By karl vilacoba
Staff Writer
BRICK –– The Township Council gave its second and final approval to four bonding ordinances that comprise the second phase of Brick’s 2003 capital budget program.
The ordinances allocate $6.18 million toward monitoring the Brick Township Landfill, purchases of open space and police equipment, road improvements, and other miscellaneous costs.
Continuing with a practice that started last year, township officials divided Brick’s capital budget into two phases. The first phase, approved in February, dealt with time-sensitive projects, while the second addressed remaining components.
The bulk of the funds, $5.3 million, is set aside for the eventual purchase of 11 properties as open space. At a total of 164 acres, some officials consider them the last significant targets in Brick’s open space preservation program.
"This is the last of the bulk vacant properties in Brick Township," Council President Kimberley Casten said.
A second ordinance appropriates $353,000 for monitoring the Superfund landfill site, as well as improvements to other buildings and grounds. Specifically, $325,000 of that sum will pay for tracking the course of an underground plume emanating from the landfill on Sally Ike Road. The outcome of tests on the plume will determine if there is a need to adjust Brick’s current Groundwater Use Restriction Area (GURA).
A $482,000 ordinance covers new police equipment and computers for township offices. Of that amount, $189,000 will buy the Brick Township Police Department new handguns, rifles, training, radar equipment, dispatching equipment and a list of other items. Most expensive on the list is a $125,000, 26-foot vehicle, equipped with emergency response equipment that can potentially act as a hostage negotiations facility.
Last, the council approved a $45,000 ordinance that will go toward the purchase of automated garbage cans and miscellaneous road improvements.
The four bonding ordinances were passed July 29 by a 6-0 vote.