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Township To Float $7.1 Million In Bonds
By Jo Ann La Russo
Calling the township of Toms River a "small city" - it is the seventh largest municipality in the state - Council President Gregory McGuckin on Tuesday staunchly defended an ordinance calling for $7.5 million in capital improvements and the issuance of $7.125 million in bonds to finance the improvements that are slated throughout the township.
McGuckin was responding to resident Bill Webb and others at the regular council meeting. They termed the spending plan "frivolous" and chastised the governing body, calling the municipal budget bloated.
"We can't afford to be $7 million in debt," said Webb to the council. "You promised to reduce wasteful spending. We are in a recession. People are getting tired of the spending."
Improvements and updates are slated for the Township Recreation Department, Police Department, Department of Public Works, Department of Administration and Buildings and Department of Buildings and Grounds.
"There are certain things that a township is required to provide," McGuckin told Webb. The council president rebutted, "We have the lowest overall tax burden in the state," and that council members, "all have to bear the township's tax burden."
Changes for the security and modernization of the Toms River municipal building are high on the list of upcoming projects.
The Administration Department and Department of Buildings and Grounds projects include municipal building renovations, improvements to the HVAC system, acquisition of a township-wide telephone system, computer and information technology equipment, records management equipment and ergonomic furniture.
Highlights of the bond ordinance also include appropriations for two Castle Park type playgrounds to be constructed at Riverward and Silverton, both ADA compliant.
Improvements are also slated for the Toms River Little League fields, and for township wide recreational facility improvements, including ball fields, tennis courts and recreation equipment, and new buildings and facility upgrades, acquisition of outside showers, speaker systems signs, trash and recycling receptacles and equipment.
The Department of Public Works projects include acquisition of trash and dump trucks and road and drainage projects.
Acquisition of emergency service equipment is planned for the Township Police Department as well as a license plate recognition program, a radio and phone recording system, all purpose van, replacement of police vehicles and upgrades to computer equipment and software.
"The license plate recognition program is a tremendous asset," said McGuckin, who explained that with the new technology, "we can instantly identify a plate that enters the township … This is important for residents' safety."
Despite criticism from the public, Councilwoman Maria Maruca also defended the bond measure.
"We pared down to what we really need. We are continually funding existing projects. We are responsible for storm water management and ADA compliance," she said. "This is bare bones. This is not frivolous."
"We are state mandated on storm water management," said Councilman Maurice Hill. "We get little help from the state in funding and we have to keep our drains cleaned."
Fellow council members agreed that the projects are necessary and long overdue before voting unanimous approval on the measure.
In other business, the council adopted a $5.5 million bond ordinance to provide for an affordable housing project in Lakewood. The bond ordinance was necessary for Toms River to transfer some of its affordable housing credits, Regional Contribution Agreements, or RCA's; from the township to Lakewood for the project. The project calls for the issuance of $5.225 million in bonds and a down payment of $275,000 to be made available from the Township's Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The RCA transfer is part of Toms River's affordable housing plan and makes Toms River the first municipality in the state to transfer RCA's since 2007.
A hearing is scheduled for June 4 in Superior Court on the transfer of funds slated to refurbish 72 existing low-income homes in the deal with Lakewood.
Thirty-four affordable housing units will remain in Toms River and include construction of a dozen new townhouses on Walnut Street.
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