Township Council Introduces $11 Million In Capital, Bonding Ordinances

Bonding and capital ordinances appropriating more than $11 million for purchases and capital improvements were introduced by the Township Council at its March 28 meeting.

The ordinances will have a public hearing and final vote in April.

Among the biggest-ticket ordinances are $3,459,600 for water utility projects and $3,324,000 for the 2017 phase of the township’s road resurfacing project.

The largest bonding ordinance for the water utility authorizes $3,143,100 for several projects, including:

• $900,000 for a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which is used in water system management;
• $765,000 for annual water main replacement, cleaning, and lining, as applicable, at the 9th Street pipe loop and Heinrick Road;
• $663,000 for Interior painting of the Viliet tank;
• $300,000 for upgrades to the Landing Lane pumping station.

The second ordinance for the water utility authorizes $316,500 from the township’s Capital Improvement Fund for the purchase of “laptop and software for markout crew, automated meter reading meters and transmitters, bobcat pavement cutter and trencher attachments, taping machine and a guillotine pipe cutter, and the Annual Valve and Hydrant Replacement Program.”

Another bonding ordinance appropriates $3,324,000 for the 2017 road resurfacing program, and authorizes bonds for $1,970,300 of that total.

The money will be used for “the overlay, paving, milling and resurfacing of all or a portion of all or some of the following streets: Alcorne St, Apgar Drive, Arthur Ave, Baker St, Barker Rd, Bates Ct, Beck Ave, Belmont (Pierce-Campus), Bennington Parkway, Bergen, Brentwood, Buffa Drive, Burnham St, Camner(from Berry), Campus Drive, Carmen St, Champlain Way, Cheddar Pl, Chestnut Circle, Church St, Churchill(Clyde-Veronica), Clifton St, Club House Rd, Coddington (Annap-Wheel), Cottontail Ln, Dennet Rd, Derbyshire Ln, Doria Rd, Elm St, Fairfield Rd, Farrel St, Forest Ave, Gates Rd, Gifford Ct, Girard (Arden-Belmar), Grant St, Hamlet Ct, Hill Ave, Hillcrest(Hamilton-Berger), Hillcrest (Berger-Dutton), Hillcrest(Dutton-Arden), Irvington(Easton-Dumont), Kee Ave, Kuhn St, Lake Ave, Lewis (from Franklin to Baier), Linden Road, Maher Road, Markham Road, Mattawang Drive, Miller Farm Road, Minetta Street, Montrose Road, Napoleon Court, New Brunswick (Davidson-Crown), Newkirk Road, Norfolk Road, Oakbrook Place, Petty Road, Ralph (from Matilda to Dead End), Regent Street, Richmond Drive, Ridge Boulevard, Robert C. Keri, Rolling Hills Drive, Schevchenko, Sherman Circle, Sinclair Boulevard, Spring Street, Springfield Avenue, Stockton, Sunny Court, Sunset, Sussex Court, Tripplet Road, Valleywood Drive, Van Cleef (Grousser-Blackwells), Vanderbilt Avenue, Vassar Street, Veronica Avenue, Viking Avenue, Weston Road (Cedar Grove-Elizabeth and Metlars Lane to Elizabeth), Wheeler (from Berger to Dead End), Wheeler (from Churchill to Hamilton), Wheeler (from Hamilton to Dead End), Willow (from New Brunswick to Dead End), Wilson Road (from Amwell to Smith), Windsor Court and Woodlawn Road,” according to the ordinance.

General improvements and equipment purchases are covered in a bond ordinance appropriating $2,754,450 and bonding $2,555,522 of that total.

Projects and costs on the township’s to-do list include:

• $102,000 for upgrades to the fire sprinkler and HVAC system at the Senior/Community Center;
• $224,400 for replacement of carpets, the building door, and windows, and improvements and upgrades to bathrooms and lighting at the municipal building;
• $96,900 for replacement and/or upgrades, as applicable, of emergency exit signs, carpets and flooring, the HVAC Controller, lighting, bathrooms and the Atrium at the public safety building;
• $158,100 for Improvements, repairs and upgrades to the Public Works Building, including, but not limited to, the roof of the Pole Bam, acquisition and installation of the overhead bay door, door and sensor repairs, and panel repairs.
• $642,600 for acquisition and installation of a GPS Vehicle Tracking System, a portable equipment lift, carbon monoxide detectors, Tar Pot – Crack Sealer, replacement of the Canal Road Guide Rail, repairs to Township Bus Shelters, the acquisition of two salt spreaders, and a brine system for the public works department.
• $48,450 for replacement of the tile floor and various building doors, lighting improvements, and upgrades and improvements to the bathroom and kitchen for the community resources building;
• $636,000, including a $65,000 grant from the Shade Tree Trust for two utility trucks for the Construction Code department, and three Sterling Body vehicles, a mason dump truck with a plow, a pickup truck with a plow, a truck with a plow and spreader, and a bucket truck for the public works department.
• $357,000 for a radio system upgrade for the police department;
• $285,000 for improvements to, and expansion of, the Township Network (including resiliency and WIFI), and upgrades and improvements to computer storage (EOL) and the Database Server and System,
• $204,000 for the design of the Lewis Street Youth Center.

Upgrades to township parks would be paid for through an ordinance that appropriates $680,340 from the Open Space Trust Fund and authorizes $646,323 in bonds.

The money will be used for the upgrade and replacement of playground equipment at Williams Park, improvements to the path at Kingston School, improvements to the natural play area at Middlebush Park, the purchase of big belly trash enclosures, bobcat lawnmowers and a landscape trailer, various repairs, site amenities and improvements for various parks, including the provision of ADA access per Township’s Action Plan, replacement of bleachers at Williams and Little League Fields, and restroom fixture replacement at Inman Park and the Township Pool.

Improvements to several historic homes in the township would be paid for by a bonding ordinance which appropriates $678,240 from the Open Space Trust Fund and authorizes $644,328 in bonds to help pay for the work.

The work includes structural repairs to Van Wickle House, the installation of a new slate roof and exterior wood work at Dunn House, and replacement of the furnace at Hageman House. The cost includes all labor, design work, surveying and other related expenses.

A capital ordinance appropriating $93,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund would go toward toughbook mobile computers, printers, servers, and iPads for various departments.

A final capital ordinance would appropriate $35,000 from the Open Space Trust Fund to buy security cameras for various parks and to replace the soccer goals at Middlebush Park.

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