Cranbury to repair old floors

[Cranbury Press]

Cranbury to repair old floors
Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:19 PM EDT
By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer




CRANBURY —Township officials are hoping a re-flooring project taking place in the same room where residents cast their votes will be completed by election time.

Construction officials took a tour of the Municipal Building last fall and determined that the room, located on the lower level of the property, was in dire need of repairs.

Some of the floorboards appeared to be sagging under extreme weight, Township Administrator Christine Smeltzer said.

Township officials are now in the process of getting quotes for the repairs, which are scheduled to begin sometime in the next few months, she said.

Funding for the project is included in the capital budget for this year. Township officials are projecting that it will cost no more than $20,000.
Many residents also know the room as the Boy Scout room, because local Scouts typically congregate there for meetings and other events.

”The Scouts may have to find some place else to meet for a month,” Ms. Smeltzer said. “I think we’ll have it done in plenty of time for the elections.”

The Township Committee introduced an ordinance July 14 that allows it to borrow the money needed for the project, although the township may not need to exercise this option, Ms. Smeltzer said.

Committee members voted in favor of appropriating $25,000 and authorizing the issuance of $23,750 bonds or notes for various repairs to the Municipal Building including the floor repairs.

Ms. Smeltzer said that by approving the bond ordinance, the committee now has the option to borrow if it needs to, however that may not be the case since the township’s capital improvements budget does have the funds available for the cost of $20,000 project.

She said the bond ordinance now gives the township options in case additional costs should come up.

The Township Committee is scheduled to vote on the ordinance during its second reading on Monday.

http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/07/25/cranbury_press/news/doc4888d31b4b834492357936.txt