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Council approves installation of two pre‑purchased filtration systems at Crystal Springs after fiscal questions
Summary
Council approved resolution 26‑247 to install two filter body tanks at Crystal Springs that were purchased in January 2025. Councilman Wendell pressed for detailed accounting and questioned whether vendor recommendations created a conflict of interest; council voted to move forward after staff said the systems are on site and installation requires park closure.
The East Brunswick Township Council on July 27 approved resolution 26‑247 to install two commercial filter systems at Crystal Springs Water Park that the council purchased on Jan. 27, 2025.
Councilman Wendell raised multiple concerns before the vote, saying, "I personally can't vote for this without understanding much deeper answers to my questions based upon the financial health of the facility and, you know, where this money is coming from" and noting the $125,000 installation figure. Wendell asked whether recommendations for the work came from a vendor that later bid on the contract and urged the council to consider independent review of major maintenance recommendations.
Council representatives responded that the filter systems were already purchased in 2025, are "literally sitting in the parking lot on skids in wooden boxes," and that installation must occur when the park can be closed and drained. The mayor explained the units "are rusting from the inside out" and that the average life of the previous systems (installed in 1994) was 25–30 years; the replacements were purchased as part of the pool utility and charged to that fund. Council voted on the resolution after a mover and a second; the roll call recorded five affirmative votes and the installation authorization passed.
Council members and staff committed to provide Wendell with additional financial and procurement details, including the long‑range capital list and which account will cover installation costs. Council flagged broader discussions about the pool utility's ongoing finances, noting one debt tied to the pool is scheduled to retire at the end of the year, which could change future fund flows.
The approved action followed the council's earlier purchase authorization: the motion covered installation of equipment already owned by the township and did not authorize purchasing new units. Council members said the price ceiling when they previously approved purchase could not exceed $220,455; the installation portion under discussion was presented as approximately $125,000.
