Politics & Government

Brick Council Kills Bond Measures

Decision on bonding left to next council

A majority of Brick Township council members voted against approving three bond ordinances that would authorize the township to borrow about $10.6 million down the road for the future projects.

Three bond ordinance, which were already approved on first reading, failed to gain the support of council members on the second reading. The authorization ordinances up for approval included bonds that would have been paid off in five, seven, 10 and 15 years each. The bonds would have funded a myriad of projects in town, including $3.5 million to complete Traders Cove, new garbage trucks, the rehabilitation to the police firing range and playground equipment upgrades.

Councilman Dan Toth initially asked for the matter to be tabled, saying that the decision on the bonds should be left to the new council which will be seated in January. At that time, Democrats will have a 4-3 majority on the governing body.

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After some discussion with Township Attorney Jean Cipriani, Councilman Domenick Brando made a motion to table the measure.. Toth and Brando, along with council members John Catalano, Joseph Sangiovanni and Brian DeLuca voted to table the measure. Council members Ruthanne Scaturro and Michael Thulen dissented.

"I don't think we should table it," Thulen said before the vote. "We have the business of the township to do, we've explained to the incoming council that they do not have to spend the money in the future if that's not what they want to do."

Find out what's happening in Brickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Putting off the ordinance until next year effectively kills the measure altogether, Cipriani said, since pending ordinances cannot be carried from year to year.

Incoming Democrats had raised red flags about the bonds at the Nov. 22 council meeting, when the bond measures were approved on first reading. John Ducey, who will be sworn in to a council seat in January, said after the meeting that his primary concern was over funding for Traders Cove.


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