Residents and commissioners press Cheltenham on Lamont community center delays and funding

Cheltenham Township’s Public Affairs Committee was pressed on June 10 over delays to the Lamont community center groundbreaking and concerns about the project’s funding and timeline. Commissioners said the project has slipped past earlier Memorial Day expectations and sought clearer details on who is managing the remaining tasks.

Alison, a township manager-level staffer, told the committee, “Yeah, hopefully it'll be out in the next few weeks,” referring to the release of final contract documents and the bid package. She said the work is “a pretty complicated construction project” with multiple internal and external moving parts that staff and consultants are still coordinating.

Commissioners asked whether new issues had emerged and who was responsible for the various contract components. One commissioner urged an offline meeting with staff and consultants so the group could “talk about where we are and why we’re where we are.” The committee emphasized the project’s priority status and the desire to avoid slips that could jeopardize grant deadlines.

At citizens forum, resident Darlene Melton criticized the lack of visible progress and asked directly, “What happened to the 3.8?” — referencing a previously discussed $3.8 million federal allocation the committee has cited in prior meetings. Melton said the project had been discussed for “at least four years” and urged the township to use appropriated funds rather than repeatedly seek new grants.

Township officials answered in general terms during the meeting, saying the $3.8 million “remains in the project budget” but does not cover the full scope of the planned work. Officials told residents the project team prefers to finalize comprehensive contract documents rather than do piecemeal repairs that could trigger costly change orders.

Why it matters: commissioners said the Lamont center is a high-priority community investment with federal funds attached, and delays risk missing funding windows or increasing costs. The committee did not take a vote on the project timetable at the meeting; members requested an off-agenda meeting with staff and consultants to map remaining tasks and timelines.

Next steps: staff said it expects to issue the bid package in the coming weeks and will meet with commissioners offline to elaborate on responsibilities and dates. No formal vote was taken at the June 10 meeting.