Resident's Eagle Scout Project Helping to Sustain Borough

In the beginning of the year, Mayor Mary-Anna Holden called for 2010 to be the "Year of the Volunteer."

It seems that one young man has taken that to heart while helping to sustain Madison and maintain its cleanliness.

Boy Scout Vijay Prabakaran of Troop 25 is using his Eagle Scout project to help the borough in its goal of becoming a Sustainable Jersey municipality.

He's also helping it maintain and improve its aesthetic qualities.

Prabakaran came to Main Street Executive Director Jim Burnet looking for a project to help Madison. Burnet told Prabakaran about the Sustainable Jersey certification program that the borough has begun working toward.

The Sustainable Jersey program works on a points system, and if the borough can accumulate 150 points from things such as having an environmental commission and a green team–both of which it now does–it would qualify for certification. Certification would make the borough eligible for grants.

Prabakaran saw on the program's Web site that having a Green Fair was one of the things that can garner points.

"I was going through the list, and came up with three ideas. The primary was the Green Fair," Prabakaran said. "(Burnet) said Madison was also thinking of doing that. That's how I started getting involved."

Prabakaran became a major driving force in creating April 29th's Green Fair, the first of its kind in Madison. He was in charge of day-of logistics to help make the entire day a possibility.

He placed vendors, planned where garbage cans and recycling receptacles would be placed.

"I also came up with the layout of the fair; where all the tables are," Prabakaran said.

He also helped check in bicycles from people who biked to the event to help the environment. Not only that, but Prabakaran helped run a safety check of those bikes to see if tires were worn down.

Though the Green Fair is over, Prabakaran's project is not finished. He's also helping to bring recycling cans and cigarette urns to downtown, and in strategic places to make sure they're in convenient spots for pedestrians.

"I noticed a lot of cigarette butts on the ground, and noticed the recycling bins were kind of old and not placed properly," Prabakaran said.

The borough was welcoming of the idea.

"I knew it was something that the DDC (Downtown Development Commission) was looking for and other businesses, as well," Burnet said. "So they strongly embraced it. When he came and pitched it, they were very amenable to do it."

Prabakaran gave a presentation to the DDC at its meeting in April on different option for the urns and receptacles. He also plotted where the best places were for them, after doing research, and presented that information, as well.

The DDC approved of the proposal, which will put four of each in the downtown area. The money for the urns and receptacles was also readily available. Every year the borough gets "Clean Communities" grant money, which is used in various ways to clean the downtown and public spaces. After petitioning the Department of Public Works to release some of that funding for the project, which DPW did, the urns and receptacles had to be ordered.

Burnet said they would be ordered this week, and within 8-10 weeks they will be delivered and installed.

"Madison has a very good potential as a sustainable community," Prabakaran said. "There is a lot of energy that can be harnessed and there is lots of enthusiasm toward this."

Prabakaran has gone a long way in helping the borough toward its goal.

"May Day, the Green Fair, all wouldn't be possible without the sustained effort of volunteers," Burnet said. "As always, many hands make light work. You always get more done when there is help from others."