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TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, WARREN COUNTY
Regular Meeting
November 21, 2006
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, WARREN COUNTY
Regular Minutes
November 21, 2006
The regular meeting of the Township Committee was held this date at the Municipal/Police Building located on Little
Philadelphia Road. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor David Dempski.
SUNSHINE LAW COMPLIANCE - The Mayor noted that this meeting was being held in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Law of
1975 in as much as a notice had been published in the Star Gazette and transmitted to the Express Times and posted at the municipal building.
ROLL CALL: Horensky, present; Kovacs, present; Mueller, present; Strunk, present;
Dempski, present. Edward J Glynn, Township Attorney and Mary Ann O’Neil, Township Clerk, Peter de Boer, Certified Public Works Manager and Police Chief James Mc Donald were also present.
SALUTE TO FLAG
BID INFORMATION
The Mayor said on November 2, 2006 the State Agriculture Development Committee agreed to allow permission for Washington Township to consider the $820,000 bid that was received on the AJR
property. He said it was now the Township’s job to insure that appropriate action on this to either accept or reject the bid received on the property at the auction. The appropriate contract was signed and appropriate
down payment had been received which is in Glynn’s office in an escrow account. The Mayor said the deed easement on the property had been recorded, as required by the State, to make sure the property is fully protected. Strunk
made a motion to accept the $820,000 bid on the AJR property, Mueller seconded.
ROLL CALL: Strunk, yes; Mueller, yes; Horensky, yes; Kovacs, yes; Dempski, yes.
The Mayor asked the Township Attorney to make sure the
appropriate contracts are signed and filed as required. Strunk asked the time line on this. Glynn said it would be 45 days from the time the Committee approves the offer.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Horensky made a
motion to approve the Executive Minutes of October 17, 2006, Strunk seconded. All were in favor.
Kovacs made a motion to approve the Regular Minutes of October 17, 2006, Horensky seconded. All were in favor.
ORDINANCES
Kovacs made a motion to open 06-30 Ordinance Amending, Revising and Supplementing Chapter 64 of the Code of the Township of Washington Entitled “Development Regulations,” Specifically Article II, Entitled
“Administration and Enforcement,” Subsection Sixty Four-Eight Entitled “Fees and Deposits,” for a public hearing, Horensky seconded. All were in favor. Nobody from the public wished to be heard.
Kovacs made a motion to close the public hearing, Horensky seconded. All were in favor. Strunk made a motion to adopt Ordinance 06-30, Horensky seconded.
ROLL CALL: Strunk, yes; Horensky, yes; Kovacs, yes; Mueller, yes;
Dempski, yes.
Kovacs made a motion to approve, on first reading, 06-31 Ordinance Amending, Revising and Supplementing Chapter 83 of the Code of the Township of Washington Entitled “Littering,” Specifically Subsection 8301
“Definitions and Work Usage” & by adding New Subsection 83-2 Entitled :Containerized Yard Waste”, Subsection 83-2.2 Entitled “Improper Disposal of Waste, Subsection 83-9 “Enforcement” and Amending
Subsection 83-7 Entitled “Litter on Private Property Restricted, Strunk seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Strunk, yes; Horensky, yes; Mueller, yes; Dempski ,yes.
Public Hearing and Second Reading will be December 19, 2006.
Kovacs made a motion to approve, on first reading, 06-32 Ordinance to Prohibit the Feeding of Wildlife on Property Owned by the Township of Washington, Horensky seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Horensky, yes; Mueller, yes;
Strunk, no; Dempski, yes.
Public Hearing and Second Reading will be December 19, 2006.
RESOLUTIONS
The Mayor advised that any item for discussion should be removed prior to approval. Otherwise, one motion will cover all
items on Consent. The Mayor asked that Resolutions 06-162, 06-163 and 06-164 be pulled from the list for further discussion. Kovacs made a motion to approve Resolutions 06-154 through 06-161 and Resolutions 06-165
through and including 171, Horensky seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Horensky, yes; Mueller, yes; Strunk, yes; Dempski, yes.
