi said, and understood the economic difficulties that were facing Haddonfield.
Colombi said emphasis will also be placed on continuing the growth and success of downtown Haddonfield for 2011.
This past year was difficult economically throughout the entire country, but Colombi said the downtown did an excellent job of keeping vacancies at a minimum and keeping shoppers coming to Haddonfield.
“We have managed to be a viable, vibrant downtown retail area. If you were downtown this holiday season and saw how many people were here you would have to give the Haddonfield Partnership credit for knowing what they had to do to market our downtown and make people want to come here and shop in these stores,” she said.
“It’s a tremendous success story and (retail coordinator) Lisa Hurd has done a magnificent job.”
Colombi also stressed that the positive relationship with the Haddonfield Board of Education would continue into 2011.
She praised new Superintendent Dr. Richard Perry for being open to communication and shared service ideas with the borough.
