Jeff Devico Needs to Answer the $30K Question

Jeff Devico voted to create an Engineering Pool to compete for projects in Middle Township. The Deputy Mayor repeatedly promised that the competitive process would save the Township money. Yet, on one of the first large project’s bid, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor have chosen to spend nearly $30,000 over the low bid.
Committeeman Tim Donohue, who supported rewarding the work to the well-qualified low bidder, raised the issue at the Oct. 15 Township Committee meeting. Neither Mike Clark or Jeff Devico offered a logical defense of their decision to reject the lower price and ignore the recommendation of the committee that scored the proposals.
What could you do with $30,000?
In Middle Township, $30,000 would pay the salary of a Class II police officer. It would pay for a new police cruiser or a pickup truck for Public Works. $30,000 would buy the much needed mat storage sling for our wrestling program or cover the cost of our 2019 Summer Concert Series. But now the money won’t pay for any of those important funding priorities.
“Jeff Devico needs to explain the reason he supports overspending on this project,” said Township Committee candidate Ike Gandy. “Who benefits from this wasteful decision? Surely not the taxpayers of Middle Township.”
The Engineering Pool process advocated by Devico has slowed down the progress of several important projects. The need to seek and evaluate multiple proposals, versus rewarding the work to the appointed Municipal Engineer, has led to delays in awarding the work and questions about who is responsible and qualified to create the bid documents and professionally evaluate the varying options put forth by the engineering pool bidders.
“This new process is proving to be long and cumbersome. Fully funded projects like the Avalon Manor Fishing Pier and Railroad Avenue Park in Rio Grande are stalled,” Gandy said. “These delays might be somewhat justifiable, if the tradeoff was actually a savings for our taxpayers. Instead, the end result is unwarranted higher costs on this important project.”
Gandy called on Devico to publicly explain his justification for this overspending.
“The taxpayers need defenders not over-spenders,” Gandy said. “The democrat majority on Committee is putting well-connected special interests ahead of good government and prudent fiscal practices. Along with an 8% increase in taxes in just two years, actions like this show a disregard for our hard working families, seniors on fixed incomes and small businesses, all struggling under New Jersey’s out of control tax burden. How can Jeff Devico defend this wasteful spending?”
Ordered and paid for by Gandy for Committee, 7 Seagrove Ave., Cape May Court House, NJ 08210