Montgomery Administrator Highlights Rotary Peace Pole Plans, Seeks to Revive Friday Shopping Bus
Nicholas Mistretta
MONTGOMERY — Township Administrator Lori Savron used her report at the Township Committee’s December 4 meeting to outline two community-focused updates: plans for a Rotary-sponsored Peace Pole installation at Montgomery Veterans Park and an effort to renew and more actively promote the township’s long-running Friday shopping bus service in partnership with Somerset County.
Rotary Peace Pole slated for Montgomery Veterans Park
Savron said the The Rotary Club of Montgomery/Rocky Hill first reached out to the township in October 2024 regarding the Rotary Peace Pole Initiative, a program with installations placed at government buildings and parks across the country and internationally.
After reviewing several possible sites, Savron said a location has now been identified at Montgomery Veterans Park, just off the parking lot and in the general area near the playground. The Peace Pole, she said, is approximately six feet tall and carries the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth.”
Committee members expressed support for the chosen spot and asked for confirmation that the pole would be appropriately distanced from the Veterans Memorial. Savron assured them the installation site is “nowhere close” to that memorial area.
The location is also near a tree honoring Hope Bertelsen, a Montgomery resident who died in 2014 after an 11-year battle with cancer, and Savron said the Peace Pole placement appears to fit well visually and thematically within the park’s landscape.
Savron noted that Montgomery/Rocky Hill Rotary will cover the full cost of the project, including purchase and installation, and only required township approval for placement. The installation is expected sometime in the new year.
Committee members praised the initiative, describing it as a meaningful addition to a public park setting and a positive message for the community.
Lenni Lenape marker remains under discussion
Savron also briefly referenced a separate project being advanced through the Environmental Commission — a planned Lenni Lenape rock. She said discussions on size and final placement are still underway and suggested a future presentation may be needed to help the committee assess the best location once dimensions and site specifics are finalized.
Township prepares to renew Somerset County transportation agreement
In her second update, Savron said the township is ready to renew its transportation service agreement with Somerset County for the Friday shopping bus, a service used primarily by seniors but not limited exclusively to them.
The service, which Savron indicated was not widely promoted in the years following COVID disruptions, offers handicapped-accessible transportation in a 16-passenger vehicle from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. The bus currently lists Montgomery ShopRite as the primary destination, though Savron said the county has no objection to expanding stops as new grocery options become available.
She pointed to newer and arriving food destinations in the area, including “Kasia Market” and an upcoming Whole Foods, as examples of how the route could broaden to meet resident needs.
The township pays just under $12,000 annually to fund the Friday service. Committee members called the program a good step forward and encouraged a stronger promotional push to gauge demand.
If ridership increases beyond current capacity, Savron said the township could explore adding a second vehicle or expanding service, noting that similar growth occurred when the senior center’s transportation resumed after the pandemic.
Questions raised about county cost-sharing
One committee member also raised a resident concern: given rising county taxes, why the township must separately pay for this transportation service.
Savron said she would look into the arrangement and whether other municipalities structure similar contracts with the county. While she believed other towns may also pay for this narrow, targeted service, she acknowledged the question was fair and worth pursuing as the township continues discussions with Somerset County about broader service needs in Montgomery.
Next steps
Savron said she plans to place the transportation renewal item on the agenda for the next committee meeting. In the meantime, the Peace Pole project is moving forward with Rotary coordination, with a formal installation timeline expected early in the new year.
Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com