Residents sound off on ‘bad’ concrete

By: Stephanie Prokop
   BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — Township Council members advised about 15 Preserve at Meadow Run residents at Monday night’s meeting who claim the concrete driveways and walkways installed by Orleans Homebuilders on their properties is defective, to keep records of the damage or deterioration.
   Although the council took no formal action, Gateswood Court resident Marlo Fairlie said residents were just looking to "gather input and voice our concerns in a forum with all of the council members present."
   The group of residents also have enlisted state Assemblyman Joseph Malone’s, R-30th, help with their claim, and Mr. Malone will be submitting a list of 31 names and addresses to the Burlington County Director of Consumer Affairs Renee Borstad, and other government agencies.
   The houses range in price from the low $400,000s to the mid $600,000s, and over the past few years many residents have reported noticing either cracks or rust spots in sharp contrast to the off-white and cream colored cement on surfaces including driveways, walkways and porches.
   The oldest house in the development is just over three years old, and many residents said that they had tried to file a claim to replace the driveways, and told that it was not covered under the warranty.
   Orleans did not return calls for comment for this article before the Register-News went to press Wednesday.
   Fed up with what many residents describe as poor communication from the developer, the group is trying to seek some retribution from the company, which according to Ms. Fairlie "has said to our faces that they laid bad concrete."
   Deputy Mayor William Morelli and Mayor George Chidley said they have taken a quick ride through the neighborhood of 164 houses, and Mr. Morelli said "it’s not just one house, it’s across all phases of the development."
   According to Ms. Fairlie, the group has grown to more than 30 residents, most of them claiming that they are tired of the "quick fixes" that Orleans Homebuilders have tried, which include drilling holes and patching the concrete, as well as painting over it.
   The most pressing concern that residents related to the board was that repairmen from Orleans were going out onto the properties of the homeowners and fixing their various concrete issues where the help was not wanted in the first place, or when residents were not at home.
   Mayor Chidley said that having Orleans representatives come out when they aren’t wanted by the homeowner could be "tantamount to vandalism."
   The entire council recommended that if any homeowner found marks or evidence that someone on their property without authorization, he should immediately alert the Police Department and file a police report.
   Councilman Mark Roselli also encouraged residents to save pictures and video of the damage.