TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Town business administrator Mark DiCarlo confirmed on Oct. 2 that a “significant sinkhole” has developed west of the crest of the hill on Washington Avenue, past Van Emburgh Avenue, west toward Ho-Ho-Kus, and that the county was aware of it. Washington Avenue is a county road.
DiCarlo said the county had asked the township to use a camera to make sure that its sewer lines were not related to the sinkhole. He said the county would follow up.
Mayor Peter Calamari also said that New Jersey Turnpike Authority officials had provided preliminary plans for a signal at the Garden State Parkway Exit 168, which intersects with Washington Avenue. Initial plans were discussed over a year ago.
Calamari said the Exit 168 plans would be reviewed by the township engineer and police department.
Also at the Oct. 2 meeting of the governing body, Calamari said representatives from the police and public works departments would likely be at the Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. Township Council meeting to offer views on three architectural options for improving police department operations — one of which includes moving council and municipal court chambers to a new DPW facility.
Department reps were anticipated Oct. 2, but Calamari said during meetings with both departments that day, they came up with questions “we could not readily answer.”
Moreover, architect Anthony Iovino was not available.
DiCarlo said that he asked Boswell Engineering, the township engineer, whether they could comment on the architectural options presented by Iovino.
DiCarlo said he was told by Boswell that they would only comment on outside design issues, not architectural building plans. Councilwoman Stacey Feeney had asked if Boswell might offer an opinion on the building options.
By the numbers
Arcari Iovino presented two design options focused on improving and expanding on-site police department space at the town hall. A third focused on the WTPD taking over council chambers space, and moving the chambers/courtroom space to the second floor of the new DPW facility.
- Option 1, estimated at $1,417,747, offers ground floor expansion for prisoner handling and new office space. This also includes interior renovations on main floor to achieve state Department of Corrections’ required spaces, ADA restrooms and clearances. Also, interior renovations of lower floor for displaced office space.
- Option 2, estimated at $1,004,708, offers ground floor expansion for prisoner handling and relocated offices to the lower level. This includes interior renovations to the main floor to achieve state DOC-required spaces, ADA restrooms and clearances. Also, renovations of lower floor former cells and processing area for displaced office spaces.
- Option 3, estimated to add $2.6 million to new DPW facility’s estimate of $5 million, for a total $7.6 million, offers ground floor expansion for detainee handling space, and PD use of council chambers’ space. It includes interior renovations on main floor to achieve state DOC-required spaces, ADA restrooms and clearances, minimal renovation of lower floor for police storage, and a takeover of council chambers for police department use.
Arcari Iovino suggested two possible options for relocating council chambers’ space. One was to combine the council chambers with the current seniors’ space; the second option was to move council chambers to the new DPW complex’s second floor.
The architect noted combining council chambers and seniors’ space “is viable but would cause scheduling and territorial issues.” Also, the furnishings needed would require set up and break down for a range of events.
Meanwhile, the architect said the current DPW building plan utilizes only two-thirds of the new facility’s second floor, noting the council chambers and its support spaces can fit on the second floor, while keeping some DPW office space at town hall.
2022 audit review
As well, the town heard from Gary Vinci of Lerch, Vinci & Bliss LLP, in an audit review for 2022.
Vinci said the town is rated AA+ and has nearly $4 million in surplus and reserves, including some $350,000 in reserve for tax appeals and a capital surplus of $260,000.
He delivered five audit recommendations, some carrying over from prior reviews. His first was to address the grant reserves the town is sitting on — appropriated but not spent, or not collected.
“The projects go back a few years. Some … were approved by the County of Bergen. If you do move ahead with those projects there really needs to be a confirmation from wither the county or state that you will will be reimbursed. The county has in the past redirected other communities’ grants if you have not spent it within that two- to three-year time frame… I believe those were open space grants,” he said.
He also said some departments were incurring expenses prior to a purchase order being issued.
And he discussed 2021-2022 budget overexpenditures, which are not permitted. Three items added up to less than $10,000, which Vinci said was “minimal dollars” but the process needs to be looked at to avoid this practice.
He also took up recommendations pertaining to internal review of the general capital fund and expenses being incurred prior to the adoption of an ordinance.
Also on the agenda
Up for adoption Oct. 2: Ordinance No. 23-12, an ordinance repealing code provisions addressing beekeeping activities; Ordinance No. 23-13, covering the clothing allowance for the volunteer fire department; a resolution accepting a FY2023 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Local Recreation Improvement Grant of $51,000 for improvements to the former Washington Township Swim Club, authorizing the mayor to execute same; and awarding a contract for a commuter parking lot and drainage improvements.
The governing body went into closed session for a litigation update.
— With some reporting by John Snyder