TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Employees of the Department of Public Works are working out of an “open tent in a confined yard,” according to DPW Director Daniel Scudieri, who urged the council to “fully fund” construction of a new facility.
“A DPW building is extremely important to maintain efficient operations. A secure structure that protects our employees and equipment from weather-related adversities is not a luxury. However, it should be considered a bare minimum,” Scudieri said.
He noted the department has been without a facility for nearly four years since its previous building was demolished due to longstanding soil contamination. Scudieri warned that further delays would increase costs and “may give way to another township project taking priority.”
The council and mayor discussed the long-delayed project at their recent meeting. Mayor Peter Calamari said he would propose a capital ordinance at the next council meeting—set for Monday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m.—to fund a new DPW facility, estimated at $5 million.
Council President Michael DeSena asked Calamari to explore a pre-fabricated building option he had recently viewed in Old Tappan. DeSena said the structure, built in about two months, might work well for the township and potentially reduce costs. He suggested reaching out to Old Tappan Mayor Thomas Gallagher for details on the facility’s cost and construction timeline.
At a Jan. 8 Old Tappan Planning Board meeting, the building was described as a storage facility for DPW vehicles and equipment. Former Mayor John Kramer said the construction bid was $533,000. Planning Board officials noted that the proposal had not come before them for a consistency review with the local master plan.
Reacting to DeSena’s request, Calamari said he would gather the information but emphasized the need to move forward. “We have to draw a line in the sand at some point and say we’re moving ahead with this [DPW] project,” he said.
DeSena defended his request, highlighting the speed of construction and suggesting that the new option could provide a facility “in months rather than a year.” He also previously requested a cost comparison between a brick-and-mortar building and a steel structure, hoping to reduce expenses. However, the township architect advised against an all-steel building, citing concerns about wear, tear, and maintenance.
At the meeting, Administrator Mark DiCarlo said final remediation estimates for the former swim club property, where the new DPW facility is planned, were not yet available. Boswell Engineering is awaiting soil sampling results for the 6.1-acre property. A council majority has previously said they would wait for these estimates before approving the new facility. Officials hope most remediation costs will be covered by state and federal grants.
Councilor Michael Ullman raised concerns about lessons learned from the Emergency Services Building, which had 42 change orders during its construction. He asked whether those insights were being applied to the proposed DPW facility. Calamari said he would follow up with the architect.
Calamari noted that the proposed salt shed was included under the site design improvement costs, estimated at $250,000. Once the council approves a design and funding mechanism, the DPW facility project will go out to bid.
For more information, see “Man up’ vs. more delay over proposed $5M DPW facility.”