Council seeks timelines for Stelton redevelopment and presses for economic development staffing in budget

Council members asked for clearer timelines and project management support for the Stelton redevelopment during the March 23 work session, and one member urged that the budget include a dedicated economic development position.

Staff reported weekly meetings with engineers on the design work for the Stelton project and said the project is not yet at final design. The administration stressed that parts of the project are tied to grant requirements and that some grant milestones require programming and spending to occur before construction starts; staff offered to provide the council with a grant timeline showing spending deadlines.

One council member asked whether the township should secure a construction manager—potentially on a per‑diem or consulting basis—to provide technical oversight, advise the administration and help steward grant milestones and design decisions. Staff said the township currently has no major active construction projects and that a per‑diem construction manager would likely make sense once work is ready to break ground.

Members also discussed preservation constraints related to a Rossi designation for the Stelton facility, noting that demolition of protected portions could limit future rebuilding and that the council needs precise language on which elements must be preserved. The administration agreed to provide the correct legal/technical language about what must be retained.

Separately, a council member said they will not support the budget unless the council includes a funded line for an economic development position—either full time or via consulting—to help attract business and manage growth in Edison.

The council requested that staff provide a schedule, grant milestone dates and a recommended approach to construction management and that those items be discussed at a future work session.