Howell Council OKs $8.6M-Plus In Bonds In Last-Minute Meeting

HOWELL, NJ — The Howell Township council voted unanimously to adopt four ordinances to fund a variety of projects during a special meeting held virtually at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

The ordinances include an $8.6 million bond ordinance for the improvement of police and court buildings and engineering projects, among others, and a $700,000 bond ordinance for sewer utility improvements. They had been brought to a public hearing previously, on July 13.

The meeting was announced last-minute, which prompted residents to express their discontent.

Howell resident Barbara Dixel raised her hand to inform she had reported the council to the New Jersey attorney general.

"You don't have a meeting at 3 o'clock in the afternoon when people are working," she said. "I'm putting you all on notice. We hired you, you serve us."

Municipal Clerk Dwayne M. Harris explained that the meeting was called on short notice due to the urgency of adopting the ordinances, which required a minimum of four out of five votes.

According to Harris, two previous special meetings had to be canceled because some of the council members could not attend for personal reasons, and last Friday the state got in touch with the township government and gave an extension until Tuesday for the town to wrap up the ordinances.

Here is the list of ordinances adopted:

• Bond Ordinance, Various Capital Improvements and Acquisition of Various Capital Equipment — Appropriation of $8,600,000.
• Bond Ordinance, Various Sewer Utility Improvements — Appropriation of $700,000.
• MCIA, Leasing of Certain Capital Equipment — Total $6,007,480 estimated cost.
• MCIA, Municipal Guaranty on Capital Equipment Lease Revenue Bonds, Series 2021 — Total cost of $1,517,481.