I recently toured our new water plant. It’s an impressive facility. People look at the plant and say it’s a beautiful building, and it is, but I’ve heard many comments over the past months questioning the extravagance and appearance of the plant. I question it myself. It’s the most impressive building for miles around, but personally, I’d rather this description be attached to a building built with private funds versus one built with public money specifically tied to Princeton taxpayers.

Being accountable to residents regarding the management of their tax dollars is important to me. It was a promise made when running for the city council. For various reasons I didn’t support this plant being built, and as construction began and progressed, it became apparent it was more than expected. So the following in the spirit of a promise made.

Attached to the plant is an office building. Within this building is a 745-square-foot room. The four walls surrounding this room are reinforced concrete block. The ceiling is concrete as well, hidden by panels. The south and west interior walls are windowless, yet the same exterior walls have seven, high-quality double-hung windows with grids. The windows are decorative only. Look through the glass and you’ll see nothing but concrete. The room is a concrete bunker. I was told that in the event of a city emergency, the room will be used as a command center.