Dumont's Green Initiative: Force or Farce?

Since the announcement in October 2008 and the April 16, 2009 kickoff of the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Green Initiatives, let's look back on what was accomplished in 2009:

Alternative Fuels: Despite grants available from the State of NJ and its mention in the December 2008 council meeting, no grants have been applied. The borough recently approved acquisition of conventionally fueled vehicles for the police department. This determination was made by running of only one Ford Diesel pickup on Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) mixed with varying percentages with Diesel even though no problems were reported. Is it just me or does it seem ironic that the very links offered by the committee regarding biofuels specifically caution against using SVO due to significant long-term risks? So why was the purpose of the ill-conceived evaluation again and it influenced the decision not to consider electric vehicles how?

Compost Containers: The program is run by Bergen County and has been going on for some years. Dumont cannot take credit for that, sorry.

Green Bins: I understand Dumont has some earned revenue (I guess currency counts as green) from sale of these containers. Can this revenue offset losses in other areas? For some reason I do not think so.

Recycling: Unless that commodity is gold, the market for common household recyclables such as cardboard, glass, newsprint, paper and plastic have collapsed. Revenues from these operations have been diminished, and in some cases have become an expense item. Will we be able to afford this?

Refuse Containers: The receptacles can be seen around town in public areas. How many are there again? It appears that what used to be a quality of life issue is now a green issue. OK, I guess...

Wind Turbines: There has been much talk about wind energy, but so far it appears to be hot air. Ordinances enabling construction and operation appear nowhere to be found. Wayne gets the credit here as a trailblazer in this area; however, a recent article indicates that the fiercest opponents to the wind turbine operator seem to be from nearby residents. NIMBY, anyone?

I think it's time to drop the Green Initiatives. The more it is discussed, the more residents expect results. Unless I missed covering something here, or 2010 is a blockbuster year for significant achievements that don't break the budget, this might become an albatross.

Too Rich to Seek Grants?

In fall of 2008 (and in the middle of the political campaign), the borough issued a press release launching their "Green Initiative" basically detailing all the wonderful things that the elected officials have been tirelessly working for, on our behalf.

I wrote an open letter to the officials involved. Receiving no response I wrote another letter. Councilman Manna responds with what seems to be a self-contradicting tirade. Perhaps being out of his element, I stepped into his (cue video to 39:53). As a result, it seemed to take the entire governing body, led by the borough administrator, to unilaterally dismiss my ideas seemingly without consideration.

Fast forward to June 2009. In Part 2 of the 6/15/2009 meeting, the borough administrator is heard in the first few minutes of the video reporting that the borough has resumed the pilot (of using a blend of filtered waste vegetable oil in diesel fuel), presumably to save money and appear environmentally conscious. It is apparent that, six months later, our elected officials have failed to do their homework, failed to set aside politics and failed to heed science, risking municipal funds to press on with this ill-fated experiment, probably achieving neither in the end. Even the Cedar Crest senior community seems to be on the right track... any active or retired chemical engineer willing to pitch in and volunteer to help the borough?

But it did not have to happen this way. The State of New Jersey offers grants to municipalities with no expertise required, yet our borough never appeared to apply for one. Why not? Dollar amount too small? Not worth the trouble? Terms too onerous?

It would appear that the borough's green initiative is starting to take a queasy tint...

Sounding Off: Questions are OK, but why letters?

This letter originally appeared on the December 17, 2008 edition of the Twin-Boro News, Sounding Off section.

Dear Editor:

In last week’s edition of the Twin-Boro News, Mr. Kai Chen raised questions regarding upgrades to Dumont’s Memorial Field.

I commend him for his letter, although I was surprised to read it since he was in attendance at our last meeting of the Dumont governing body.

At that meeting, he received documents provided by Council President Bob McQuade, but failed to ask any questions.

I realize that Mr. Chen may want to take the information home with him and review it, but I do question as to why he chooses to use the editorial page to raise his questions. In fact, since Election Day, Mr. Chen has made it a point to attend our meetings, yet fails to ask any questions.
Nevertheless, the reason why the borough waited for the presentation regarding upgrades to the Memorial Park was twofold.

First, the borough, like many other communities in the Northern Valley, has multiple issues to deal with on a daily basis, let alone future planning.

Secondly, the borough was waiting to receive confirmation that it would receive some $171,176 funding from the Bergen County Open Space, Historic and Recreation Trust Fund. These funds would be in addition to the $485,000 already granted for the multi-year/multi-park upgrade program announced early in 2007 by Mayor Matt McHale and Recreation Liaison Councilman Marty Caspare.

Additionally in his letter, Mr. Chen referred to his letter dated Oct. 22, pertaining to the borough’s bio-fuels alternative pilot program for municipal vehicles.

Many of the questions raised are valid, yet Mr. Chen misses the key component of this program, that is that it’s a pilot program.

I am not a bio-scientist nor an engineer, but a member of the Dumont governing body committed to exploring new technologies with the hopes of a greener environment while saving Dumont taxpayers unnecessary expenditures for fossil fuels.

I sincerely welcome Mr. Chen to join the Borough of Dumont’s governing body in exploring this exciting and viable fuel alternative source.