06-154 Acceptance of Cash Bond, Asbury Farms, Hawk Pointe Club House Expansion, Bl 65, Lot 2
06-155
Release of Performance Guarantee for Marco Contractors, Inc., Bl 22, Lots 3.14, 3.15 & 3.16
06-156 Transfer Resolution
06-157 Release Washington Twp Land Use Board Escrow/ Kenneth & Louellen Hofgesang, Bl 28. Lot 14
06-158 Release of Washington Twp Land Use Board Escrow, James & Valerie Hudock, Bl 31, Lot 8
06-159 Release of Washington Twp Land Use Board Escrow, Trade Zone Auto Sales, Inc.
06-160 Release of Washington Twp Sewerage
Authority Escrow, Metropolitan Developers, Inc. Bl 40, Lot 87.02
06-161 Release of Washington Twp Land Use Board Escrow, Tractor Supply Co, Bl 22, Lots 3.14 and 3.16
06-165 Resolution of the Twp Comm of the Township of Washington,
County of Warren, NJ, Designating a $1,425,000 Bond Anticipation Note, dated November 1, 2006 and payable May 22, 2007, as a “Qualified Tax Exempt Obligation”, pursuant to section 265 (b) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended
06-166 Resolution Authorizing Execution of Interlocal Service Agreement between Twp of Washington and Wash Twp BOE
06-167 Refund Resolution, Veteran Deduction, Bl 50, Lot 3
06-168 Refund Resolution, Refund of
Overpayments
06-169 Resolution Transferring Fire Truck 76-64 to Fire District
06-170 Chapter 159 Budget Amendment You Drink/You Drive/You Lose Grant
06-171 Acceptance of Maintenance Bond on Tennis Courts/Halcone
PUBLIC
QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
Nobody wished to be heard.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Recreation Commission Purchase of Playground Equipment - Anna C Godfrey, Recreation Commission Administrator, said she had two quotes on playground
equipment. Both quotes would be under State Contractors, one is BCI Burke and the other is Gametime. Godfrey said they were both close and final totals, you were looking at between $30,000 and $35,000. Godfrey said the
Recreation Commission would like the Township Committee to consider using rubber mulch, because within the next few years, the State will probably go to rubber mulch. The quotes were just guesses, but they are close. The
Commission did not intend to do this until January or February. They cannot hold the price that long, but both firms have advised it would not change that drastically.
Godfrey said on the equipment, the Commission would
like the manufacturers to do the installation, due to insurance liability reasons. If the DPW would put it together and something happens, they are not guaranteed and the Township could be faced with a liability suite. Both firms
have a 50 year plus warranty on them, if they do the installation. Both of them will not give a definite warranty provision if you do the installation yourself of the playground equipment. They have no problem with DPW doing
everything else. This would be for ages 5-12 years old. Signs and borders will also be included in this.
Godfrey said the Commission is interested on how the Township will be funding the playground equipment. They have to
replace the old wooden equipment, by State Regulations by December 31st. Kovacs said he recommended this go in the next bond and money would be available by the March meeting. The Mayor said, possibly the cost could be split in
the Open Space Bond and Park Bond and Joann Fascanelli could do a cost analysis. Godfrey said she would recommend going with Gametime. Samir Elbassiouney, who was in the audience, asked Godfrey to give him a
call, because he had the name of a supplier that might be cheaper than two provided.
2. Release of Fair and Open Contract RFP’s for 2007 Professionals - Horensky and the Mayor had finalized the RFP’s and public
notice for professionals. They should be able to be reviewed by the December meeting. The RFP’s would be released tonight and would be due by December 15th, distributed to the Township Committee and Township
Committee Elect, to review to start reviewing, interviewing and checking references. Horensky said the spreadsheet would advise what the Township would be looking at.
Horensky made a motion to release the RFP’s and asked
the Clerks Office put the public notices into legal papers and the Mayor will put on the website, Strunk seconded.
ROLL CALL: Horensky, yes; Strunk, yes; Kovacs, yes; Mueller, yes; Dempski, yes.
