Shamong Township residents soon could be seeing stormwater inlet renovations as part of the 2016 Road Program.
The Shamong Township Committee unanimously approved an ordinance on first reading at the Sept. 6 meeting amending the road program to include repairs of damaged stormwater inlets. The original ordinance had set $1 million for the road program, including the acquisition of all related materials, equipment and performance of all work necessary.
While the roadwork was being completed, business administrator Susan Onorato said it became apparent to the township that a large number of storm drains throughout the township were caving in. Onorato said there are close to 70 known ones in need of repair.
To have these fixed, the township went out to bid for the repairs, which came in just less than $153,000. The bids were made in six parts, with a base bid or known storm inlets in need of repair and five alternates if more are needed.
Changes were made to the bond ordinance to include these stormwater inlet repairs, now reading $850,000 for the 2016 Road Program and $150,000 for construction of improvements to various stormwater inlets.
“We expected to spend (the road) money on services (such as asphalt repairs) … We were fortunate enough some things came in below estimate and that gave us the ability to do this now,” Onorato said.
Township engineer Dante Guzzi said the top of the inlets are seeing erosion in the bricks and castings, and soil is washing in, causing more damage. He said everything would be cleaned out and re-barged, and new bricks and casting would be added.
The public hearing and second reading is planned to be at the Sept. 27 meeting at 7:30 p.m.
In other news:
• The committee unanimously approved resolutions to submit applications required to apply for a cemetery the township is considering. The committee also approved $8,060 to repair a small dump truck body, which is rusted out. According to Onorato, there is money to cover this in the budget.
• Mayor Tim Gimbel recognized local youth Grant Laarkamp for saving the life of his friend Steve Donovan earlier this year by using the Heimlich maneuver.
• Committee swore in Bill Carrig as the new deputy emergency management coordinator in the Office of Emergency Management. Carrig’s role will be to support Shamong Township in matters of public safety, emergency preparedness, improving emergency operations plans and coordinating disaster response. His background is extensive in law enforcement and incident command. Carrig was already a member of Shamong’s Local Emergency Planning Committee, a group of volunteers that advises OEM and reviews the town’s preparedness plans and resources.
• The township also recognized and thanked Wallace Pickard for his years of service, as he is stepping down from his role of deputy emergency management coordinator. A retired general, Pickard was a former wing commander with the United States Air Force.
A certificate of appreciation was signed by Gimbel and Emergency Management Coordinator John Lyons.
