« Library board could soon have new library site | Main | Millville library ready for new home »

September 18, 2009

Warren County freeholders may scale back or halt plans on project

by Express-Times staff
Monday September 14, 2009, 12:31 AM
A proposed library and human services headquarters construction project that has become a central issue in the upcoming Warren County freeholder election has already incurred roughly $75,000 more in design costs than what was initially approved.

The board has spent more than $740,000 on architectural drawings and engineering services over the past two years. Five change orders have caused the expense to rise above the original $668,200 contract awarded in August 2007 to James R. Guerra P.A., of Elizabeth, N.J.

With the project scope and cost estimates rising and the revenues in the county flat, this expense may be for a facility that might never be built.

Tod Theise, a Democrat opposing Freeholder Angelo Accetturo in the November election, believes the proposal should go before voters.

"It's not really a partisan issue. It's a dollars-and-cents issue," Theise said. "I truly believe people know best how to spend their money."

Warren County Freeholder Angelo AccetturoTheise claims that the freeholders have curbed the project because he has been critical during the campaign.

He believes that the depressed real estate market could allow the county to utilize existing buildings for human services employees and suggests expanding the library branch in Franklin Township and the library at Warren County Community College.

"Anybody that knows me knows I have been questioning the size and scope of that project before I even knew Tod Theise," Accetturo said.
Freeholder Everett Chamberlain noted that some of the change orders were for a geothermal heating system and the use of solar energy, which could lead to cost savings down the road.

Posted by tumulty at September 18, 2009 5:08 PM

Comments

Post a comment