MANALAPAN — The township and K. Hovnanian have settled a legal action regarding the Four Seasons adult community, Route 33.
The settlement was announced at the June 10 meeting of the Township Committee.
K. Hovnanian at Manalapan II, the developer of the Four Seasons, filed suit against the township in September 2014.
The complaint filed in the Civil Division of state Superior Court, Freehold, claimed Manalapan officials had not released various performance guarantees and cash deposits the developer made in connection with the construction of the Four Seasons.
The issue dated back to 2010 and concerned performance guarantees and cash deposits related to site improvements at the Four Seasons.
Municipal officials responded to the complaint by asserting that the developer failed to complete numerous punch list items during the construction of the adult community and they declined to return the performance guarantees to the developer.
Township Attorney Roger McLaughlin represented Manalapan and said James Winckowski of CME Associates, the township’s engineer, negotiated the matter with representatives of the developer.
McLaughlin said in accordance with the settlement, a long list of site improvements will be completed by K. Hovnanian. Items to be addressed include sinkholes, potholes, sidewalk repairs and landscaping. The items are expected to be completed by Dec. 1.
He said the Four Seasons’ homeowners association cooperated in bringing the matter to a conclusion.
McLaughlin said the performance guarantees, cash deposits and maintenance bonds will be returned to the developer by the municipality upon the satisfactory completion of the punch list items.
Mayor Jack McNaboe said Winckowski “got the deal hammered out” and he thanked the engineer for working to address the problems.
Resident Rick Gross, representing the Four Seasons, thanked the committee, McLaughlin and Winckowski for resolving the issue with K. Hovnanian.
“This has been a long, drawn out process,” Gross said.
In other business, Township Administrator Tara Lovrich introduced the young men and women — high school and college students — who will work in town hall this summer in Manalapan’s summer internship program.
The program is in its second year and 16 young adults will work in various departments, including the Health Department, at the Manalapan Senior Center, the Finance Department, Administration, with the Manalapan Township Television Network, the Construction Department, the Tax Assessor’s office and with the Economic Development Council.
“We have a great group (of interns). They will be learning about local government and working in their specific fields of interest,” Lovrich said.
McNaboe said the interns will help municipal employees complete wish list projects that might otherwise have to take a back seat during the year.
Several of the interns will receive college credit for their work in town hall, according to Lovrich.
Deputy Mayor Mary Ann Musich, Committeeman Ryan Green, Committeewoman Susan Cohen and McNaboe voted to pass a resolution authorizing the appointment of the interns. Committeeman Jordan Maskowitz was absent from the meeting.