Sprinkler system damage delays baseball tryouts
Pipes broken when light poles were installed
without engineer present
The controversy over the erection of light poles for a baseball field at Valenzano Park in West Long Branch took another twist last week with Mayor Paul Zambrano chiding the West Long Branch Sports Association for telling parents the ballfield can’t be used this year.
Zambrano said some parents had called him to complain because they had been told their children couldn’t proceed with tryouts for the baseball season because the mayor and council were preventing use of the field.
Zambrano said use of the field was a separate issue from the lights and the borough Recreation Commission would be scheduling games as always.
The mayor said he took offense at a letter written by Jack W. Kinas, a member of the Recreation Commission and a leader in the Sports Association, that asked whether the Recreation Commission can grant requests to use the field.
"We’re not going to take it because we busted our butt on this project," he said at the Borough Council’s caucus before its regular meeting March 20.
"We want to make sure it’s safe," he added of the governing body’s interest.
Zambrano said the council doesn’t want the field used until the underground sprinkler system is certified as having been fixed properly. The underground pipes were broken in two places when the poles were erected.
The mayor and council have already been assured by Borough Engineer Edward Broberg that the light poles are safe. Broberg said the footings for the poles were inspected and approved by the borough construction official.
The imbroglio erupted when the Sports Association had the light poles delivered and put in without the oversight of the borough engineer. Zambrano and the council have charged this was a violation of the borough’s contracts with the Sports Association and the supplier and erector of the poles.
The council directed that the spots where the underground irrigation pipes were broken be dug up and the system inspected by the engineer and plumbing inspector to determine if they were correctly repaired.
Councilman Joseph Delisa, who’s in charge of buildings and grounds, said that should be done soon. "Safety is my concern," he said.
The electric service to supply the poles still has to be run to the street and the lights have to be connected before they can be turned on. This is a job the council said must be put out to bid, a process that will take several weeks.
The Sports Association has now hired an attorney, Michael A. Pane of Hightstown, and Zambrano said because of that he won’t talk to anyone from the association any more.
"Mr. Baxter will do our talking," he said, referring to Borough Attorney Gregory S. Baxter.
A letter from Pane, and Baxter’s planned response, were discussed at the caucus. Pane asked what plans the borough had, if any, for allowing completion of the installation of the light poles so that the lights may be used in the upcoming baseball season, and what funds are available for the project, in particular the $50,000 appropriation from the state Legislature to finance it.
Councilman William J. Boglioli, who personally asked Assemblyman Steve Corodemus, R-Monmouth, for the $50,000 grant, said he believed the Sports Association went ahead and financed the project six or eight months ago. "They may have made some payments," he said.
Borough Clerk Lori Cole said the borough will pay the Sports Association but needs documentation of any payments by it before the money will be advanced.
Baxter objected to a statement by Pane in his letter "that everyone involved agrees there have been some misunderstandings, and there appear to be feelings on both sides that the other side is particularly culpable."
In his written reply to Pane, Baxter said, "I am unaware of any persons feeling that the borough or its governing body is culpable in any way and take extreme exception to that statement.
"Though there may well be culpability on the part of the Sports Association, Musco Lighting or Lucas Electric, there is certainly no culpability on the part of the borough," he wrote.
At the meeting, Baxter said he believed Pane had been provided copies of the borough’s contracts with the Sports Association, Musco and Lucas.
"All three of those agreements are straightforward, in plain language, and leave no room for misinterpretation as to the required involvement by the borough engineer, the posting of insurance, etc.," he said.