BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP: Street work approved

Officials estimate that the road projects will cost $2.03 million, of which $1.46 million will be bonded for that purpose. According to a copy of the ordinance, grant monies fund $496,381 of the road improvements.

BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — Township officials paved the way for improvements to 12 roads through a bond ordinance adopted Feb. 24.
   Officials estimate that the road projects will cost $2.03 million, of which $1.46 million will be bonded for that purpose. According to a copy of the ordinance, grant monies fund $496,381 of the road improvements.
   The overall bond ordinance is $1.51 million, of which the remaining bond will cover public works equipment for road maintenance.
   After the Township Committee meeting, Deputy Mayor Jim Cann noted the bond ordinance would not impact this year’s budget, which officials are still working on. The first payment would come next year.
   He also touted the use of pilot funds.
   ”There’s a very good possibility we’ll be getting those funds from two different sources – the waterfront and the Kevin Johnson property,” Deputy Cann said, noting the latter of which would be considered unanticipated income.
   ”There would definitely be funds there to pay for the bond,” he added.
   East Drive, Amboy Road, Mission Road, Shelburne Road, Orchard Lane Germantown Road and Municipal Drive will be reconstructed while mill and overlay work will be performed on Charles Bossert Drive, Eaton Road, Constitution Drive, Mill, York Town Road and Dunns Mill Road.
   The township is also anticipating FEMA reimbursement for a majority of costs related to work on Municipal Drive and Germantown Road, according to officials.
   Mayor Stephen Benowitz said the roads were chosen by the township public works director and that the township officials will ultimately determine which roads have highest priority.
   ”We’ve been looking for the old five-year road plan. I don’t remember the last time that we actually had a road plan,” Mayor Benowitz said. “It may go back to 2003. It’s a long time coming and we have the opportunity to do it this year.”
   He additionally noted public works equipment, also to be purchased through the bond ordinance, would help will road maintenance in the future.
   ”When you invest in your infrastructure (the news) gets out and businesses, commercial endeavors see this and this is one of the things they look for when they want to come to a township and provide development and additional tax revenues,” the mayor said.
   Deputy Mayor Jim Cann said called the effort “a start.”
   ”It’s certainly not the end,” Deputy Mayor Cann said.
   The measure was tabled at the Feb. 10 meeting after concern arose regarding funding from FEMA related to two roads in the ordinance.
   Officials said the roads – Germantown Road and Municipal Drive – will be covered by the funds, and were only put in the ordinance as an additional safeguard.
   Though they both ultimately voted in favor of the ordinance Feb. 24, Committeemen John Moynihan and Richard Carson raised concerns about fiscal ramifications before the matter was tabled.
   ”I’m not in favor of approving this ordinance at this time. I do agree the maintenance of township roads and infrastructure is a critical responsibility of this committee, but approving this ordinance before the township conducts its formal budget process for the upcoming fiscal year seems to be like putting the cart before the horse,” Committeeman Moynihan said. “Instead, I favor discussing these capital improvements during the budget process when we can have a clearer picture of tax impacts.”
   Committeeman Carson initially suggested tabling the ordinance until the March 10 meeting when officials would have a better handle of finances.