Township implements spending controls

Intent of controls is to prevent situations such as the $403,000 emergency appropriation of Aug. 28

By John Tredrea
   Two resolutions implementing new municipal spending controls on professional service agreements were adopted by the Hopewell Township Committee Monday night.
   The intent of the controls is to prevent situations such as the one that led officials to approve a $403,000 emergency appropriation Aug. 28 after weeks of intense, well-publicized debate. The appropriation will cover increased amounts in the township’s professional service agreements pertaining to legal and engineering costs.
   The resolutions directs the township administrator to:
   • Immediately establish a monthly report that timely and accurately accounts for the status of all professional services agreements OK’d by the Township Committee. The first report would be due Sept. 25.
   • Establish, by Jan. 1, 2007, new standard operating procedures for use by the Township Committee and all departments and a new evaluation system for administration.
   • Immediately assume responsibility for coordinating access to and use of township professionals by committee members and township staff in a manner that:
   — Permits and encourages efficient and timely provision of professional services;
   — Does not allow any individual committee member or staff to assign significant work to the professional without the administrator’s or the Township Committee’s OK;
   — And does not prohibit Township Committee members from working with professionals as needed to fulfill their liaison responsibilities.