MILLSTONE – The members of the Township Committee in Millstone Township have amended a shared services agreement that provides municipally funded emergency medical services (EMS) from the Millstone Township Fire Company.
During a meeting on May 18, committee members passed a resolution authorizing payment to the Millstone Township Fire District, which operates the fire company, for EMS services in 2022.
The resolution also authorizes the preparation of an amended shared services agreement between the municipality and the fire district for the EMS services.
Fire commissioners elected by members of the public are in charge of the fire district.
The shared services agreement began in 2020 and municipal officials allocated $260,000 toward the EMS operation. As noted in the resolution, the shared services agreement allows for the operation’s payment to be negotiated in 2022.
According to the resolution, municipal officials and the Board of Fire Commissioners agreed to amend the 2022 payment to exclude fuel expenses.
Emergency medical services in 2022 will cost $200,000, according to the resolution. Millstone Township officials will pay the fire district $100,000 in June and the remaining $100,000 in November.
The payment is contingent upon the adoption of the 2022 municipal budget, according to the resolution.
Municipal officials said the advantages of the agreement with the Board of Fire Commissioners are direct management of the operation; the ability to better control and forecast costs; timeliness and consistency in service; stability; increased community involvement; and controlling costs for taxpayers.
In other business, the committee members awarded a $14,300 contract to GST Transport Corp. for the 2022 transportation bus service for the Millstone Recreation Summer Camp.
The only bid for the contract was submitted by GST Transport, according to a resolution. Under the terms of the contract, GST Transport will provide one air-conditioned bus for 24 days of camp to be provided at all times.
The township will reserve discretion to exercise an alternate option that consists of a second air-conditioned bus to be provided two times a week for five weeks. The amount of the option is $6,000.
Earlier, on May 4, committee members rejected bids that were received for the construction of a proposed building at the Clarksburg Cultural Center (formerly the Clarksburg Methodist Episcopal Church), Stagecoach Road.
According to a resolution, four bids were submitted for the project. Township Engineer Matt Shafai recommended that all four bids be rejected because the lowest bid substantially exceeded his estimate for the project. The resolution did not state the amount of the bids that were received.
The Clarksburg Cultural Center, in the Clarksburg section of Millstone Township, is comprised of the site of the former church at 512 Stagecoach Road and a half-acre parcel at 510 Stagecoach Road.
Both properties are owned by Millstone Township and were combined to form the Clarksburg Cultural Center. The former church was renamed because it no longer functions as a house of worship.
The Clarksburg Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1844. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building was purchased by municipal officials in the late 1990s and has been used as a location for municipal events and programs.
Restoration work on the historic building was completed in 2017 after structural issues surfaced and activities at the site were temporarily suspended. Millstone Township received $250,000 from Monmouth County which was used to restore the building.
After the building was restored, municipal officials purchased 510 Stagecoach Road in 2018 to become part of the Clarksburg Cultural Center.
The construction of the proposed building is intended to be the third phase of improvements at the property. As a result of the bids that were received, municipal officials intend to change and amend the scope of the project, according to the resolution.