EATONTOWN -The Borough Council approved the first reading of an bond ordinance to fund various capital improvements and equipment.
The total estimated cost for the various capital improvements and equipment is $8,165,000 and the borough must make a five percent down payment which is $7,714,643, according to Borough Administrator George Jackson.
The council approved the first reading of the bond ordinance, on Nov. 1, during its semi-monthly meeting at the municipal building.
According to the council agenda, the improvements consist of: various renovations to the municipal building with a total appropriation and estimated cost of $4,715,000; purchase of police radios with a total appropriation and estimated cost of $2,900,000; purchase of approximately seven acres of real property located at Fort Monmouth for Department of Public Works use with a total appropriation and estimated cost of $550,000.
Jackson said, the most recent request was for new police radios which the borough was informed about by the Chief of Police Michael Goldfarb.
The need for various improvements in the municipal building and the purchasing of the land at Fort Monmouth are among items the borough has been discussing and planning for several years, according to Jackson.
“One of the benefits of putting all three of these improvements together is so that we can get a better interest rate,” Jackson said.
For the municipal building improvements approximately $800,000 to $1,000,000 of the building costs are to overhaul the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Other improvements include the reconfiguration of the borough’s municipal courtroom since the borough is using Tinton Falls’ municipal court, expand office spaces, and install security features, according to Jackson.
Jackson said that the Department of Public Works (DPW) currently occupies two parcels located on each side of Lewis Street.
By purchasing the seven acres of land, the borough will rehabilitate building 1123 which is currently located on the Fort Monmouth property to provide the DPW with more office space and also provide a situation room for the borough’s Office of Emergency Management, according to Jackson.
The building is located at the intersection of the Avenue of Memories and Wilson Avenue, according to Jackson.
The public hearing for the bond ordinance will take place on Dec. 6, according to Mayor Dennis Connelly.
In other news, the council also approved a resolution recommending that Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) approve amendment number nine to the Fort Monmouth Reuse and Redevelopment plan.
The reuse plan originally permitted and envisioned the demolition of buildings 1102-1107 and the creation of a wetlands preservation park that would extend from Eatontown to Oceanport in the Barracks Area and it envisioned the demolition of all the buildings in the municipal parcel and the creation of a wetlands preservation park that would be combined with the wetlands preservation park from the Barracks Area, according to the council agenda.
FMERA has proposed amendment number nine to the Fort Monmouth Reuse and Redevelopment Plan for the area of Fort Monmouth known as the Barracks and a parcel designated as the municipal parcel, according to the council agenda.
The reuse plan amendment is now proposing the reuse of buildings 1102-1107 in the Barracks Area of Fort Monmouth for commercial arts-related uses, including studio, performance and gallery space, as well up to 12 short-term residential units for artists with Soldiers’ Park being used for outdoor art exhibition of performance space; and a DPW facility for the borough with the maintenance of building 1123 and the demolition of the other extant buildings for the municipal parcel, according to the council agenda.
There are no set plans at this time regarding the rehabilitation of the building on Fort Monmouth, according to Jackson.
Before starting its semi-monthly, the council went into an executive session to discuss litigation regarding Mount Laurel
For more information visit www.eatontownnj.com/council-agenda/.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].