3. Clean Communities
Coordinator Job Description - The Mayor developed a job description for a Clean Communities Coordinator. He said this is a tremendous opportunity for the Township to put a lot of emphasis on anti-littering protection, education for
children, programs for community groups and it has not been used to its fullest potential. The Mayor said they are attempting to find out how much money is left, because there is a discrepancy and the auditor is checking into it and it
has not been tracked carefully. Once they find out the amount, they will be filing the reports. The Mayor said he thought it would be a good idea to create a job description, so when this person is appointed,
they will know exactly what they are doing , what the salary would be, requirements and responsibilities. This will go a long way to making sure that the program is utilized to its utmost, because there is a tremendous amount of
potential in this program to do a lot of good things in the community. The salary is the maximum that you can use, based on the Clean Communities Legislation, which is 5% of the annual grant. The grant would probably run
$9000 to $10,000 a year. It is based on population and amount of roadway in the Township. The Mayor asked the Committee to review the job description and said it would discussed further at the next meeting. The
Mayor will put in a budget request for 2007 to give the Township guidelines on how to spend the money.
OTHER
The Mayor asked the Township Committee to rescind Resolution 06-169, resolution Transferring Fire
Truck 76-64 to Fire District. Strunk made a motion to rescind Resolution 06-169, Mueller seconded.
ROLL CALL: Strunk, yes; Mueller, yes; Horensky, yes; Kovacs yes; Dempski, yes.
OLD BUSINESS
4. Review of Fire District Local
Agreement - Glynn passed out the Inter Local Agreement between Washington Township and the Washington Township Fire District. The Mayor said this is concerning engine 76-64, which was purchased under a township bond in 2000.
Subsequently, there was a Fire District created and the Committee wants to make sure the payment is properly processed, as well as ownership and other issues. The agreement stipulates that the Fire District will pay Washington Township
$24,239 by the end of 2006. After that year the bond and interest payment will stay with Washington Township and the Fire District will remove the lease payment and those payments from its tax levy. The Fire District will be
responsible for maintenance and fuel costs associated with the engine. When it is possible to do so, the Township will sell it to the Fire District for $1. Should the engine be sold, under the terms of this
agreement, the Township would get 60% and the Fire District 40%. Horensky said, if the Fire District advises that the fire truck is no longer serviceable, then the Township Committee make the determination to sell the vehicle,
within the terms of the agreement. If the vehicle is sold at that point, it will be sold by the Township, who will retain 60% of the sale price. If the truck is sold after the 10 year period, then the Township
would not get anything. The Mayor asked Sharon Cooper, Insurance Representative from Brown and Brown who was present, if the wording that the Fire District was leasing the truck should be in the contract. Cooper
asked if the truck would be in the Townships name for the next 10 years, then the insurance has to follow the registration, unless you include in the contract that they have to provide the insurance. Dorio said the Township is
leasing it to the Fire District for $1 a year, so they are leasing it and can insure it. Vergos said, in the past, if a fire truck was sold, they received the money to go toward purchasing a new truck, it is not like it is going into a
slush fund. Horensky made a motion that Resolution 06-169 be approved, after the Interlocal Service Agreement, Item 4 was amended to read, that Washington Township shall convey title to the engine to the Fire District when it is
legally possible to do so for $1.00 in consideration, which title shall be conveyed as soon as possible following the approval of the Township’s Bond Counsel, and until such time, the District shall lease the engine for $1.00 per
year, Kovacs seconded.
ROLL CALL: Horensky, yes; Kovacs, yes; Mueller, yes; Strunk, no; Dempski, yes.
5. Central Warren Agreement - The Mayor distributed two agreements concerning the final closing out of the Central Warren
Court. He said, there are two issues on the one agreement. Irene Brownell, former Central Warren Court Administrator, resigned and they had to back fill the position immediately. Since then, Franklin has interviewed
and retained the services of Gail Stierle, who is a retired Certified Court Administrator. The Mayor has interviewed her and she seems like a good candidate. Stierle comes in from the period of October through December of 2006 and
January of 2007. Her role is to process any pending cases from the Central Warren Court In 2007, in January alone, she will be responsible for moving the court cases to the proper court, which will be the Washington Township
Municipal Court or Lopatcong Township Court, which Franklin is currently utilizing. The first part of the agreement stipulates her salary, which is $35 an hour, the amount of hours working and the term, which would be January
31,2007. The funding for her salary will come out of the Central Warren Court Fines that had been received year to date, which is over $26,000. There are funds available from the Central Warren Court to pay the
salary.
