PARK RIDGE—The Borough Council on March 12 approved two consulting contracts for nearly $171,000 to conduct engineering studies and seek out grant funds for the likely dredging of Electric Lake/Mill Pond.
Members also introduced a capital ordinance for $1.5 million to appropriate funds for the studies to be taken from a state Department of Community Affairs $1.5 million grant received last year.
Borough Clerk Maggie Giandomenico said the capital ordinance was required before the town could draw funds from the state grant, noting the borough received 75% of funds up front. Most state and federal grants require funds to be spent and then reimbursed after the fact.
Last fall, voters defeated a non-binding referendum that sought approval to bond for $15.5 million to dredge the Mill Pond, also called Electric Lake, which suffers from sediment buildup and poor water quality. The pond’s lack of storm runoff storage capacity also limits its effectiveness to detain runoff and mitigate downstream flooding, officials have said.
Due to the sediment removal required during dredging, state environmental permits and regulations must be obtained, and if sediment is found to be contaminated, the costs for sediment disposal could likely be significantly higher than initial estimates, officials said.
Giandomenico said the two consultant contracts would help the borough in seeking further state and federal grants to undertake dredging at the historical pond and to get the project “shovel-ready” for work should grants be awarded.
Resolution 024-117 authorizes a $145,930 contract with Neglia Engineering of Lyndhurst for professional surveying, engineering and permitting services for Mill Pond.
Resolution 024-118 authorizes a not to exceed $25,000 contract with Bohlin Group of Matawan for consulting services with the development, engineering, permitting and construction costs of the Mill Pond dredging project.
Resident William Fenwick, a former councilman, questioned why Bohlin Group was hired for the project when the borough has a grants consultant, Bruno Associates.
Mayor Keith Misciagna said they were hired to go after state and federal grants that the borough had not previously obtained. “They have a history of success with federal and state grants that perhaps we weren’t able to obtain, sometimes these grants are about knowing the right people and the system.”
He said a Bohlin Group representative presented to council and “we were comfortable with their ability to get us money that maybe we wouldn’t have gotten with the typical way we’ve been doing it for years.”
He said the borough’s regular grants consultant was “exceptional but we’re looking for other avenues and we feel that this person can bring that to the table.”
Attorney John Schettino said that Bohlin will not only look for grants but also will act as a project consultant with experience in dredging projects, and “on how to best address this in the most cost-efficient manner and what funding to look for to offset the cost for the municipality.”
Misciagna said, “Obviously we’re trying to alleviate the burden of the taxpayer of Park Ridge by getting grants, and for a small investment, we feel comfortable that we can get something in return.”