HIGHTSTOWN: Council approves ordinances on parking, salary range for police chief

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
HIGHTSTOWN – The Borough Council unanimously approved two final ordinances during its meeting on Monday night, one on a temporary parking prohibition for snow plowing and removal and the other on a salary range for the police chief.
    “Oh lord, where are we going to park when there is snow?” said resident Eugene Sarafin. “You are going to have the police come and knock at your door and say move your car because we want to plow the street?”
    According to the ordinance, the public works superintendent has recommended that certain streets in the borough prohibit parking during snowfalls to permit the plowing and removal of snow. The council has reviewed and concurs with the recommendations, according to the ordinance.
    The ordinance states that whenever snow has fallen and the accumulation is such that it covers the streets or highways, an emergency shall exist and no vehicle shall be parked on the streets or highways. The parking prohibition will remain in effect after the snow has ceased until the streets have been plowed sufficiently and to the extent that parking will not interfere with the normal flow of traffic.
    The following streets include temporary parking prohibition for snow plowing and removal: Academy Street on both sides from Bank Street to Mercer Street; Bank Street on both sides from North Main to Academy Street; Church Street on both sides from Rogers Avenue to Stockton Street; Clinton Street on both sides from Cole Avenue to Maxwell Avenue; Cole Avenue on both sides from Franklin Street to Clinton Street; East Ward Street on both sides from Maxwell Avenue to South Main Street; First Avenue on both sides from Summit Street to Outcalt Street; Forman Street on both sides the entire length; Harron Avenue on both sides from Morrison Avenue to Stockton Street.
    Also, Joseph Street on both sides from Second Avenue to Stockton Street; Morrison Avenue on both sides from Hausser Avenue to Academy Street; Oak Lane on both sides from Stockton Street to Lincoln Avenue; Outcalt Street on both sides from Morrison Avenue to Rogers Avenue; Purdy Street on both sides the entire length; Reed Street on both sides from Mechanic Street to Rev. William L. Powell Drive; Rogers Avenue on both sides from Stockton Street to Mercer Street; Second Avenue on both sides from Joseph Street to Outcalt Street; South Street on both sides from South Main Street to Mercer Street; Summit Street on both sides from Stockton Street to Mercer Street; Ward Street on both sides from Leshin Lane to Grape Run Road; and William Street on both sides from North Main Street to Cranbury Station Road.
    In another matter, last month the council unanimously passed an ordinance – replacing and amending its current ordinance – to re-establish the title of chief of police. The council then moved to draw up an ordinance establishing the range of the police chief’s salary.
    “It’s about time that you decided to pay the police chief, of course, if we could have a police chief,” Mr. Sarafin said. “I’m all for it.”
    According to the ordinance the rate of compensation for police chief of the borough of Hightstown, will range from $115,000 to $135,000 annually.
    The salary range established in this ordinance will supersede any established for the same position in previous salary ordinances, and will remain in effect until changed by the adoption of a new or amending salary ordinance.