Lack of state aid won’t stop town from repairing road

UPPER FREEHOLD — In the face of the state’s refusal to fund repairs to Mil-lers Mill Road, township officials have decided to fix the road themselves.

The Township Committee received notice early this month that Upper Freehold was being denied about $150,000 in discretionary state funding. Township officials were hoping to use that money, along with $81,220 set aside in the 2000 budget, to repair the aging road.

But on April 19, members of the committee said another solution needed to be found. They said the road, which connects Route 537 and Route 539 and is frequently traveled by trucks, shouldn’t be allowed to deteriorate further.

"That road is bad. It needs to be fixed," Committeeman William Miscoski said. "I think we need to find funds."

While township officials can reapply for state funding next year, committee members said they didn’t want to let the fate of the road rest on decisions that are out of their control.

"We can’t wait for the state to turn us down again next year," Committeeman Charles Faber said.

Upon the recommendation of the township’s chief financial officer, committee members considered an alternative plan for funding. The CFO suggested dropping the $81,220 already allocated to $57,220, then passing a bond ordinance to pay for the rest of the project.

The committee passed a budget amendment to drop this year’s allotment to $57,220. The remaining $24,000 of the initial appropriation is now set to be split among emergency management equipment, first aid equipment and additional professional services.

Committee members said they planned to introduce a bond ordinance to pay for the rest of the Millers Mill Road project at an upcoming meeting.

While the change will have no direct impact on this year’s total budget appropriations or on taxes, it adds to the township’s debt. The township has 10 years to pay off any money it borrows through bonds and the payments will be weighed into future budgets.

Miscoski said, though, that he believes the road repairs are worth paying for. He said that in light of the recently approved 12-cent school tax increase, any tax impact resulting from the road work will be minimal.

Residents in attendance at the committee’s April 19 meeting said traffic along the road is often heavy and gets worse in the summer as motorists head to nearby Six Flags Great Adventure on Route 537, Jackson.

Committeeman Paul Burke said when the state declined to provide discretionary funding, he expected the township would have to wait until at least 2001 to fix Millers Mill Road.

"This whole plan that has unfolded here, I think it’s a really good plan," he said. "But I would have liked to have heard of it before tonight."