The Mayor had originally said they wanted the Court Custodian for a period of seven years, but since then have changed their minds. They will be resuming the Court Custodian responsibilities, but no staff
will be required for that court after January 31, 2007. This was a potential that they were going to require the Township to do.
The second agreement is an amendment to the one signed last year. It defines Gail Stierle,
who will be keeping the records, who is Washington Township, who will be maintaining the telephone, who will be Franklin Township and also says that regarding some of the surplus areas and monies left over. The last part of the
agreement ties into the resolution being passed tonight. When court cases are assigned, back and forth,
there is a chance that a Washington Township Court matter may be processed by the Lopatcong Police, for example. If it is a
warrant from Central Warren Court, they may get arrested in Lopatcong and they have to be incarcerated that night, so a Court Administrator is called in and they are there to incarcerate an individual. There may be co-mingled cases, so
the Township is required to appoint Acting Deputy Court Administrators. So, Irene Brownell would bean Acting Court Administrator, if the need arises, and they would do the same thing and appoint Gail Stierle as their Acting Court
Administrator. The Mayor said they would be housing the records in the Annex Building, which would be secure. The Mayor said there is money available to pay Stierle and the Court Audit and that is the only
funding that the Township required to provide under the agreement. The Mayor said, when the original agreement was signed, there was a salary and continued operation of the court. He has issued an OPRA Request asking what they
have spent money on so far. The Mayor, Glynn, Mayor Adams and the Franklin Township Attorney John Zaner met and reviewed the agreement. Glynn said there was also two representatives of the Administration Office of
Courts.
Kovacs made a motion to approve Resolution 06-162 Resolution Authorizing the Signing of an Interlocal Services Agreement in order properly close out the Central Warren Court and 06-163 Appointment of Gail
Stierle, Deputy Court Administrator to perform duties of Court Adm. during her absence from work., Strunk seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Strunk, yes; Horensky, yes; Mueller, yes; Dempski, yes.
Kovacs made a motion to approve
Resolution 06-164 Appointment of Irene Brownell, Deputy Court Administrator to perform duties of Court Adm. during her absence from work, with the stipulation that the Township should have been informed before she was hired, Horensky
seconded, with the same comment.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Horensky, yes; Mueller, yes; Strunk, yes; Dempski, no.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Insurance Information - Sharon Cooper/Brown and Brown - Cooper advised the Committee that
statutorily there are some employees that had been bonded separately. That law is changing and effective January 1, 2007, the people can be included under an insurance coverage fund. This will save the
Township money. The difference is, if this is done, there would be a $1000 deductible on the bond, in comparison to a zero deductible right now. The bond will be $1,000,000, which is much greater than what the Township has
now. She recommended the change and asked permission to do it. Horensky made a motion to approve the change in the bonding of employees, Mueller seconded.
ROLL CALL: Horensky, yes; Mueller, yes; Kovacs, yes; Strunk, yes;
Dempski
Cooper asked about the waiver/hold harmless agreement that she had brought o the Committee’s attention two months ago on the gym being used by the police officers. The Clerk advised that Glynn and Chief Mc Donald
had been advised to review and revise this. . Glynn said he would revise it and get it to her within a few days.
2. Strunk made a motion to approve the Raffle License from the Warren Hills Wrestling Club for the season, Mueller
seconded. All were in favor.
3. Strunk made a motion to approve the request from Dawn Stanchina, CFO, to attend a Budget Workshop on December 1, 2006 in Totowa, NJ, Kovacs seconded. All were in favor.
4. Clean
Communities Grant - The Mayor said a request had been received from the Brass Castle Elementary School to purchase a Smart Board from the Clean Communities Grant Fund, pending availability of funds for $1217. Horensky asked if it would
be available to anyone else to use. The Mayor said yes, but it would be stored in the Elementary School. The Mayor said any group could use it and a request could be put in to use it. The Township would be paying for it and
it would belong to the Township. The Mayor said a stipulation should be put into the motion, that upon proper notice, the said equipment will be furnished to the Township for their use as needed. The school would be using it for
anti-littering and pollution awareness. Mueller made a motion to approve the purchase of a Smart Board from the Clean Communities Grant Fund, pending availability of funds, to be stored at the Brass Castle School, but remain the
property of Washington Township and upon proper notice, the said equipment would be furnished to Township for their use as needed, Horensky seconded.
