During public comment, a resident raised concerns about the city’s choice of engineering consultants for a sewer-separation project, asking why Suburban Engineers — which she described as having strong state ties for securing grant funding — had not been rehired and why Boswell Engineering was selected.

Resident comments: The speaker said she had a longstanding relationship with a Suburban Engineers employee involved with the project and asserted Suburban Engineers were experts in sewer separation and well-connected to state funding sources. She asked council to explain why Boswell was retained instead.

City and legal response: City Attorney Richard Malagiri replied that Boswell Engineering, Alaimo Engineering and Remington & Vernick (corrected name) are "full service" firms licensed by the State of New Jersey and capable of performing assigned engineering work. A council member said the selection process had been thoughtfully conducted and that the firms had been selected based on proposals; the council also acknowledged that decisions about consultant contracts occurred in prior administrations and that records would reflect the contracting authority exercised by council at those times.

Why it matters: Consultant selection can affect project design, grant access and construction schedules for capital projects such as combined sewer separation. Residents asked for clarity about the decision-making process and the potential to seek grant funding to reduce taxpayer burden.

Discussion versus decision: The exchange was public comment and staff response; no policy or contract action was taken during the meeting. Council and legal staff noted the firms’ licensure and said the selection was made following a review of proposals in prior years.

What’s next: Staff and council recorded the concern for the record; residents were invited to follow up with the city manager for specific location-level concerns and to request documentation about consultant selection and contracts.