By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ENGLISHTOWN – The Borough Council delivered good news to residents during a recent meeting when officials passed a resolution that will result in savings for Englishtown.
According to a resolution that was before the governing body on May 25, in November 2014 the council awarded a contract to S. Batata Construction Inc., Parlin, for the reconstruction of Pine Street. The contract was for $199,561.25.
The resolution stated that the Pine Street project has been completed and the construction company submitted a change order with a final adjusted contract price of $179,899.36 – resulting in a decrease and savings of $19,661.89.
The resolution was approved by council members Greg Wojyn, Lori Cooke, Eric Mann, Cindy Robilotti and Lou Sarti Jr. Councilwoman Maryanne Krawiec was absent.
In other business, council members authorized a $52,031 payment for one year of police dispatch services that will be provided by the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office. The resolution was passed in a 5-0 vote and notes that purchases and services totaling more than $2,625 must be pre-approved by the governing body.
And, the council members voted 5-0 to adopt a bond ordinance that will permit road improvements to be made to Carriage Lane. The total appropriation for the work is $245,000, to be financed as follows: a $23,650 down payment from the borough, a $124,100 grant from the state Department of Transportation and the issuance of $97,250 in bonds or notes. No one from the public commented on the bond ordinance.
During the public comment portion of the May 25 meeting, resident Robert Lancsak once again discussed a situation involving a business at the Englishtown Industrial Park on Harrison Avenue.
Lancsak has said he and his neighbors can hear noise coming from a music studio in the industrial park and during a previous meeting he asked municipal officials to look into the situation.
“I come home every night and I wonder how bad (the noise) is going to be that night,” he said, adding that the situation has been occurring for 18 months.
Mayor Tom Reynolds said officials are following a process to determine if any municipal violations occurred with regard to permits and/or other regulations.
Borough Attorney Joseph Youssouf explained there are two types of nuisances to be considered: a public nuisance such as a smokestack that can affect the health of the entire community; and a private nuisance which involves two property owners and does not affect the entire community.
Youssouf said the municipality cannot intervene in a private nuisance and he suggested that Lancsak and other residents may want to consult with an attorney to pursue legal action and seek damages.
Reynolds and Youssouf said if changes at a business location are made without securing permits prior to making the changes, the business owner can be subject to a fine and be required to obtain the permits, but will not necessarily have to undo the changes he made prior to obtaining the permits.