West Windsor council approves shared-services hazardous-materials agreement with Mercer County after contested debate

The West Windsor Township Council voted on Feb. 10 to approve a two‑year shared‑services agreement with Mercer County for hazardous‑materials response, a measure council members debated for more than an hour before the roll call.

The resolution (2025‑R‑065) passed on a roll-call vote with four recorded “yes” votes: Gauvas, Jeevers, Weiss and Mandel. The agreement obligates West Windsor to provide hazmat response in a primary area that includes West Windsor, East Windsor, Hightstown, Princeton and Robbinsville, and to assist in secondary areas at the county's request. The contract includes a $25,000 annual reimbursement and coverage for certain expenses such as annual physicals for hazmat team personnel, but it does not commit the county to fund new hazmat vehicles or all equipment replacements.

Nut graf: The vote formalizes a countywide hazmat arrangement after Hamilton withdrew from earlier mutual‑aid pacts; council members and the mayor split over whether the agreement adequately protects West Windsor against equipment and personnel costs and whether the township should remain the county's primary hazmat provider.

Resident John Church raised concern during public comment about the potential capital costs to West Windsor, noting a line in the township capital plan that he said shows $1.6 million for a hazmat vehicle: "I noticed on the 2025 capital budget, there is an item there for purchase of $1,600,000 to replace the existing hazmat vehicle," he said. Councilmember Linda said the draft contract lacks the mutual‑aid clause that had protected towns under the previous intracounty informal agreement and outlined the township’s concerns about fiscal exposure and response-area expansion. She read language from the proposed contract noting that "the secondary response areas may require West Windsor's Hazmat's Team to be, 'be called to perform hazmat responsibilities outside of their primary response area due to the availability of the other hazmat teams or a request for additional assistance.'"

Mayor (unnamed) said the agreement is intended as a stop‑gap two‑year arrangement and stressed the township could withdraw on 60 days' notice if costs or call volumes escalate. The mayor reported the township had 13 hazmat calls last year (five in West Windsor) and said most were traffic‑related fuel spills or small propane or chlorine leaks. "If we sign this agreement or not, we are we will have to respond to calls at least in West Windsor," the mayor said. He urged approval on the grounds that county cooperation and grant pursuit make the agreement preferable to unfunded mutual aid.

Council members asked for periodic updates from county officials on grants and reimbursements. Several members emphasized the need for an update before next year’s budget cycle to understand how much of equipment and operating costs remain the township’s responsibility.

Ending: The council approved R065 by roll call; members asked the administration to schedule a follow‑up briefing on county reimbursements, grant applications and year‑to‑date hazmat expenditures ahead of the 2026 budget process.