PETERSBURG – Upper Township Committee met April 11, and the first order of business was to recognize, with a special resolution, local youths, Stephen Jefferson and Jack Hanley, for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.
Regarding a lengthy listing of other resolutions, committee unanimously passed all including a series of appointments ranging from special counsel, temporary municipal judges, a municipal prosecutor, passport acceptance agents, 2016 summer season beach patrol personnel and boat ramp attendants and a maintenance worker. Specifics of these appointments can be obtained at the township’s clerk’s office.
Parking Lot Repaving
Much discussion was given to two related resolutions, one authorizing a change order for paving of the parking lot at the municipal building in the amount of $121,086, and the other authorizing the municipality’s financial officer to withdraw funds in that amount from the reserve trust fund account related to the line item for “capital projects.”
Township Engineer Paul Dietrich explained, “The parking lot has experienced a serious surface water issue where the water is not draining and is just sitting there getting into the joints of the lot. There is cracking due to the narrowness of the joints and, in times of freezing weather and then warming, contraction is not occurring in the concrete to meet standards.”
Dietrich noted that the amount requested for repaving is in line with the unit price offered by the same contractor doing the Route 50 and bridge projects in Tuckahoe.
“The contracting process we would like to use is consistent with New Jersey law and is less expensive than if we were to go out with a public bid. We’ll do the project in stages to avoid as much inconvenience as possible; all told, and if the weather cooperates, repaving should be done within a total time of two weeks,” Dietrich said.
Committee member Hobart Young requested that Dietrich ensure that traffic control is adequate since spillover parking will be on Tuckahoe Road and “please be aware that municipal court visitors also need to find parking.”
Committee discussed whether to fund the project from its reserve trust funds earmarked for capital projects or to pay for it with the new bond that is not fully approved with funds forecast to be available toward the end of May.
Ultimately, committee decided to deploy township trust funds which total $440,000. As Solicitor Daniel Young pointed out, “Using the potential funding of the new bond would add 6-7 percent to the project in light of mobilization fees for the contractor who would need to bring his crew in to partially finish the repaving, then stop work, then bring in the crew again. And of course, the completion of the project would be delayed probably by two months awaiting approval of the new bond.”
Committee member John Coggins brought to the group’s attention a new directive passed by Longport that urges use of reusable bags for shopping rather than one-use plastic bags. Mayor Richard Palombo said, “Let’s show we support thinking about this initiative and hope that we can reduce the use of these bags.”
Shredding Day
During the public comment portion, Ralph Cooper, representing Upper’s Business Association and its Green Commission, announced that for the third year, a truck offering free shredding services will be available to township residents. The truck will be at Foglio’s Carpeting on Route 9 in Marmora April 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or “until the truck is full” per Cooper.
Tree Giveaway Snafu
April 9 the township was scheduled to make free tree saplings available to residents as was being done in other county municipalities to commemorate environmental initiatives traditionally held this month.
A resident commented that many people who had gone to Amanda’s Field to pick up their trees could not find where they were being distributed. Dietrich responded, “We were there, back at the concession stand, of course, with the rain and sleet it might have been hard to find us, and we weren’t able to put up signs.”
Palombo said, “Next year let’s get the trees closer to Route 50 fronting the field and have adequate signage so people don’t leave disappointed.”
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.
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