Clark residents thank county on boat-ramp changes; questions raised about procurement and environmental protections

Multiple Clark Township residents addressed the Union County Board of County Commissioners to thank officials for changes to the Wendell Place boat-ramp project and to raise remaining concerns about environmental protections and project details.

Susanna Civelli of Clark told the board the neighborhood appreciated the county’s responsiveness and work with Clark Township and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, saying, “We really, really appreciate your effort.” Several other residents including Pat Delaney and Claire Le Bruno offered similar thanks and said the outcome reflected compromise after months of public engagement.

Some residents said they remained concerned about specific elements of the revised plan. One commenter said residents were disappointed the project will not include aeration and expressed unease about the proposed boathouse size. Nancy Tawasquez of Clark asked the clerk to pass an article and photographs to the county parks director documenting two species recently added to New Jersey’s endangered list and requested the director ensure contractors are aware of and comply with state endangered-species protections. Tawasquez said the photos came from a resident’s backyard and asked county staff to make sure “none of their homes are going to be impacted” by the project.

Separate public comments questioned procurement and contracting decisions tied to county capital projects. Bruce Patterson (Garwood) criticized a contract award to T&M Associates that he described as “nearly $700” in one comment and later asked in the public record, “what the heck is this $672,000 being spent on,” referring to intersection-improvement work he said was in Plainfield. He also criticized the county’s handling of the Clark Reservoir bids and suggested bid documents were structured in ways that could reduce competitive pricing. Patterson criticized a separate award to M&M Construction for repair work on the county annex at approximately $5,500,000, and accused county processes of producing over-budget projects.

County Manager Ed Oatman responded during the meeting to clarify two points included in public remarks: he said the Star-Ledger no longer covers every town in the county and noted that where the record states T&M is being hired for construction and administrative services, “T&M are being hired as it says in here for construction and administrative services,” according to the transcript. Oatman further said moving publication of legal notices to the county website could save towns money because there is not a single print paper covering every town in the county.

Several commissioners thanked the Clark residents for sustained engagement. Commissioner Granados acknowledged their participation and said county hiring decisions are based on qualifications and experience, not personal appearance. The transcript records no formal board action on the Clark Reservoir project at this meeting; residents’ remarks were delivered during the public-comment portion and documented in the record.

The public comments also included a separate inquiry about the status of a county animal-welfare/Bridal Task Force; the speaker asked whether the prosecutor’s task force remains active and the transcript notes the Union County Prosecutor was present and would follow up after the meeting.