Extra charges for work at NPDC site rejected by Montgomery

Contractor seeking nearly $700,000 more

By Katie Wagner, Staff Writer
   MONTGOMERY — The Montgomery Township Committee denied Brandenburg Industrial Service Co. the additional $697,862 the contractor has requested following a closed session of Thursday’s Township Committee meeting.
   The Township Committee concluded in two resolutions it passed denying the requested change orders that the additional costs should be absorbed by Brandenburg as part of its original contract to demolish buildings at the former North Princeton Developmental Center.
   Under the township’s $4,968,576 contract with Brandenburg, 92 buildings were demolished this summer at the former NPDC.
   In a letter dated Sept. 26, Brandenburg requested the committee’s approval of a change order for increased costs of $397,862 as a result of the transportation and disposal of additional asbestos-containing materials it found adhered to the interior of walls in eight of the former North Princeton Development Center buildings prior to demolition.
   The additional $300,000 was requested in a letter dated Oct. 1 to cover increased costs that resulted from loading, transportation and disposal of concrete containing a “non-hazardous contaminant” that must be handled as solid waste rather than as recyclable material. According to the resolution that denies the $300,000 change order, the concrete has yet to be removed from the site and is being stored in the township’s designated auxiliary stockpile area.
   On Monday, Mayor Cecilia Birge said, “The only comment I have is the township received Brandenburg’s letter regarding the change orders, there were three of them, and after the careful review by township engineer and township attorney we approved one change order and rejected change order two and change order number three.”
   The approved change regards a reduction of $3,970 in the township’s contract with Brandenburg.
   Brandenburg declined to comment on the change order issue.”We are not allowed to comment on it,” said John O’Keefe, Brandenburg’s marketing manager. “Anything that pertained to that job, we’re not going to make any comment on it at this time.”
   Township Committeeman John Warms said, township officials all expressed their opinions about the change orders, during Thursday’s closed session.
   ”I was totally against anything other than telling them no,” Mr. Warms said.
   ”The contract calls for going to mediation, if there is a dispute,” Mr. Warms added. “As far as I’m convinced they haven’t met their obligation.”
   In other developments related to the former NPDC, Mayor Birge said it is looking more likely that Weston Solutions Inc. will not be removing the remaining asbestos-covered pipes in the so-called spaghetti area, located approximately 500 feet northeast of the Village Elementary School, until the spring. The work cannot be completed until the contractor provides the township with a plan for working in this area.