HOWELL – The Township Council has renewed a shared services agreement with Colts Neck through which Howell may provide municipal assistance and the use of certain road equipment to its neighboring community.
Deputy Mayor Evelyn O’Donnell, Councilman John Bonevich, Councilwoman Pamela Richmond and Councilman Thomas Russo voted “yes” on a motion to the renew the agreement during an Aug. 13 council meeting. Mayor Theresa Berger was absent.
The municipal assistance and shared services Howell may provide to Colts Neck includes, but is not limited to, catch basin cleaning, culvert repairs, diesel inspections, equipment use (with operator), guide rail installation, leaf collection, mowing, paving, plowing, recycling, salting and sanding, street sign installation, street sweeping, towing, traffic signal installation, vehicle maintenance, vehicle painting and vehicle repairs.
The agreement states “it is the intent that Howell will recoup its actual costs in providing the services, but no profit. Therefore, the cost of the services shall be the estimated actual cost to Howell for the requested equipment, materials and labor, as quoted by Howell.”
Colts Neck is not obligated to use any services offered by Howell, and Howell is not obligated to provide a service if it is not in a position to honor the request, according to the agreement.
The agreement will be in effect until Sept. 30, 2020, unless it is terminated before that date by either party.
During the meeting, resident Tina Smilek asked officials how Howell was benefiting from the agreement with Colts Neck.
Jim Herrman, who is Howell’s director of community development, said the council renewed an existing agreement between the towns and “that as of Aug. 13, there has only been one instance where the shared service was used in the past year and that was for a vehicle repair.
“The agreement is more of a convenience. When it is a convenient to Colts Neck and convenient to us and we have time, we can offer our assistance as they need it and so far that has only happened once,” he said.
Smilek asked officials why they would renew an agreement that had only been used once.
“What does it hurt?” Herrman said. “It is more that we are helping neighboring towns as we get help from other towns.”