However, I must question Mr. Chen’s motives. While I have no problem with a public discussion regarding the happenings of the Borough of Dumont, I again question why he resorts to the editorial page of the Twin-Boro News rather than ask his question and share his opinion at the meetings which he attends.

Democracy, and especially municipal government, serves its constituents best when there is an open, honest and equal exchange between those who are in public service and those whom the public servants serve.

I urge Mr. Chen to put politics aside, and have a real discussion, whether it be in public or private.

Regardless of politics, Happy Holidays to all the readers of the Twin-Boro News.

Sincerely,

Carl Manna
Councilman

Sounding Off: Proposal for turf raises questions

Dear Editor:

I read with interest a copy of the cost proposal for a synthetic turf field at Memorial Park in Dumont presented by Alaimo Group at the Dec. 2 executive session meeting. I was wondering why it took until now to evaluate a proposal dated Aug. 25. Have other firms submitted quotes? Since the project involves extensive work to the field, has the environmental commission weighed in with an opinion?

Just to be sure, I was wondering whether the borough plans to respond to my questions concerning the alternative fuels pilot (Sounding Off, Oct. 22), whether it seems prudent at this time to be funding what is essentially a science experiment.

Sincerely,

Kai Chen
Dumont

Agree? Disagree? Discuss on a forum or write a letter.

Sounding Off: Some questions on ‘going green’

Dear Editor:

I read with interest the many letters to the editor that Dumont residents as well as the candidates themselves have appeared in recent weeks.

While it appears straightforward to read the positions taken by the Kruger/Hakim/Dondero team — agree or not — I have been less than successful in reading the positions taken by the Caspare/Manna/Riquelme team.

While I agree that the incumbents have established a record and history in serving the town, if I may, I have some questions.

The pilot program for alternative fuels ("Alternative Fuels for Thought," Oct. 8) seems impressive and ambitious. However:

• Regarding the biodiesel pilot for DPW diesel trucks, do Messrs. Manna and Riquelme, in their reserach, realize that the used cooking oil must be filtered, treated and stabilized before blending with diesel fuel, even then, at a maximum 20 percent concentration (B20) from established and reliable sources?
• Does Mr. Riquelme, with his food management experience, overlook the fact that restaurants now consider their used oil a valuable commodity, worth about $2.50 per gallon just months ago? What is his plan to compensate restaurant owners if the borough is unable to pay for this oil? Does he realize that the grease cannot be stored for long, as oil going rancid renders it unusable, even as a fuel component?

In fact, the "Biodiesel Handling and Use Guidelines" prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy stresses, in part, that "...recycled greases that have not been converted to biodiesel are not biodiesel and should be avoided" due to engine damage at concentrations as low as 10 percent". While adventurous folks have received overwhelmingly positive press with their homebrew converted vehicles, the reality is that using waste fat to power a vehicle remains a hobbyist realm and risky business for municipalities unable or unwilling to add new maintenance tasks to already burdened staff workloads.

• Regarding the propane pilot for DPW and police vehicles, do Messrs. Manna and Riquelme, in their research, reveal that setting up fueling infrastructure for propane is neither trivial nor cheap?

In "NJ Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Program" guidelines document, stresses, in part, that "Alternative fuels such as...compressed natural gas (CNG), propane...present different safety requirements than gas or diesel fuels. It is strongly recommended that any organization considering the use of alternative fuel vehicles have its vehicle maintenance and repair facilities evaluated to ensure that building systems, including lighting and HVAC, and existing operating procedures, are compatible with the use of gaseous or other fuels."

• Is it a good idea to convert police vehicles, considering their use in security and life-safety, where even minor decreases in availability and reliability are not tolerated? Just ask our police force to see whether they agree on a tradeoff.
• Regarding the program in general, have the conversion costs budgeted? Assuming Dumont receives the full rebate, where is the $3,000 per car difference coming from? How about the fueling facility, where only half the costs are rebated and capped at $50,000?
• Could it be that Messrs. Manna and Riquelme put the cart before the horse? According to the project coordinator for New Jersey Alternative Fuel Rebate program, he seems unable to recall Dumont applying for any rebate programs. Current contracted fuel costs can be found at http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/treasury/purchase/fuel/fuelsummary.pl. I find it difficult to find savings in biodiesel over diesel.

While it is laudable that Dumont is launching a green initiative, I challenge Messrs. Manna and Riquelme to scale back, share with adjacent municipalities or find a better way to "go green" without spending a lot of green, as what this pilot program seems to imply upon closer examination.

Switching gears, I am a bit dismayed to read that, in an earlier Sounding Off (Oct. 15, "Candidates cite positive changes"), Messrs. Caspare, Manna and Riquelme strongly object to their challengers’ call for making council meetings available on telecast, citing undisclosed cost and delay, defeating the purpose of such an idea. Could it be that the cost was undisclosed because there are none? There are a number of companies, in the spirit of Google, offering free services that allow live video streaming over the Internet without charge. For example, Ustream.tv is cited in the March 31entry of the Dumont High School principal’s personal blog as a way to save money.

• Have the current council contacted their site contractor Xquizit to see if recorded video streams can be made available as soon as an event ends?

This should be a trivial task to put on the borough Web site. Anything less from the contractor would be a sign of incompetence.

Sincerely,

Kai Chen
Dumont

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