Township to Apply for Two Road Improvement Grants

The township Committee agreed to apply for two 2013 Department of Transportation grants.

Casey Parker, Director of the Public Works department, provided the committee with a memo of three areas that he felt could use attention, Township Administrator Veronica Laureigh said.

The committee agreed to apply to receive aid to make improvements to Sunrise Boulevard and a cluster of roadways in Bayberry Village.

One grant will cover the paving and drainage improvements to Sunrise Boulevard from Hickory Lane to the east end as far as Spar Drive. It will complete most of the Sunrise Boulevard paving, Laureigh said.

The township has been applying to receive a grant for Bayberry Village for several years. The entire area needs work from the catch basins, storm drains, and retrofit to repaving.

“We’ve had it on there for a number of years and that’s really starting to fail down there,” Committeeman Gary Quinn said.

The third option was improvements to the road and drainage at Cedar Drive. The roadway from Cedar Drive to Oak Street, to the very end by Laurel Harbor is in need of resurfacing. This project would have included Maple Road but the township chose not to apply for it.

Even though the township is applying for two projects, they will most likely only be awarded funds for one, Laureigh said.

The cost for an engineer to submit paperwork will be $1,200 per grant application. The application for Bayberry Village will be cheaper since the township has applied for that project in the past, Laureigh said.

The township has been receiving municipal aid money from the DOT every year since 1991.

In other news at the Committee meeting:

• The Committee approved a .25 percent non-retroactive increase in salaries for 2011 and a 2 percent increase for 2012-14 for the superior officers of the Fraternal Order of the Police. This was contractual and for sergeants, lieutenants and captains.
• The Committee approved the first reading of an ordinance on  The amendment says that the board can determine as to whether a Certified Appraiser will be needed to provide professional services. If necessary, the developer will have to post additional escrow deposits to cover the expenses of the board in conjunction with the professional certified appraiser. The costs are set throughout the chapter. The fees would be a minimum of $1,700. An ordinance has to be prepared.
• The 2012 capital budget was amended to include the demolition of the nursing home. The funds will be provided in the COAH account at $240,000. The amendment also includes a subdivision of properties.
• A contract was awarded to Hunter Jersey Peterbilt for the purchase of a 2013 Peterbilt in the amount of $161,831. The township won’t receive the truck for approximately 90 days. This was originally included in the capital budget.
• A contract was awarded to Hoffman Services, Inc. for the purchase of a 18,000 lb truck lift with accessories in the amount of $62,404. This was also originally included in the capital budget.
• A contract was awarded to Miller Ford Sales for the purchase of a Ford F-550 Rack Body in the amount of $56,886. The township will not receive the truck for at least 150 days, missing the snow season.
• The committee , which will provide safe access to major roadways for all users, including bicyclists and pedestrians.