to help pay cost of police communications system
Federal money designated
to help pay cost of police communications system
By Sherry conohan
Staff Writer
JERRY WOLKOWITZ Shrewsbury’s new borough hall is nearing completion, but the communications system will not be installed until a federal grant of $500,000, promised to the borough by the U.S. Justice Department, comes through to pay for the equipment, which officials say should be a matter of weeks.
SHREWSBURY — Construction of the new municipal building has just entered its most sensitive stage. With the exterior essentially completed and the studs going up to define the interior space, the construction committee overseeing the $3.2 million project is now turning its attention to installation of the technological equipment — the fiber optics network, teleconferencing to link the judge in the courtroom with the jail, communications for the police department, security systems and telephones.
At a construction committee meeting July 31, the connections, into what rooms the wires would run and the plans showing them were gone over with a fine-tooth comb by the 13 participants who sat around a large double table in the council meeting room in the present borough hall.
Changes were discussed and some were made. It was agreed the police chief would be consulted to see if he would go along with a couple of reroutings proposed for his department.
Councilman Terel Cooperhouse, who is overseeing construction for the governing body, said after the meeting that the project still was on schedule with a target occupancy date in January. He hoped it would be open in time for the council’s annual reorganization meeting, held shortly after the first of the year.
"The exterior has been completed," he said. "Now we have to install the telecommunication and data lines. We have to make sure we have the necessary lines and that they are directed to the right place" before the Sheetrock goes up, he said.
Construction meetings have been held every two weeks since work began. They bring together the council representatives, the architect, the contractor, the project manager and the various subcontractors.
"It’s been a true team effort," Cooperhouse said.
There is, however, a hitch at the moment.
Constance Lauffer, the borough administrator, advised those at the last meeting that the technological equipment can’t be ordered until the U.S. Department of Justice approves a $500,000 grant to purchase it.
Lauffer said that after the equipment is ordered, it would take six to seven weeks for delivery. Lauffer said after the meeting that she thought the borough would be OK despite the delay in the Justice Department’s approval.
"I wouldn’t want this to go more than a couple of more weeks," she said.
The Justice Department grant, earmarked for technological equipment to be installed in furtherance of public safety, was announced by Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., at the groundbreaking for the new municipal building last fall. Lauffer said the $500,000 in federal funds would reduce the borough’s planned expenditure by a like amount.
Lauffer said that money in the bond issue approved by the voters to pay for the project would then be freed up for other municipal purposes, as approved by the council.
Cooperhouse already has said he thought the borough could get some money out of that bond issue for a contribution to a planned memorial for two borough victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks who died in the World Trade Center.
A memorial committee has recommended construction of a gazebo in the municipal complex to serve as a community event and gathering spot.
Cooperhouse said the construction of the municipal building not only was on schedule but also within budget.
Lauffer said everything has gone so well in coordination between all the players that she’s afraid to say so out loud for fear of jinxing it.
"We hope to come in under budget," she said. Lauffer said that all the furnishings for the building have been ordered, and there seems to be plenty of time to get them when needed.
"The theme the interior designer came up with is an antique quilt," she said.
The borough has samples of carpeting and wallpaper that will be used. They are a mixture of muted blues and greens, with tan and gray. The furniture is in muted shades of gray and tan. "It should be very easy on the eye," Lauffer said.
The first floor of the new municipal building will house the courtroom (which will double as the meeting room for the council, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment), the court administration offices, and most of the police department.
The municipal offices will be located on the second floor — borough administrator, borough clerk, finance department including the tax collector and tax assessor, the construction and code enforcement officials, and the police chief and other top officers of the police department. There also will be a room for the mayor and council, and a lunch room on the second floor.
The architect for the project is Robert DeSantis of Kaplan Gaunt DeSantis, Red Bank, and the general contractor is Tormee, Tinton Falls. The construction manager is Charles Hembling & Son, of Shrewsbury.
After the move, the old borough hall — the historic Wardell House — will be taken over by the Monmouth County Library for use as an extension of its Eastern Branch, located nearby on Route 35, for meetings and events.
Lauffer said everyone in the present borough hall is anxious to get over to the new, spiffier facilities. "That’s putting it mildly," she added. But, she said, "we’re thrilled this building will be taken care of," referring to the Wardell House.
Lauffer said the feeling is that the larger municipal complex, with the new borough hall, the library building and the Shrewsbury Historical Society building, which stands there now, will become a town center. Mayor Emilia Siciliano has said the town needs one and has expressed a hope that the gazebo memorial, if finally approved, would further that end.
Cooperhouse said he was very pleased with how well construction has progressed so far. "There’s been extraordinary teamwork among all the parties involved," he said. "I’m anxiously looking forward to moving day — as are all the borough employees."