Milltown Council approves bonds for capital projects, votes to replace failing water-mixer amid public questions

Milltown Borough Council on June 22 approved a package of bond and capital ordinances and heard sustained public and council questioning about water quality, lead service-line work and how the projects will be financed.

The council adopted Ordinance 261588, a bond ordinance appropriating approximately $1,650,000 to fund various capital improvements and equipment, and Ordinance 261589, a bond ordinance authorizing about $155,000 for water and sewer utility equipment. Clerk read each ordinance and opened public hearings before council votes; both measures carried on roll-call motions.

Residents at the meeting asked whether the smaller water-equipment bond is tied to a previously discussed million-dollar project. Rosa Taris, who identified herself and gave her Reva Avenue address, asked whether the $155,000 would address the water-quality issues residents had seen and whether it was related to the prior large bond. Officials said the $155,000 is separate and aimed at items identified in recent water notices. "Yes, that's [aimed] at correcting any of the number of issues that you've been notified about through the mail recently," an official said in response to Taris.

The measures allocate the bulk of the water-equipment funding to a water "mixer" (an agitator for the borough's water tower) that borough staff say is not functioning. At the meeting officials explained the mixer keeps water from sitting stagnant in the tower; one council member said about 200,000 gallons are being flushed while the mixer is out of service. "It's not working now and it needs to be replaced," an engineer said.

Council members pressed borough Administrator Stevens and borough engineers for more detail about the $225,000 hard-cost / $75,000 soft-cost line items tied to fair-share housing (referred to in discussion as COA/COAH). Stevens said the funds are intended to meet obligations under the state's fair-share housing rules, including a borough rehab obligation, and that the borough must have funds available when applicants qualify for programs. On roads, Stevens said the borough has Department of Transportation grant funding for improvements on Reed Avenue but has not yet contracted a vendor; if the projects go out to bid the borough will solicit bids and award contracts later.

Borough Engineer L. Panka reported that the water-meter replacement program is 98.4% complete (2,571 accounts done, with 25 unscheduled and 14 incomplete) and that a battery storage system under construction onsite is expected to begin commissioning next week. Panka also said lead-service-line replacement design is ready to go to bid once right-of-entry forms are finalized with homeowners; she said work is likely to begin in the fall after bonding, contracts and insurance are in place.

Council members debated whether to finance the water-equipment purchase with a 15-year bond, with one member expressing concern about long-term tax burden. Officials said grant money will pay some roadwork costs and that the borough will prioritize coordination of lead-service-line work with planned milling-and-paving to reduce disruption.

The ordinances set second-reading and final-adoption dates where applicable and direct staff to post full ordinance texts on the borough website and make them available in the municipal clerk's office. The council closed the public hearings and carried the motions to adopt the bond ordinances.