$1.5M Bond Ordinance For Lenola Project In Moorestown Approved

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Moorestown looks to be moving forward with the Lenola Town Center Landscape Improvement Project following a pair of approvals Monday night.

Moorestown Council gave final approval to a proposed bond ordinance that sets aside $1,500,000, including the borrowing of $500,000 in bonds or notes, for the project at its meeting Monday night at town hall. The vote was 4-0, with Councilman Mike Locatell briefly stepping away from the dais during the vote.

It also approved a resolution to award a $366,774.62 contract to McCormick Taylor for preliminary and final design and construction engineering services for the project. The vote was 4-1, with Locatell providing the dissenting vote.

The project focuses on revitalizing a quarter mile of the Lenola Town Center Camden Avenue corridor. It is estimated to cost about $1 million.

Locatell and Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano reiterated their concerns about how long it is taking for the project to get started. Resident David Hess, a member of the Lenola Ad-Hoc Committee, also voiced his concerns.

“I just want this to happen because the longer this goes on, it becomes a bigger challenge,” Hess said.

The township has already received a $971,500 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for construction costs.

In January, the township had two contractors set to work on the project. After two new council members were sworn in and the majority of council changed parties in January, council opted to pursue a second federal grant for about $360,000 to cover the cost of the development of plans, specifications and estimates for the plan.

In order to do so, though, the township had to appoint a professional from a pool of six engineering design consultants selected by the state. That professional was McCormick Taylor. Read more here: McCormick Taylor Named Lenola Project Design Consultant

The township secured that second grant for an initial amount of $193,000, with the township eligible for further funding to cover the rest of the $366,000 as the project continues, according to Township Manager Thomas Neff.

Since January, though, some businesses have left the area and the ones that remain are struggling, Hess said. He said something needs to be done, and the committee will help in any way it can.

“There’s a lot of pressure to get this done,” Napolitano said. “Lenola needs to get this done. At some point, a nice streetscape is not going to save Camden Avenue.”

“Work will begin as soon as this agreement is executed,” Neff said. “We will go as fast and as thoroughly as we can, but we don’t want to put an artificial deadline into the contract.”

Locatell also said the contract costs are too high for a streetscape project.

“The contract is as broad as possible to cover every contingency,” Neff said. “We don’t intend to spend all that money.”

Neff also said the township would manage the contract to make sure McCormick Taylor isn’t doing anything they don’t need to do.

The contract with McCormick Taylor includes things that may be needed that the plan provided by the previous contractor didn’t include, Mayor Lisa Petriello said. The state asked the township to add some of those things, she said.

“It took us decades to get to this point,” Petriello said. “This is the first time Moorestown has worked with this kind of federal grant, and we need professionals that have experience working with this program.”

Read more here: $1.5M Bond Ordinance For Lenola Project Under Consideration

Council unanimously approved two other pieces of legislation on introduction Monday night.

The first would amend the salaries for Moorestown Police Patrol Officers, Detectives, Corporals, Sergeants and Lieutenants. This would reflect a 1.75 increase in salaries that took effect on Jan. 1.

The second would establish the title and salary range for two part-time code enforcement officers as established in this year's budget. These code enforcement officers will not receive benefits.

Council will next meet on Monday night, Sept. 23, 7 p.m., at town hall, 111 West Second Street.