by Jane Meggitt, Special Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD — After six years the development of Reed Park on Route 526 is closer to fruition.
At the March 21 Township Committee meeting, members learned the results of bidding on the project and are expected to vote April 4 to amend a 2011 bond ordinance, totaling $1.77 million, to fund the development and award to the lowest bid.
The township has also received a $250,000 matching grant from the county for the park.
Township Engineer Patrick Jeffrey, of T&M Associates, said the bids were opened March 13, resulting in four bids. Compass Construction, New Egypt, was the lowest bidder for the base bid, at $1.05 million. Mr. Jeffrey said the average bid was $1.158 million while the township’s estimate for the base bid was $977,000. The base bid includes the new building, which will be identical to the structure currently located at the Mark Harbourt Soccer Complex (MHSC); northern side parking area; parking area lighting; storm water management system; portion of a walking trail; pedestrian crossing over a ditch; well and septic field and dosing system; electrical service coordination and ancillary improvements.
Mr. Jeffrey said that Compass Construction was also the lowest bidder for all of the combinations of the alternate bids. He noted that the building at the MHSC came in at $165,000 two years ago, but the lowest bid for the same building at Reed Park was $208,000.
”It’s a sign that costs are creeping up,” he said.
After much discussion, the governing body decided they would only support two of the seven possible alternate items — the expansion of the northern walking trail around the perimeter of the site of the northern site and along the ditch, as well as the expansion of the building storage area.
Compass Construction’s base bid along with these two alternates totaled $1.14 million. The alternate items that will not be included in the project at this time include expansion of the building’s covered area; a southern walking trail, including a pedestrian crossing to the western end of the site, and a paved southern parking area with lighting and a storm water management system. The current southern parking area is unpaved.
Township Administrator Dianne Kelly, who also serves as the chief financial officer, said that the governing body has 60 days to amend the bond, which comes up $100,000 short for the proposed Reed Park plans. That same bond included appropriations of $172,500 for repair of the tennis and basketball courts at Byron Johnson Park, of which $80,000 has already been spent, according to Ms. Kelly.
Other appropriations in the bond include $325,000 for striping of township roads, along with $30,000 for the acquisition of a new server and computer equipment.

