COURT HOUSE – It’s that time of year when municipalities move funds from accounts that have underspent budget allocations to those that require more than the amount in the original budget.
One such item, at the Dec. 2 Middle Township Committee meeting, was the movement of available dollars to the category of legal expense.
Mayor Timothy Donohue explained that legal expenses were running ahead of budgeted amounts because contracts with developers for projects in designated redevelopment and rehabilitation zones have not closed.
“When we began this process a year ago, the idea was that there would be little cost to the township,” Donohue said, but “we haven’t yet signed any of the possible development contracts, which would include the developer paying the legal fees.”
As a result of protracted negotiations, the attorneys would have to be paid by the municipality, with the expectation of recovering that expense if the development contracts are executed.