$6M Fire District Referendum: Votes Still Being Counted In Howell

HOWELL, NJ — Results are not yet tallied for the vote Saturday, Oct. 29, on a nearly $6 million emergency communications infrastructure referendum.

The township's five fire districts asked voters to consider the districts' share of the capital project, estimated at a total of nearly $6 million.

The project, if approved in the referendum, would be jointly funded by the township and the fire districts.

The project would include a new communications tower on Route 33.

Interim Township Manager Joseph Clark said Monday that mail-in ballots are still being counted and that results may not be in for a week.

"Once we have the final numbers, we will be posting them on our website." Clark said. Find the township website here.

The projects included in the referendum include:

• Installation of new radio, paging, subscriber, and computer-aided dispatch systems.
• Purchase of various radio equipment.
• Construction of a new 150 foot radio tower near Fire District #2, at 993 Route 33.
• Shelters at various locations in the township.

The entire estimated cost of the project is expected to be $5.87 million dollars.

The township and fire districts will share the expenses of the project, based upon the equipment each fire district and township department requires.

The township’s total share is estimated at $1.8 million dollars, and the fire districts' shares are estimated to be roughly $4.2 million dollars total, Clark said.

He added that the township already has about $1.5 million in funds available under a prior Monmouth County Improvement Authority bond issue, and each individual fire district’s share is based upon the equipment needed for the district.

Fire Districts 1, 2, 4, and 5 were each seeking approval for the issuance of bonds of $1 million dollars, and Fire District 3 was seeking approval for the issuance of bonds of $1.2 million dollars, Clark said.