Town hall expansion set
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

MARLBORO - Plans for expansion of the municipal building will be set in motion following the Township Council's recent authorization of a contract for the project.

The contract was awarded to Tri-Form Construction Inc., of Metuchen, and is not to exceed $691,800. Tri-Form Construction was the lowest qualified bidder, according to municipal officials.

In regard to its ability to adhere to a project schedule and budget, Tri-Form Construction received comments ranging from "fine, on budget and within schedule" to excellent, according to reference checks performed on the company for the municipality.

At the Aug. 2 council meeting, Business Administrator Judith Tiernan said the addition to town hall will benefit the police department and the building department.

Marlboro police Lt. Nicholas Barbella said the new construction will add storage space for the police department, additional space for the building department and a new communications center. New municipal court offices are also part of the plan, according to Barbella.

The police Records Department will eventually move into the space currently occupied by the municipal court offices, allowing more space for police offices, he said.

As Marlboro has grown, so, too, has the police department. That has led to the present building to be bursting at the seams, according to the lieutenant.

"It's more prudent to add on to the existing building rather than to build a new one. It's going to help everyone," Barbella said.

He said money has been budgeted for the project. Ground breaking for the construction project could come in September, according to Barbella.