Norristown — The municipal council voted to approve Resolution 26-01 on Jan. 5, appointing routine professional services for 2026 and authorizing a feasibility study for three public facilities.

Administration described the package as annual professional-service appointments for legal, engineering and planning support and said the firms were chosen to provide continuity and institutional knowledge. The agenda included Boyle (an architect-engineering consultant) to perform a feasibility study on a new fire station, a public works facility and a Park & Recreation recreation center. Town staff said the feasibility work is budgeted and would provide concept drawings, cost estimates and schedules to inform future capital budgeting and grant applications.

Several council members raised procedural questions about vendor selection and the timing of the study. "We haven't even had a conversation about the fire station" and "we shouldn't lock someone in before council has had a conversation," said one councilmember, urging additional briefing and consultation with the fire department on site suitability. Administration replied that prior conceptual plans and past studies exist and that the feasibility study is intended to produce the true cost estimates necessary to apply for grants and bond financing.

Councilmember Dustin Queenan moved an amendment to exclude Boyle from the appointments; the amendment failed on a roll call. The main motion to approve Resolution 26-01 (including Boyle) then passed on roll call. After the vote the presiding officer said council should coordinate to raise questions in advance on future vendor selections.

The administration said the feasibility study would be tailored to the three projects and estimated a 12-week not-to-exceed timeline, starting as soon as the contract was executed. Council members asked for more detail on sequencing, firm references and fire department input before later project phases were advanced.

Next steps: administration said it would contact the consultant immediately if the resolution remained approved and would return feasibility findings to council to inform 2027–2028 budget planning.