Woodbridge Selectmen Say No to Streetlight

A Jenick Lane couple will be left in the dark after the Woodbridge Board of Selectmen denied their request to install a streetlight near their home. The Palmieris have been concerned about break-ins and theft since several cars in their neighborhood were burglarized in recent years and they thought more light in the night hours may deter future criminal activity.

About a year ago, they appealed to the Woodbridge Police Commission with a request for a street lamp to be installed at the intersection near their house. The police commission denied the request, but the Palmieris asked the board of selectmen to overrule that decision. The board last night unanimously denied the request after hearing from neighbors who said they moved to Woodbridge in part for the dark and peaceful suburban nights.

Facelift for 23-year-old Truck

Also last night, the board of selectmen approved a $19,484 request from the fire department to repair an aging truck.

Fire Chief Sean Rowland requested the funds to repair the body of Engine 3, saying the work will "get another 10 years out of the truck" which is a 1989. The fire truck is a back-up engine for structure fires, but the first truck to respond to brush fires and wires down, Rowland says. 

"It's good for tight spaces," Rowland says. Truck lights, which had to be removed to replace the rotten metal, will also be replaced using money from the fire department budget.

Budget Surplus Reported

The town of Woodbridge ended the fiscal year with a surplus of around $288,000. Most of the surplus, according to town Director of Finance Anthony Genovese, was from a $275,000 reimbursement from FEMA for expenses incurred during Tropical Storm Irene last August.

The surplus will be added to the town's fund balance, which holds approximately $5 million.

Correction: The streetlight was incorrectly called a traffic light.