TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Two council members said they foresaw substantial delays in the Emergency Services Building’s completion — now with a final completion date of March 2022 — and one even claimed that there appeared to be “millions of dollars left of work to be done in the building.”
However, architect Robbie Conley, who is monitoring construction progress for the township, told Pascack Press that while the project might not be completed until March 2022, there is more than enough funding left in the original $5,714,000 in financing appropriated for the project.
Conley told Pascack Press that so far, with change orders adding and subtracting from total costs, the project totals about $5.59 million, up from its original $5,329,183.
However, Conley said of $5.59 million total, $3.67 million of work has been completed and paid for so far. He said there was $1.92 million of inside and outside work that still needs finishing by February or March 2022.
The delivery date has slipped from December/January. The project also drew council ire when it was revealed that the roof had to be redone.
Councilman Michael DeSena said on Dec. 7 that there were “millions of dollars left of work to be done in the building” and Conley said he was right.
But, he said, the project was not even close to going over budget. “I’m not concerned about the budget. There’s nothing that makes this project a bad project and I’ve been doing projects like this for 30 years,” Conley said.
Conley said he regularly supplies meeting minutes between general contractor Tekcon Construction of Somerset, the subcontractors, and himself from project meetings to Calamari and Tovo.
He said some confusion regarding costs, expenditures, and project issues might be resolved if council members or residents reached out to him by phone for the latest information.
At the Dec, 6 council meeting, DeSena questioned paying Tekcon a bill for $313,000. He said the under-construction building “is still not weather-tight and we’ve almost given them all their money based on the records provided by Mr. [Robert] Tovo,” the township business administrator.
Conley said nearly $2 million is left to be paid out on the project. “There’s no reason for concern. They have plenty of money to finish the project.”
DeSena had alleged the building’s construction was far from complete and according to records he received, he calculated only $580,000 appeared to remain from the original $5,329,183 bonded for the new firehouse and ambulance headquarters.
“I don’t know how we’re upside down in this. I’m a little concerned … it is not going to be done on time and on budget and I will make that statement now,” said DeSena.
He said although he hopes the building is finished on time and on budget, “I think we’re looking at a huge cost overrun,” he added.
Conley said this was highly unlikely to happen.
Mayor Peter Calamari said he would attend a general contractor meeting the next day, Dec. 7, and report back to the council. Calamari and Tovo, who also meets with Tekcon, along with Conley, are local point persons in helping to coordinate the project, making sure it meets its budget, timelines, construction design standards, and building codes.
DeSena said the stairs and elevators were not done, nor stair towers complete, and windows and doors were just being put in. He said the building still has “a ton of work inside it, it’s not done.”
He added, “We’re so far backwards on this, it’s scary.”
When Calamari told members Tekcon was now considering concrete aprons instead of macadam due to only a $20,000 price difference, both DeSena and Sears spoke out.
“That’s going to be a big delay,” said Sears.
DeSena modified that. “That’s a huge delay,” he said.
When DeSena, an Independent and civil engineer who departs the council Dec. 31 following a mayoral election defeat, said, “Mr. Mayor, it’s your headache. I will help you with that headache as much as I can.”
Council president Stacey Feeney added, “Yeah, but isn’t it all of our headaches?”
DeSena agreed. Then he said, “It’s going to hit us in our taxes.”
Calamari said he would raise DeSena’s concerns with construction officials. “No one has spoken about it going over budget in the meetings but I’ll raise the questions.”
While DeSena called for holding up the $313,000 Tekcon payment, Calamari promised not to release the funds until he got answers to DeSena’s questions.
Conley told Pascack Press that the mayor did in fact raise these concerns, and they were answered.
Sears asked if the council could get an update on whether they have enough funds to complete the work that needs to be done. Feeney also wondered if they could hold off paying the bill until more information was forthcoming but Calamari told her that he preferred council to approve the bill.
Calamari assured council he would question the general contractor, architect Robbie Conley, and attorney Ken Poller “about where we’re headed with this” and legal ramifications of withholding a payment.
Council voted, 3-2, to approve the bills list including the payment to Tekcon. Opposed were DeSena and Cascio. Voting in favor were Feeney, vice president Desserie Morgan, and Sears.’