ROLL CALL: Mueller, yes; Horensky, yes; Kovacs, yes; Strunk ,yes; Dempski, yes.
REPORTS FROM OFFICIALS
John Horensky said he had attended the Fire Services this past month and he is working with the PBA on the contract, which will be discussed in Executive Session.
Michael Kovacs said that around
December 12th the CPI will be coming out for the year and this number is used to determine the salary increases at the December meeting, so the resolution can be in place for the Reorganization Meeting. He was reminding that the
number would be needed by the next meeting. The Mayor said he thought it would be 4.5%.
Barry Mueller said the Historical Commission has set Saturday, May 19, 2007 for their day of celebration at the Auto Giro Port. It
will be 1:00p.m. to 4:00p.m. Basically, it will just be a day of education to educate the public, adults and children, about the purpose of the building. They plan to invite some other Historic Societies and Commissions to set up
displays. The theme of the day will be Transportation. Mueller asked if there were any guidelines they had to follow. The Clerk said there was an ordinance of Public Exhibitions and she would provide the information to
him.
Mueller said the Board of Education has hired a new superintendent and his name is Roger Jenks, coming from neighboring Franklin Township. They also got the grant from the County. They are looking toward the Township
helping them with the first floor, which would be an interpretation of history, which the Historic Commission will do most of it.
RJ Strunk said he met with Dawn Stanchina and Jo Ann Fascanelli. They have completed their
aspect of the audit report from Dave Evans, Auditor. The accounts have been transferred over. He has to check with Evan Howell, Tax Collector, on a procedure matter. Right now, they are automatically transferring
monies from the tax account over into the general fund and they want to see what his procedure is if there is any retention in the monies when the accounts are swiped clean. All recommendations on the audit have been
complied with.
Strunk said that generally on one of the days before Christmas, he provides lunch for the Township Employees and asked for permission to do so on Friday, December 22nd at the Administration Building. There
were no objections.
Strunk said that Dawn Stanchino had a memo to the Committee asking for permission to change the payroll services. After discussion, the Clerk was to send a memo to Stanchino asking her to do it by resolution
at the December meeting.
Mayor David Dempski said he had provided the job description for the Clean Communities Coordinator and a 2007 budget request. He is also working on the 2006-2007 annual statistical reports. He is waiting
for the auditor to give him the final amounts left in the grants.
Nothing on Affordable Housing.
On the Open Space Advisory Committee, they did the budget request on November 15th. Also, the Green Acres Trust Fund
will probably be depleted by mid 2007.
He missed the SWAC meeting. The next meeting is December 7th.
The Warren Morris Council of Governments will meet next on November 29th at Washington Boro Hall.
Robert
Miller, Township Engineer, has sent him a request. The NJDOT has a grant program for providing safe routes to school, which the Township has always applied for and he asks for the Committee’s authorization to submit grant
sidewalk requests for Midland Avenue to Pleasant Valley Road to Castle Street and Norfolk Avenue to Pleasant Valley Road to Castle Street is another one. Also, portions of Brass Castle Road near the school and near the
Port Colden Area. The applications are due by December 29th. The Mayor asked if the Committee wanted to authorize Robert Miller to apply for the grants or discuss further at the next meeting. This would be for
sidewalks to school. Strunk made a motion that Miller be authorized to apply for the grants, Kovacs seconded. Horensky said people have been living on Midland and Norfolk for many years. He did not know how many people have
been living there since 1963 and there has never been a sidewalk in front of their house and we want to go in a put one in, without having any conversation with them. Horensky felt this could cause a concern, especially if the residents
have no clue this is going to happen, so he was concerned. Strunk said they certainly are deserving of a community meeting once the grant has been awarded. The Mayor suggested that at the next Board of Education Meeting that
it be on the agenda and do a mailing. Kovacs said any mailing should be on the positive side and explain it is for the safety of the children. Strunk made a motion that Miller be authorized to prepare the grant, but not
submit, until after the next meeting, Kovacs seconded. ROLL CALL: Strunk, yes; Kovacs, yes; Horensky, yes; Mueller, yes; Dempski, yes.
