Grant to pay part of mandated stormwater work

The state says the township must identify and locate all pipes emptying water into rivers and streams within a year.

By: Melissa Edmond
   The Township Committee will use a $20,619 state grant to defray the costs of a $45,000 contract needed to meet the state’s new stormwater regulations.
   The contract was awarded to Maser Consulting at the Nov. 22 committee meeting, with Committeeman Paul Drake casting the lone dissenting vote against the contract.
   Based on state regulations passed in 2004, the township must identify and locate all "outfalls" — pipes emptying water in rivers and streams — in town within a year, according to Township Administrator Kevin Davis.
   The township received the municipal stormwater grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection this fall.
   Mr. Drake questioned if the committee needed to pay Maser $45,000 when it was only given a grant of $20,000. He said he didn’t understand why the township couldn’t go out and look for more competitive prices.
   "It was a reasonable price according to several engineers," said Township Administrator Kevin Davis.
   He said that the township received three quotes for the outfall mapping services. He said one firm proposed $39,000 but was unable to do state-required GIS marking and another firm proposed $50,000 for the same services that Maser offered $45,000 to complete. He didn’t give the names of firms whose bids were rejected.
   "We need to be sure we’re spending taxpayer dollars in the right way and make sure we get the most competitive prices," Mr. Drake said in a phone interview on Tuesday. "I think Maser is a well-qualified firm that knows the township but we need to remain competitive."
   "If we’re being asked to do different projects, I think we need to have a list of several comparable firms that we can choose from to offer varying services so that we know that we’re getting the most fair price," he added.
   Mr. Davis said that these prices are just the "the tip of the iceberg of the prices for the stormwater regulations."
   In a phone interview Tuesday, he said that after all the outfalls have been found, the township will have to hire a firm to monitor them to make sure pollutants aren’t entering area streams.
   "If we find one that is bringing pollution rather than rainwater into the stream, then we need to track it back, which is yet another cost, and find out who is bringing the pollution into the river," he said.
   The current law does not allow the township to then fine the polluter for reimbursement of the costs — only turn them over to the DEP for prosecution, Mr. Davis said.
   The township’s leaf collection, another factor affected by new stormwater management rules, appears to be proceeding smoothly, according to Public Works Director Buck Sixt.
   With the new rules, residents were required to keep leaves 10 feet away from any storm drain.
   "The new rules made things stricter, but I don’t think it was harder now than in other years," Mr. Sixt said.
   Leaf collection started in November. According to township officials, residents can drop leaves off at the Department of Public Works facility on Auten Road between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dec. 16 and Dec. 17.