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Commission considers Lead for Cities sustainability certification but wants council input on cost and staff time
Summary
Members discussed a potential Lead for Cities (sustainability) certification and a possible partnership with the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership; commissioners noted registration and certification costs (a cited certification‑review fee commonly listed as $8,000) and agreed to consult Council liaison Patasnik before recommending action.
At the Dec. 15 meeting commissioners reviewed materials about Lead for Cities sustainability certification and a possible partnership with the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership to support community engagement and a stormwater‑utility feasibility study.
The chair described a December conversation with Heather Fenick of the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership, who offered to prepare a fee proposal describing research, marketing and community outreach support and potential help creating a stormwater utility, citing New Brunswick as an example.
Members also reviewed Lead for Cities program materials and raised questions about costs and staff time. A participant noted a commonly cited certification review fee of approximately $8,000 and additional membership/registration charges; commissioners said certification work could require materially more staff or consultant hours than the commission’s current allocation and suggested they would need council buy‑in before committing municipal funds.
The commission agreed to seek a short briefing with Council liaison Patasnik and to ask the watershed partnership for a written proposal describing scope, deliverables and fees before making a recommendation. Commissioners emphasized that any decision to pursue formal certification would also need to account for the township’s parallel Sustainable Jersey work to avoid duplicative effort.