PAYMENT OF BILLS
Mueller made a motion to pay the bill, Horensky seconded.
ROLL CALL:
Mueller, yes; Horensky, yes; Kovacs, abstain; Strunk, yes; Dempski, yes.
OTHER
The Mayor said that the Clean Communities Grant Monies can be used for litter surveillance, anti-littering patrols and radio equipment to catch
people littering. He asked Chief Mc Donald for requests so equipment can be obtained. The Police Department would like binoculars, video cameras and cameras with a total under $3,000. Chief Mc Donald had a very detailed
proposal of what he would like to get, which would come out of the grant, pending the availability of funds. Strunk made a motion, pending the availability of funds, the Police Department get the items (binoculars, night vision
camera, digital camera) on the proposal for a total of $2998.71 from Clean Community Fund Horensky seconded. The Chief said, if funds were unavailable, he could prioritize the list.
ROLL CALL: Strunk, yes; Horensky, yes; Kovacs,
yes; Mueller, yes; Dempski, yes.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Kovacs made a motion to go into Executive Session at 8:45 p.m., to discuss matters of personnel, contract negotiations and other project issues, Strunk seconded. Samir
Elbassiouney was invited to attend the meeting.
The doors were opened. Mueller made a motion to come out of the Executive Session at 11:45 p.m., Strunk seconded. All were in favor.
The Mayor asked that the
record reflect that the police contract was discussed, issues with the renovation architect of the Municipal Complex and pending closing with Unity Bank.
The Mayor asked for a motion to introduce, by title only, Ordinance
06-33, which would be the creation of a Washington Township Code Enforcement Office, which could include a regional office. Kovacs made a motion that Ordinance 06-33 be approved, by title only, on first reading, Horensky
seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Horensky, yes; Mueller, yes; Strunk, no; Dempski, yes.
Second reading and public hearing will be held December 19th.
The Mayor said that when he went down to the League of Municipalities, he
spoke to someone from PARIS, which is the archiving grants and assistance to municipalities. They said that the Counties are responsible for doing grants and doing a feasability study of what is really needed, as well as getting
grants to help have efficient records storage. He said, that Barry Smith, the Warren County IT person is also responsible for PARIS and that we are interested in getting in on a grant because the Township will be getting a new
building, with new records and the Township should make sure they are stored properly.
Kovacs said, on the architect proposal, he wants to leave out the $46,000 for construction administration, until they know how they are going to
handle it. After much discussion, Kovacs said that he, de Boer and Horensky, after the interview, all agreed out of the three interviewed that they wanted to hire Alex Soffiantini. Horensky made a motion to approve the proposal from
Alex Soffiantini and Associates as architect on new building, at a total of $114,500, which takes out the $47,000 for construction official, Kovacs seconded. The Mayor said this would be awarded under the Non Fair and Open
Contract and would be a resolution.
Strunk said he had an opportunity to listen last month to the fact that the Township needed an architect that had municipal experience in building a building. They looked at the
credentials tonight and listened to them tonight, that he has the experience of doing one building, which is still under construction. It has been under construction for two years. He asked what some of the deficiencies were
in the existing architectural design and why they should not go forward with it. It was stated that possibly there could be a problem with seismic engineering, handicapped issues, parking issues, roof issue, and there might be some
deficiencies in the written documents. The existing architectural plans are, right now, down with DCA waiting to be approved. The handicapped issues have been dealt with and resolved, including bathrooms issues. It was
brought to the attention of the Committee tonight that the existing plan might not have adequate bathrooms. The building had housed almost 100 workers at one time with existing bathrooms.
Strunk said he is still questioning on
why the Township is bringing in another architect. The areas he had brought up, the seismic activities, had already been checked with DCA and the plans provided were adequate. It does not need to be seismic and the air
conditioning system is adequate with plans proposed. The Township has spent good money so far on architects fees and the architect asked repeatedly for input from the Township Committee, which was next to little during the current
year for input on plans. The Committee has already done meetings with the employees on where they want to be for office space, so that has been done and incorporated into the building after many months of asking everybody what they
wanted.
