Council President David Mackie presided over the November Hopewell Borough Council meeting, the first since voters approved the proposed sale of the Borough’s water system to New Jersey American Water. With results still awaiting certification, Mackie emphasized that no immediate operational changes will occur and that the Borough will continue providing regular public updates as the transition process unfolds.
Mackie said the election results must be certified by Nov. 19, followed by a brief period in which a recount could be requested. Only after that will the Borough begin moving through the formal procedural steps required under the Water Infrastructure Protection Act (WIPA).
“There’s no immediate change,” Mackie said in an interview. He noted that the Borough will continue running the system until the eventual contract closing, which is expected to take several months. The transition to NJAW will involve a period of logistical work — from operational coordination to account transfers — and likely a transition team between the Borough and NJAW.
Mackie said the Borough will maintain the same level of transparency that has defined the deliberation process to date. “We have made a point of providing updates at our council meetings… and we’re just going to keep doing that,” he said. “We will be constantly providing people with updates on what’s going on as it’s happening.”
PILOT ordinance introduced; public hearing set for December
The Council also introduced Ordinance 906, a proposed Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement associated with the Hopewell 57 redevelopment site. Thursday’s action was a first reading; the full public hearing and detailed presentation will take place at the December meeting, when the Borough’s professionals — including Phoenix Advisors, the borough planner, and redevelopment attorney Tara St. Angelo — will be present to explain the PILOT process and answer questions.
Mackie stressed that introduction is procedural and that the public hearing is the point at which questions and answers become part of the official record. “We always encourage people to hold off until then,” he said. “That’s when our professionals will be there to go through how a PILOT works and what’s being proposed.”
He also noted what the ordinance does not do: it does not determine how PILOT revenue will be allocated. Decisions on distribution — including discussions with the Hopewell Valley Regional School District — will take place separately and over a longer period. “We haven’t made any decisions on that,” Mackie said, adding that initial contact with the district has already occurred.
Other Borough business
The Council introduced a second ordinance (Ordinance 907) renewing the Borough’s cable franchise agreement with Comcast.
Council also handled several routine resolutions, including adoption of the Best Practices Inventory, a budget transfer for FY 2025, and acceptance of the final change order and maintenance guarantees for the Mercer–Newell–Walnut streets improvement project. These items passed without extensive discussion.
Looking ahead
The December meeting will serve as the primary public forum for the proposed PILOT agreement, and future meetings will include continued updates on the water system transition once statewide certification is completed.
Mackie, who is concluding 27 years of service on Borough Council at year’s end, said he plans to remain available to assist with institutional knowledge during the transition. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “To the extent that I’m able to help, I’m happy to do that.”
