MANALAPAN – The Township Committee has adopted a bond ordinance that will fund the construction of a water main on Millhurst Road.
During a meeting on Sept. 9, Mayor Jack McNaboe, Deputy Mayor Susan Cohen, Committeeman Barry Jacobson, Committeewoman Mary Ann Musich and Committeeman Eric Nelson voted “yes” on a motion to adopt the ordinance.
The ordinance provides for the Millhurst Road water main extension project and appropriates $3.5 million for the work. The ordinance authorizes the issuance of $2 million in bonds or notes and includes a $1.5 million down payment. The down payment is available from Manalapan’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Township Engineer Brian Boccanfuso said the ordinance will fund the construction of a water main on Millhurst Road from Gold Court to Woodward Road. He said the completed water main will serve existing development and future development on the Route 33 corridor.
No one from the public commented on the ordinance when given the opportunity to do so.
In other business, the committee members amended an ordinance that was introduced on Aug. 12. The ordinance provides for the temporary waiver of certain fees pertaining to the installation of a generator.
The ordinance states that on Aug. 4, Tropical Storm Isaias resulted in thousands of residents of Manalapan losing electrical power, some for an extended period of time, and that the storm was the latest in a series of weather events that have resulted in substantial power outages throughout the township.
As a result of the most recent incident, many residents and business owners have decided to install a generator to provide their homes and businesses with electric power during such power outages, according to the ordinance.
Committee members said that “to encourage and incentivize residents and business owners to install such generators,” they would waive the township’s portion of Uniform Construction Code and Uniform Fire Code fees for the installation of generators at homes and businesses.
When the ordinance was introduced, the waiver period was designated to run from Aug. 4 through Oct. 5.
On Sept. 9, the committee members voted to amend the ordinance and to designate the waiver period to run from March 16 (retroactive) through Oct. 31. A public hearing on the amended ordinance will be held during the governing body’s Sept. 23 meeting.
An individual who installs a generator in Manalapan without obtaining the proper permits is subject to a fine of $2,000, according to the ordinance.
Finally, the committee introduced an ordinance which, if adopted, will formally establish a speed limit on Tracy Station Road, which is in Manalapan, just outside the border of Englishtown.
Boccanfuso said the statutory speed limit on Tracy Station Road is 35 mph, although no signs are posted which inform motorists of the speed limit. He said a traffic study determined that most vehicles on the road travel at or near 35 mph.
The ordinance the committee has introduced will officially set the speed limit on Tracy Station Road at 35 mph and speed limit signs will be posted, according to Boccanfuso.
A public hearing on the Tracy Station Road ordinance will be held on Sept. 23.
