MARLBORO – A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at Marlboro Town Hall on bond ordinances that will fund capital improvements.
Officials are planning to appropriate $7.86 million for capital projects that are expected to include road improvements, upgrades to outdoor recreation facilities, stabilization work and paving at the Willow Brook stream bank and the acquisition of police equipment and vehicles.
The total amount to be financed in bonds and notes is $7.45 million, according to the ordinances. The $400,000 difference in the total appropriation and the amount to be financed is what Marlboro will make in down payments.
The members of the Township Council may adopt the ordinances following the public hearing.
The section of the ordinance that refers to road repairs is part of Marlboro’s four-pronged road repair initiative program, which includes:
- An estimated $5 million for local road repairs and reconstruction as part of the 2018 capital plan;
- Ongoing communication with Monmouth County and state officials to address the condition of roads that are not under Marlboro’s jurisdiction;
- The launch of a road repair section on the municipal website to update and inform residents about the road repair process and status;
- A redesigned online Pothole Portal which facilitates a more efficient response to residents’ reports of roads they believe are in need of repair.
The road improvement program will address various streets in Marlboro and specifically names the Greenbriar at Marlboro adult community as an area where work will be done.
Mayor Jonathan Hornik referenced weather patterns coupled with Marlboro’s improved financial position behind the timing of the proposal.
“Changing weather patterns have brought more severe weather over the last several years,” Hornik said. “Snow and freezing temperatures have accelerated the wear and tear on our roads and aggressive snow removal activities have taken a toll.
“With interest rates at historic lows, Marlboro’s debt load well below statutory limits and an AAA S&P bond rating, now is the ideal time to invest in our infrastructure,” the mayor said.
Municipal officials said the list of roads to be improved will be finalized after the authorization is in place, an engineering design contract has been authorized and bid specifications have been completed.
Officials said 29 miles of local streets have been repaved in Marlboro since 2009. That does not include many of Marlboro’s busiest roads and intersections such as Route 9, Route 520, Route 79 and Tennent Road, which are under the jurisdictions of the state or the county.
Hornik said a list of ongoing state and county intersection improvement projects and the status of each will be found on the road reconstruction section of the township website along with answers to frequently asked questions, links to the Traffic Advisory Committee, the Pothole Portal, traffic updates and road construction notices, and project bid specifications.
