Construction work won’t start until summer 2013
By Amy Batista, Special Writer
MILLSTONE — The Township Committee has adopted an ordinance authorizing the sale of $356,250 in bonds or notes to leverage $700,000 in municipal road projects, but most of the work won’t start until summer 2013.
The roads earmarked for repairs are Schoolhouse Road (between Stage Coach and Backbone Hill roads); Brookside Road (between Paint Island Spring and Stage Coach roads); and Disbrow Hill Road (between Battleground and North Disbrow Hill roads).
Township Committeeman Bob Kinsey asked Township Engineer Matt Shafai during the July 18 meeting what the timeframe was for doing the work.
Mr. Shafai said the school district had asked the town not to do the Schoolhouse Road project during the school year. Mr. Shafai said there wasn’t enough time left this summer to complete the project before school starts.
”We discussed this project with the school; the soonest we could get out there would be by September or October,” Mr. Shafai said. “But that’s going to put us when school is opening and it’s right in front of the school and they asked us if we could wait till next summer when the school is out.”
”We couldn’t get it done this summer?” Mayor Nancy Grbelja asked.
”No, there’s only a month left,” Mr. Shafai said. He noted the plans have to be advertised for bid and then the township has to wait for the bids to be received.”
”We can’t do anything for 20 days,” added Municipal Clerk Maria Dellasala.
Mr. Kinsey asked about the timeframe for completing the other projects as well.
”On the Brookside project, there is a county culvert in the middle of the road that is mostly falling apart,” Mr. Shafai said. He said the county gave him a verbal OK for the township to be the lead on the construction project, including the bridge and culvert, and that the county would pay for its part of the work, including permits.
Mr. Shafai said he was working with county engineers to get the required paperwork done, but the required environmental permits will hold things up.
”I think that if we get there by summer of 2013, then we’ve done well,” Mr. Shafai said. “That’s what we are shooting for right now.”
The bond ordinance for the roads was approved by a 4-0 vote. Township Committeeman Fiore Masci was absent.
A separate ordinance authorizing spending $100,00 for the acquisition of Department of Public Works equipment was also adopted by a 4-0 vote without comment. The ordinance authorizes the sale of $95,000 in bonds to finance the purchase, as well as a $5,000 appropriation from the 2012 municipal budget for the required 5 percent down payment.