Strunk said, their obligation to the Township Residents, are to give the workers good facilities at a reasonable cost and they do not need a legacy which was one of the terms brought up, they need a good building that is simple
and functional. The Township should be renovating the existing building to fit in some of the spaces that already exist, there is no reason to gut the structure to remove some of the offices or downstairs kitchen, which is in good shape
that they cannot work around to give the employees and citizens good dollar value. They are now looking at spending another $114,000 to $160,000 for someone to come in and reinvent the wheel. If there were questions, they should
have been brought up before. Strunk said he still questions on why this is being again done now, there are adequate plans and are ready to go.
Strunk said the question came up again about the elevator. They
cannot fit it inside the existing building, because you need 6' to 7' for the elevator in the roof structure, it has to be outside because of the roof design.. Kovacs said nobody said to put it outside tonight. Strunk said the
question was that it was outside and would cost half a million dollars and the reason it cannot be put inside was because it would not fit inside without raising the roof. Kovacs said he did not mention that the cost of the elevator
would be $250,000, no matter what you do with it. Strunk said the cost was additional monies to put outside the structure would put it up to a $500,000 bill. The Mayor and Kovacs both said it was $250,000. Kovacs said
the elevator would be about $35,000 to $40,000 and the rest of the cost would be $200,000 to put the building up. Strunk said, in the proposed estimate for a new entrance on the building of $250,000, this is not
needed. Kovacs said this includes the elevator. Strunk said they do not need a new entrance to the building. Kovacs said the entrance to the building was the elevator building, he was thinking of putting it out front.
Its the elevator building, it is an additional entrance. Strunk said this is a matter of preference and originally they had decided to put it out back for a reasonable price. Strunk said a decision was made in existing plans to
put it in the back. Kovacs said nobody had told the new architect what to do with it, this was his thought, to put it out front.
Strunk said, also, they said there was no provision for records and security, which was
the Committee’s decision not to do those things, because they were going to do those as separate contractual items and the records were going into the annex.
Strunk said the items that this architect brought to the
Committee’s attention hold no water, because there is no seismic issue, there are good plans for adequate space at a reasonable dollar and do not need to spend another $114,000 to $160,000. Strunk said they will probably go 30%
over on this project. Strunk said he has check with Gagne, who checked with Pro Energy and two have put calls into DCA, specifically asking this question. Kovacs said maybe it doesn’t need to be done and maybe it does.
He said this is what the new architect said tonight.
Kovacs said, as far as the new building goes, what you have is a piece of sheet metal with a 1" piece of insulation and sheet rock or panel over it.
Strunk said it has a good base structure and the Township does not need to put a facade on it. Kovacs said it is the Committee’s decision to tell the architect how they want it to look.
Strunk said the efforts
should be concentrated on going out to bid, finding a good contractor, negotiating with the existing plans that they have that are adequate and good and giving the people a dollar value for construction, because they will run into
problems, no matter who the architect is and there will be costs over runs, so instead of spending another $114,000 to $160,000 for somebody to draw up new paper to make the wheel, they should be investing that in making the plan
good. Horensky said you cannot negotiate with a contractor. Stunk said you could after the third bid. Horensky said this is a facility under public contract and you cannot negotiate. Yes it is true, once you bid
the third time, but the numbers are coming in and were in the same ball park you are talking about now. Horensky said you can negotiate with somebody to build the building, it will not be different than what they are seeing
right now. Strunk asked, so why do you need a new architect. Horensky said the plans may be identical to what they are now, they need an architect that has the capability of putting together construction plans that develop
in such a way that a builder can build and the Township can go out to bid on. They don’t have it now. Kovacs said there is no detail, it is just a drawing and looks like a penciled in thing. There is no
detail on the construction of it, there is nothing in it. He has looked at the drawings of the new architect and it is detailed on everything. Strunk said there are details on page 4 of the plan regarding the dais and other
information they are looking for.
There being nothing further to come before the Committee, Strunk made a motion to adjourn at 12:20 a..m, seconded by Kovacs. All were in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Ann O’Neil RMC/CMC
Township Clerk
