By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ALLENTOWN – Questions over which firm will handle the submission of an application seeking funding for the construction of a new waste water treatment plant has become a point of contention in Allentown.
In a statement he read during the Sept. 13 meeting of the Borough Council, Mayor Greg Westfall said, “The borough went through an extensive public participation and vetting process between February and the end of May prior to selecting an engineering firm to provide engineering services for the waste water treatment plant upgrade.
“The request for proposals (RFP) to prospective engineering firms was sent to more than a dozen engineering firms. Seven firms responded to the RFP. Of those seven, six had complete responses and were reviewed by the Borough Council utility committee and the ad hoc sewer committee. These committees met on May 27 and made a recommendation of Dewberry, LLC, to the council.
“The council at its June 14 meeting selected Dewberry to provide the engineering services. Both the RFP and the proposal received back from Dewberry included that the engineering firm would complete the necessary New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (NJEIT) application for funding,” Westfall said.
Officials indicated that the value of the contract awarded to Dewberry for work the firm would perform would be up to $279,000.
Although the council selected Dewberry to complete the NJEIT application, among other tasks, when the governing body met on Sept. 13 a resolution authorizing the borough engineer, the Roberts Engineering Group, to prepare, submit and manage the NJEIT grant application was on the agenda.
Seeing that resolution on the agenda, John Elder, Pete Russo and Gregg Barkley, who served on the ad hoc sewer committee, urged the mayor, who does not vote on resolutions, and the council members to vote down or remove that resolution from the evening’s business.
Elder, Russo and Barkley said officials had already authorized Dewberry to handle the NJEIT grant application with the passage of the June 14 resolution and they objected to additional funding apparently being authorized for the Roberts Engineering Group for what they said was a duplicate task.
In his statement, Westfall said, “Unfortunately, since (June 14) we have had some on council who felt it necessary to remove this (grant application) function from the Dewberry contract. This has resulted in an additional $20,000 to $36,000 for one or the other of two firms, Dewberry or Roberts, to prepare, submit and manage the NJEIT application.”
Westfall did not say who removed that specific function from the Dewberry contract.
The council subsequently voted 3-1 to authorize the Roberts Engineering Group to prepare, submit and manage the NJEIT grant application in conjunction with the construction of the new waste water treatment plant.
Council President Wil Borkowski, Councilwoman Angela Anthony and Councilwoman Madelin Gavin voted yes. Councilwoman Johnna Stinemire voted no.
Councilman Rob Schmitt and Councilman Robert Strovinsky were absent. In emails that were read into the record, both men supported the Roberts Engineering Group moving forward with the NJEIT application.
According to the resolution, the Roberts Engineering Group has determined the cost of the submission is not to exceed $36,000. The council said it believes the action is in the best interest of residents to apply for any grant money available through the NJEIT program.
The matter was raised again on Sept. 27 by Elder, who is a candidate for a seat on the council, during the public comment portion of the council meeting.
Borkowski said the matter was discussed in executive (closed) session and he said all six council members agreed to remove the NJEIT task from Dewberry.
Schmitt said Dewberry was going to have a third party complete the NJEIT application.
After the meeting, Elder and Russo said they are concerned that additional funds will be spent and that Dewberry may only refund a small amount of its contract to the borough.