Riverside Township Committee approves Spring Garden Park upgrade contracts, designates redevelopers and authorizes municipal liens

Riverside, N.J. — The Riverside Township Committee on Oct. 21 approved a package of routine and substantive measures, awarding contracts to upgrade Spring Garden Park, naming two redevelopers for a Special District and authorizing municipal liens and budget insertions for state grants.

The Committee voted unanimously to award the FY2023 NJDEP Green Acres Spring Garden Park upgrade work after Pennoni Associates recommended low bids. SDW Construction, Inc. was awarded Base Bid 1 ($37,190), Add Alternate 1 ($21,150) and Base Bid 3 ($32,000) for a combined SDW award of $90,340; TC (Twin Cedar) Landscape Construction Group was awarded Base Bid 2 for $35,000. Certifications of availability of funds filed with the meeting indicate those amounts are contingent on available budget appropriations.

Why it matters: the Green Acres-funded park work will alter public recreational infrastructure paid in part with state grant funding; contracting decisions and budget certifications determine whether and when crews can begin work.

What the Committee approved

Votes at a glance (all outcomes adopted by roll call unless noted): - Resolution 2024-#111 — Award Spring Garden Park contracts: SDW Construction (Base Bid 1, Add Alt 1, Base Bid 3) and TC Landscape (Base Bid 2). Award amounts: SDW $90,340; TC $35,000 (total $125,340). Vote: Giovanetti, Kimble, Kirk, Marter, Peditto — yes. - Resolution 2024-#109 — Designate Riverside Investments, LLC as redeveloper for Block 3204, Lot 1 in Special District #3, conditioned on a redevelopment agreement under N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq. Vote: unanimous. - Resolution 2024-#110 — Designate Domus Corporation/Catholic Charities as redeveloper for Block 1401, Lot 1 and Block 905, Lot 15 in Special District #3, conditioned on a redevelopment agreement. Vote: unanimous. - Resolution 2024-#106 — Insert FY2024 Clean Communities grant ($20,368.14) into the 2024 budget pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:4-87 and appropriate a like sum. Vote: unanimous. - Resolution 2024-#107 — Insert FY2024 Drunk Driving Enforcement Fund (DDEF) grant ($5,616.92) into the 2024 budget pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:4-87 and appropriate a like sum. Vote: unanimous. - Resolution 2024-#108 — Authorize Municipal liens to recover abatement costs (attachments list specific blocks/lots and amounts; three items listed totaling $7,574.00). Vote: unanimous. - Resolution 2024-#103 and #104 — Tax cancellation/refund for a tax‑exempt property (refund $1,801.48) and cancellation of a redeemed tax sale certificate; both adopted unanimously. Resolution 2024-#105 approved three handicapped on‑street parking spaces following Police Department review.

Contract award details and process

Engineering consultant Pennoni provided a bid tabulation and recommendation to the Township, showing two responsive bidders for the project. The SDW bid package covered Base Bid 1, Add Alternate 1 and Base Bid 3, and Pennoni recommended awarding those items to SDW as the lowest responsible bidder; Pennoni recommended awarding Base Bid 2 to TC Landscape Construction Group. The Committee adopted the award contingent on available funds and after the Chief Financial Officer certified budget availability for the 2024 appropriation lines.

Legal and budget authorities cited in the meeting included N.J.S.A. 40A:4-87 (grant appropriation insertions) and the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq., for redeveloper designations.

What’s next

- Contract award is contingent on administrative closing steps and fund availability; the Pennoni recommendation and CFO certifications were included in the meeting packet. - Redeveloper designations are conditioned on negotiation and execution of redevelopment agreements; the Committee, acting as the redevelopment entity, will negotiate terms and may collect escrow and related fees from redevelopers as provided in the resolutions.

Meeting context: The measures were part of a multi-item consent agenda and routine meeting business. The Committee also received departmental reports and accepted several filings into the municipal record.

(Reporting by Riverside Township meeting minutes and meeting packet documents.)