BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK - Additional funding for ongoing work at Route 18 and Tices Lane will remain on hold, since the Township Council again tabled a funding ordinance Monday.

Approval of the additional $500,000 needed the unanimous consent of the four council members who were in attendance, but Christi Calvano, the lone Republican, voted against the measure, saying residents "were served a bill of goods" on the project.

Council members David Stahl and Catherine Diem voted in favor, despite expressing concerns last week that information they requested regarding the ordinance had not been provided to them earlier. Councilman Donald Klemp also supported the ordinance.

Mayor William Neary said Calvano is holding up the process of finishing the roadwork, which includes improvements at several intersections, and new road patterns around Route 18 and Tices Lane.

"This basically stops the project," Neary said.

But Calvano has stated repeatedly she is upset about the way figures related to the project have changed. The overall project is being financed through state and county funds, along with contributions from private business entities with properties that will benefit from the improved traffic patterns.

An internal memo from Finance Director L. Mason Neely said developers were contributing less than $100,000. However, the ordinance in front of the council states that developer contributions are nearly $900,000. Neely said the discrepancy related to the township trying to anticipate the contributions, and tax appeals from the developers.

Calvano and Stahl also took issue with the fact that the township may have to pay for a portion of the project. When the project was unveiled, officials said the township would not need to use taxpayer money. And Neary has said the township will seek to be reimbursed for the additional funds being allocated.

The ordinance will bring the project's total cost to about $6.5 million.

During Monday night's meeting, Township Attorney Michael Baker said he is confident the township can recoup a good portion of that from PSE&G. The utility refused to move its equipment to facilitate the road work, something Baker has said it was legally obligated to do. Officials are confident they will get $350,000 from PSE&G to cover those costs.

Baker said common law states that PSE&G is responsible for the costs. State statute holds that, if the utility is not held accountable, the burden would shift to the state Department of Transportation, because it approved and funded much of the project.

The rest of the cost overrun was the result of state inspections and the expense of acquiring additional land for the project, Neary has said. He said he is confident the township will receive money from the county and state to offset those costs.

Diem asked Neely if the project will face any more additional costs.

"I think this is it," he said.