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Clark council approves emergency storm repairs and awards $966,300 contract for Pumpkin Patch Brook and 38 Wendell outfall
Summary
After damaging storms on July 14, council members approved an emergency appropriation and awarded a $966,300 contract to Montana Construction Inc. for stream cleaning, wall rebuilding and constructing an outfall at 38 Wendell Place; township staff said FEMA and other grants may offset some costs.
The Township Council authorized emergency spending related to storm damage from the July 14, 2025 storm and awarded a $966,300 contract to Montana Construction Inc. for cleanup and repairs tied to Pumpkin Patch Brook and the 38 Wendell Place outfall.
At the council’s Aug. 18 meeting resident Ellen Mulligan asked whether the work cited in resolutions 16 and 17 was on county property and where the outfall was located. Business Administrator Jim replied that the stream‑bank work spans several township locations and that, because the storm sewer at 38 Wendell discharges directly near the Robinson’s Branch Reservoir, the township bears responsibility for the repair. “The storm sewer is right out right out the curb of 38 Wendell,” Jim said, adding that the township holds the easement that gives it repair authority.
Jim described three prioritized repairs: (1) shoring a failing retaining wall on Oak Ridge Road near the bridal approach to the golf course, (2) removing silt and debris that flowed up through the pumpkin patch and into the stream, and (3) constructing a retaining wall at a curve in the pumpkin patch. He said the township had applied in the prior year for approximately $3,000,000 in congressional community funding for a broader set of wall repairs but that the funding round was not awarded; the July 14 storm accelerated the need for immediate work. Jim said the township is filing FEMA applications and “we may be getting FEMA funds from some of this. We don't know how much,” and that the emergency appropriation will be covered by a bond ordinance intended for adoption in December 2025.
The council approved the emergency appropriation (resolution 16) and then approved the contract award to Montana Construction Inc. through the Bergen County Cooperative Pricing System (resolution 17). The award covers stream cleaning, wall rebuilding and the 38 Wendell Place outfall construction in the amount of $966,300. Council members said postponing the work could risk further undermining nearby infrastructure if another storm occurs before repairs are completed.
Council and staff emphasized that the township will seek reimbursement or offset from FEMA and other grant sources where eligible, but the township must act promptly to mitigate safety and infrastructure risk. The council approved the spending and the contract by roll‑call vote.
