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Ridgewood considers $2.6 million low bid to remediate contaminated Shetler site; council to pursue financing
Summary
The council reviewed a low bid of about $2.6 million to remove contaminated soil at the Shetler property, discussed a $1.1 million existing appropriation, and directed staff to seek claim proceeds and a low-interest loan from the Bergen Joint Insurance Fund to cover a roughly $1.5 million gap before a likely March contract award.
Ridgewood officials on Feb. 4 reviewed results of a rebid for soil remediation at the Shetler property after engineering offices received 11 bids that ranged from roughly $2.6 million to $6.03 million. The apparent low bidder is Northstar Environmental Services of Claremont, N.J., with a low bid of about $2,600,000.
Village Manager Keith told the council that “we currently have $1,100,000 that was allocated by the council, previously for soil testing and for the first steps of remediation.” He said staff is in active discussions with the Bergen Joint Insurance Fund about a claim already filed and the possibility of packaging claim proceeds with a low-interest loan to bridge the remaining funding gap.
Residents raised concerns during public comment. Cynthia O’Keefe asked how the borough will prevent contractors from returning with change orders and how neighbors will be notified about heavy equipment and truck routes. “Are there change orders? Are they going to come back and ask for more money?” O’Keefe asked. Boyd A. Loving urged the council to minimize change orders, saying they “are what really kills the taxpayer.”
Keith responded that municipalities are bound by the local public contracts law and must award contracts to the lowest responsible bidder. “There is always a level of due diligence,” he said, adding that engineers vet low bidders to ensure they are capable and that blanket bans on change orders are not permitted under state law. He described planned safety and communication steps including LSRP (Licensed Site Remediation Professional) oversight, police-directed truck routing to minimize neighborhood disruption, and advance notice to the school district and neighbors if bus stops must be temporarily relocated.
Staff said they expect to finalize financing conversations with the Bergen fund and present an award for council approval at the March 11 meeting, contingent on funding arrangements. Until financing is secured, the project will not be awarded.
