One contractor failed to complete improvements to Ridge Road. The second has yet to complete the construction of Rowland Park.
By: Joseph Harvie
The Township Council won’t stand for unfinished business.
The council approved two resolutions Tuesday allowing Anthony Campisano, of the law firm Bucca and Campisano in New Brunswick, to file lawsuits against two contractors. One contractor failed to complete road improvement work on Ridge Road in Monmouth Junction. The second has yet to complete the construction of Rowland Park on Rowland Road.
The township authorized the lawsuits against the JPC Group and First Sealord Surety, for the Ridge Road project, and Northstar Enterprises and XL Specialty Insurance Co., for Rowland Park, because punch list items were not completed, said Ron Schmalz, township public affairs coordinator.
Mr. Schmalz said the township bonded for $400,000 to have the JPC Group curb and pave Ridge Road near the S-curves in Monmouth Junction proper. He said the company failed to do some inlet and paving work.
In Rowland Park, the township bonded for just over $6 million to have Northstar Enterprises construct the 79.5-acre park. The park has four Little League baseball fields, a full-size baseball field, a softball field and two multipurpose fields that can be used for soccer, football and lacrosse. All of the fields are lighted and have water fountains and irrigated sprinkler systems.
Mr. Schmalz said the contractor did not complete electrical work and landscape plantings.
"I had a meeting with (South Brunswick Athletic Association) today and they are concerned that the park might not be ready for the spring season," Mayor Frank Gambatese said Tuesday.
The township hired both contractors by putting the projects out to bid, as per state law. Under the law, the contractor with the lowest bid is hired.
Councilman Joe Camarota requested that the township look more closely at how contractors work on projects that had gone out to bid, especially when it comes to township parks.
"We already missed last season, in the fall, because the park wasn’t done," Mr. Camarota said. "Now SBAA’s opening day is April 1, and the town has to step up and get the park ready."
Township Matt Watkins said the township has little recourse when it comes to work done by contractors who get municipal jobs through the bidding process.
"We have to pay them within 20 days," Mr. Watkins said. "If you’re renovating your home and the contractor doesn’t finish the job, you don’t pay him. Then they come back and finish the job. We have to pay them."
He said that, to get the work done, the township has to enter into litigation. He said the problem is not only happening in South Brunswick, but throughout the state.
Township Attorney Don Sears said the township has two options on how to sue. It can either sue to get money to complete the work or to get the bond company to hire another contractor to complete the work, Mr. Sears said.
Councilman Charles Carley said that going out to bid and forcing the township to accept the lowest bid often results in shoddy work.
"The cheapest cost is not always the best buy," Mr. Carley said.
Councilwoman Carol Barrett said that almost every project that has gone out to bid in the township has ended badly.
Mayor Gambatese said the township would draft a resolution recommending that the state allow municipalities to choose contractors for jobs without having to take the lowest bid, or to give municipalities more discretion when choosing contractors.

