Special Election Planned On Communications Upgrades In Howell

HOWELL, NJ — Improving the communications infrastructure in the township is the goal of a special fire district referendum Oct. 29.

The township's five fire districts will ask voters to consider the districts' share of a capital project estimated at nearly $6 million -jointly funded by the township and the fire districts - to improve emergency communications, said Acting Township Manager Joseph Clark in a news statement.

The project would include a new communications tower on Route 33, and officials said they consider the capital project "vital."

According to Clark, the township and the fire districts within the township are proposing a project that would include:

• the construction of a new 150-foot tower near Fire District #2, at 993 Route 33
• an update to the township’s police department’s computer-aided dispatch system
• the purchase of new radio handsets for fire and police officials

The location of the tower was specifically chosen to limit the impact to residential communities, Clark said.

"The township and fire districts believe that this upgrading the communications infrastructure is a vital project for the township," Clark said in a news statement.

The cost of the project is expected to be a little under $6 million dollars, and is estimated to take roughly a year and a half to complete, his statement said.

While the Monmouth County elections office does not handle this election, it can provide information on obtaining mail-in ballots on its website.