Officials OK bonding for municipal projects
BY MARK ROSMAN Staff Writer

MANALAPAN - The Township Committee at its meeting onApril 23 approved a bonding ordinance that will help to pay for a host of municipal projects.

According to the ordinance, the total cost of the various improvements and related expenses is $4.5 million. Bonds in the amount of $4.275 million will be issued to support the initiative.

There are five significant sections of the bonding ordinance:

• Township-wide road and drainage improvements, including road reconstruction, drainage system improvements, repaving and the installation of sidewalks and curbing. The appropriation for this section is $918,650. The down payment is $45,932, with the remainder in bonds.

• Acquisition of a dump truck and bucket truck, and other equipment. The appropriation for this section is $554,900. The down payment is $27,745, with the remainder in bonds.

• Improvements to municipal parks, recreation centers and buildings, including the installation of lighting at Bucks Head Park, upgrades at the Kuschick Pavilion in the Manalapan Recreation Center and various field renovations. The appropriation for this section is $573,450. The down payment is $28,673, with the remainder in bonds.

• Phase 1B of the Manalapan Recreation Center expansion, including, but not limited to, site preparation, roadway, parking, walkway paving and lighting, installation of sports lighting, fences, basketball courts, play area and park landscaping. The appropriation for this section is $1.95 million, The down payment is $97,500, with the remainder in bonds.

• Renovations to Holiday Lake, Pease Road, including dredging and disposal costs, dewatering and installation of a pedestrian footbridge. The appropriation for this section is $503,000. The down payment is $25,150, with the remainder in bonds.

During the public hearing on this ordinance, resident Jan Zachary asked why more money is being spent to rehabilitate Holiday Lake. He said the lake is really a detention basin (it is in the Holiday Park residential development and a stream that runs behind Longbow Drive drains into it).

Zachary said the lake has been dredged several times over 35 years without a permanent resolution to the problems that are associated with the body of water.

Township Engineer Greg Valesi said the township is working with the state Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan for rehabilitating the lake, or detention basin, that will hopefully offer a permanent solution and improve the body of water.

In other business at the meeting, Mayor Michelle Roth announced during the mayor's report that the developer of The Village at Manalapan, which is planned for the intersection of Route 33 and Millhurst Road, has informed municipal officials that he will not seek a project larger than 500,000 square feet.

The Planning Board has granted preliminary approval to a 500,000-squarefoot commercial/office project. Construction has not started.

Roth also announced that the developer will no longer ask for a housing component to be part of The Village at Manalapan project. At one time during discussions with the township, housing was planned for the 135-acre property.

"The developer has redesigned the project and will be returning to the Planning Board," Roth said, adding that a traffic study of the area will continue and will be funded by the developer.

Deputy Mayor Susan Cohen announced that the Manalapan Police Department has established a narcotics tip line. Anyone may call (732) 446-8385 or (732) 446-8389 to provide information relating to narcotics. Ask for Detective Michael Ratta or Detective Thomas Mantle. Cohen said all calls to the narcotics tip line will be kept confidential.

Finally, Cohen announced that Al Jardine, who was one of the founders of the Beach Boys, will be the main stage entertainment on June 14 at Manalapan Under the Stars, the community's annual festival.