Upper Proceeds with Disputed Paving Contract

PETERSBURG – Upper Township’s Committee met Dec. 5 with Deputy Mayor Edward Barr chairing the session in the absence of Mayor Richard Palombo.  
Among resolutions on the Consent Agenda was one in support of Senate Bill S-2254 and Assembly Bill A-3821 which affirms the language and legislative intent of the Fair Housing Act.
Another resolution appointed Elyse G. Crawford as special legal counsel. “This action is related to another of the resolutions committee is considering later tonight, that is the acceptance of the bid and authorizing the execution of a contract for the township’s 2016 paving project,” explained Solicitor Daniel Young.
“For this project, we received four bids and the two lowest were very close in offered price, in the neighborhood of about $16,000. From the next to the lowest bidder there has been some activity regarding ‘issues’ that they believe should cause us to throw out the lowest bid. These are that that company didn’t have the president sign the bid and the proper name on the bid documents and that its bid referred to a contract that was not attached to the documents submitted,” Young continued.
Young advised that committee should award the contract to the lowest bidder since “neither of these alleged defects was fatal or material.” Young noted that Crawford had reviewed the bid guarantee, which Young distinguished from a performance bond, and that while the contract might be litigated by the second lowest bidder, agreed that the contract should be awarded. Committee passed this resolution unanimously.
Among new business items was a request for approval for B & K Enterprise to have a craft and home show April 8 and 9, 2017 at the  Community Center and a request by South Shore Stitchers to hold a raffle at the Tuckahoe United Methodist Church Nov. 13, 2017.
Both requests were unanimously approved.
Committee had some discussion on what standards for size and number of trash receptacles should be published as pertain to commercial establishments.
Per Young’s guidance, the committee will revisit and revise the content of its draft 2017 residents’ information packet on the matter before distributing.
During the public comment portion, a Petersburg resident complained of a dog running loose repeatedly on her property. She said that she had informed the township and State Police which advised her to file a complaint.
Young pointed out that without a direct witness of any alleged violation, animal control cannot proceed on its own, and reiterated that she goes to the township’s municipal court to record her testimony and bring any photos as evidence.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.