Approved Capital Projects Focus on Safety, Health

The Township Committee approved a $646,300 capital plan that includes safety, health and environmental improvements during its Tuesday meeting.

The plan is based on recommendations from the township’s Capital Planning Committee, which reviews each project before making final recommendations to the Township Committee.

“It is 14 percent lower than last year’s ordinance and is only for the absolute necessities,” Mayor Gloria McCauley said.

In addition, two paving projects will be funded through monies leftover from 2010 and state Department of Transportation grants, McCauley said. Those projects will involve repaving a portion of Hamilton Road near the Conrail Railroad tracks.

“There are sufficient funds available from the prior year’s ordinances and DOT grants to provide monies for the road and sidewalk projects this year. Therefore, there is no need to appropriate any monies in this year’s capital ordinance for those projects.”

This year, the township’s department heads recommended a total of 26 projects that were narrowed down to the seven projects financed through the ordinance.

“No unnecessary items are on here,” Deputy Mayor Carl Suraci said. “These are all necessary items and obviously a reflection that we do take fiscal responsibility very seriously on this committee.”

The seven projects in the plan pertain to safety, health and environment, according to the township. Of the $646,300, $80,000 will be used for police radios and equipment modifications, $4,600 for two defibrillators for police vehicles, and $5,700 will be used for dashboard radar units for police vehicles.

According to the township, the new police radios will bring the police department into compliance with a Federal Communications Commission mandate requiring narrow banding for police communications. Meanwhile, the defibrillators and the radar units replace old equipment that is no longer supported under maintenance contracts.

An ambulance re-chassis for the rescue squad will contribute $90,000 to the costs, while an upgraded police records system is valued at $130,000.  The ambulance re-chassis is expected to save the township $80,000 since it re-furbishes an older vehicle rather than purchasing a new one. According to the township, the records management system upgrade is required to provide stability and security for police data and is necessary to participate in the county’s shared technology and information initiative.

A hook-lift tandem truck for the Department of Public Works is valued at $286,000.

The final item on the list, $50,000 in site remediation and testing at the Public Works garage on East Mountain Road stems from an underground storage tank leak that occurred over 30 years ago, the township said.

It is the ninth year the township approved a plan with no bonding for projects, allowing it to carry no debt.