Council Allocates Additional Funding for Municipal Complex

Township council plans to appropriate another $1.5 million for planning expenses associated with the municipal complex project, bringing the total amount spent or to be spent on the project so far to roughly $4 million.

Mayor John Button clarified this is money the township had already planned to spend on the project, money that had already been budgeted.

“We appropriate as we go,” he explained Monday night, following a first reading of the $1.5 million bond appropriation.

Township manager Scott Carew said the funds council had already appropriated for planning purposes are “nearly exhausted” and the latest appropriation was needed to keep the project moving.

Financial officer Tom Merchel said the township has authorized $2.75 million in expenditures to date on planning expenses for the municipal complex project, a little more than $2.5 million of which it has already paid. He said the most immediate next phase of the project involves the preparation of schematic designs and would cost $752,000, necessitating the new appropriation.

Council voted 4-1 to introduce an ordinance to approve the new appropriation, with Councilman Mike Testa providing the lone “no” vote.

Testa said there are aspects of the project, specifically certain items Carew is investigating—such as the possibility of a shared municipal courtroom and offices at the township’s new municipal complex—that he wanted clarity on before approving the funding.

“In my opinion, it’s a little bit premature,” Testa said. “I’m a due diligence guy.”

Carew, who to council earlier this month, said five neighboring municipalities have expressed interest in the idea and he was planning meetings with them soon.

“It’s an idea that’s intriguing to a lot of my colleagues in the other towns,” he said.

Asked how much the township had set aside to spend on planning for the municipal complex project, Button could not immediately provide a specific figure, but stated council had not yet approved the final chunk of funding.

“The next step will get us to that number,” said Carew.

Council plans to meet at 8:15 a.m. Friday, Dec. 9, at the to discuss the municipal complex.

Understanding some people might be frustrated with the rate at which the project is progressing, Button said council is intentionally taking its time, both to ensure it gets the project right (because once it’s built there are no do-overs) and to give Carew—who’s less than a month on the job—time to “get comfortable with his decisions.”

“Don’t be misled to think we’re slowing down on this project,” said Button. “We’re trying to step back and give Scott the ability to own this project, which he should.”