Town Hall Financing To Be Topic Of Hearing

Council President Daniel Marchisello said that the council would appropriate $200,000 from capital-improvement funds to make up the remainder of the cost not covered by bonding.

Officials estimated earlier that initially the tax increase needed to pay off the bonds would amount to about $48 a year for the owner of a property assessed at the township average of $60,000. The amount would decrease in later years.

Councilwoman Kathleen Simon registered the lone vote against the bonding ordinance but said she was not opposed to a new town hall. She said she voted against the ordinance because she did not like the proposed location and

because the proposed building is larger than needed and more costly than necessary. She said a smaller hall should be built and added to as needed.

Marchisello previously said that if the township did not construct a new facility, it could cost as much as $1.6 million to bring the existing town hall up to safety code and make it handicapped-accessible. Also, the township might have to buy another facility to ease overcrowding.

Marchisello said that if the project receives final approval this month, construction could start in the mid-summer or fall. He could not estimate when the building could be completed.