A once-promising sports complex project in Edison has become a financial quagmire for taxpayers, as the township council requests another significant sum to keep the delayed construction afloat.
Originally projected to be completed in the summer of 2023, the sports building project has seen its budget balloon from $5 million to over $11 million due to costly overruns and numerous change orders. In June, the council approved a $190,000 change order for the roof alone, and now they are seeking an additional $378,000 for construction management services from Collier Engineering and Design according to the Council Meeting Work Session Agenda that is not yet available publicly.
The situation raises questions about the project’s management and oversight. “It’s baffling that we’re now being asked to approve nearly $400,000 for construction management on a building that should already be finished,” said former Councilwoman Joyce Ship-Freeman of the project. “This is just the latest in a string of unexpected expenses that have plagued this project from the start. The cost of both is now almost $16 million dollars and no one takes responsibility.”
The requested funds are in addition to the $4.2 million contract already awarded to Picerno Giordano Construction of Kenilworth for the turf football and baseball fields at Papaianni Park. Adding to the growing list of expenditures, there is also a separate request for $90,280 to install FieldTurf monitoring and maintenance equipment.
These latest requests have raised eyebrows among residents and council members alike. Given that the turf fields are already laid and the sports building was expected to be operational by now, the timing and necessity of these additional expenses have come under scrutiny.
“It’s crucial that we understand where things went wrong and how we can prevent similar issues in future projects,” stated Councilman Rich Brescher when the Council approved the $190k change order in June. “We owe it to the taxpayers to be transparent and accountable for every dollar spent.”
Adding to the controversy, the council’s agenda for the upcoming meeting has not been made readily available to the public as of Saturday July 20th, raising concerns about transparency and adherence to the Open Public Meetings Act of 1975 (OPMA). The meeting Agendas are usually posted by Friday and Council President Nish Patel requires Council members to submit their discussion items on the Wednesday before the meeting.
The OPMA mandates that government bodies in New Jersey provide adequate notice and access to meeting agendas, ensuring the public’s right to be informed and participate in the decision-making process. The lack of transparency surrounding the agenda has fueled speculation and distrust among residents who feel excluded from crucial discussions about the project’s future and the allocation of taxpayer funds.
The council is expected to discuss the funding requests at its Monday July 22nd meeting, where a heated debate is anticipated. Residents are encouraged to attend and voice their concerns. The outcome of this vote will undoubtedly have significant implications for the project’s future and the township’s financial health.
