FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Officials in Freehold Township are taking action to provide water and sewer improvements in the municipality that will cost $3.03 million.
On May 22, the Township Committee introduced an ordinance that will, if adopted, authorize various water and sewer capital improvements and appropriate $3.03 million for the work, the entire amount of which will be financed by bonds or notes.
The improvements, according to the ordinance, are as follows:
• $2.79 million for improvements to the water system including, but not limited to the replacement of a hospital storage tank, redrilling of Well No. 12, improvements to the Loop Water Main at Avalon Bay and Daniels Way, and the replacement of transfer switches at the Jackson Mills plant.
• $240,000 for improvements to the sewer system including, but not limited to sewer lining and manhole rehabilitation.
A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for June 25. The committee may adopt the ordinance that evening.
In other business, committee members passed a resolution awarding a $1.77 million contract to S. Brothers Inc. for the 2018 pavement overlay program. S. Brothers was awarded the contract as the lowest bidder with a base bid of $1.58 million, an alternate 1 bid of $115,491 and an alternate 2 bid of $74,161 for the total bid of $1.77 million.
Other total bids, according to the resolution, were submitted by Meco Inc. ($1.83 million); P&A Construction ($1.90 million); Earle Asphalt ($2.04 million); Lucas Brothers Inc. ($2.07 million) and Z. Brothers Concrete ($2.18 million).
And, committee members appointed Adrienne Karon, Kenneth Kleinman and Mark Niro as Class III special law enforcement officers on the recommendation of Police Chief Ernest Schriefer. The appointments will run through Dec. 31 and may be revoked by the committee at any time without cause or hearing, according to the resolution.
Class III officers are retired law enforcement officers who are authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to those of a full-time police officer while providing security at schools in Freehold Township during the hours the schools are normally in session and/or occupied by students and/or teachers.
While on duty in Freehold Township, a Class III officer may respond to offenses or emergencies off school grounds if those offenses occur in the officer’s presence while traveling to the school, but otherwise a Class III officer will not be dispatched or dedicated to any assignment off school property.
Finally, the committee passed a resolution approving fireworks displays at the 15th annual Freehold Township Day and Concert in the Park, which will be held at Michael J. Tighe Park on July 14 (rain date, July 22).