Fears over additional delays in constructing the town’s new library may be unfounded, said Town Administrator Anthony Iacono last week, despite reports of a conflict between the Hudson County Freeholders and Lumberman’s Mutual Universal Bonding Company of Lyndhurst over an unfinished project in Jersey City.
Luberman’s Mutual, which has agreed to take over the construction of the Secaucus Library, is six months behind in constructing a new county recreation building in Lincoln Park, raising some concern that the library – already nine months behind schedule – might face additional delays.
Iacono said Secaucus would not face the same problems as the county partly because of how much money had been spent.
"We’ve only spent about $225,000 out of at a $2.9 million project," Iacono said. "Therefore we still have $2.7 million to get the project done." Iacono said the county project was much further advanced and thus the county and bonding company had much less money to complete the project.
Iacono also said that there is a difference of opinion between the bond company and the county on the county project, but there is no dispute between the town and the bond company.
County freeholders were expected to vote on Sept. 27 to hold Universal in default, possibly sending the Lincoln Park project to the courts for resolution. According to Freeholder Bill O’Dea, the Lincoln Park project is nearly 70 percent complete.
In early September, after continued reports since May that the recent contractor, Emara Contracting Co., was falling behind on the library project, the Town Council voted to rescind the contract. The project was supposed to be finished by the end of November, 2001, but did not even have a frame up by early September. Lumberman Mutual agreed to take the role as contractor and subcontract out the various aspects for the project, keeping largely to the original bid.
While the bonding company would have to make up the difference in cost between the contracted bid of $2.9 million and what might be needed to hire another contractor to finish the work, Iacono said much of the work has already been completed, leaving much less for the new contractor to do.
"The foundation is already in, the steel has already been delivered and the sewer lines have already been installed," Iacono said. "Whatever contractor the bonding company brings in, it will only have to put up the frame, and then do the mechanicals, such as the brick and walls. That will cost less in the long run than if they had to start from scratch."
Elwell noted that all work completed was inspected by town officials and only work that was up to par was paid for.
"We didn’t pay for anything we felt was not done right," Elwell said.
At the time of Emara’s firing, it owed $47,000 to a concrete supplier and $7,600 to a supplier in Harrison.
Elwell said the matter has been turned over to the bonding company for resolution.
The bonding company is expected to name a new general contractor by Oct. 1. Meanwhile, other subcontractors have been brought in to do minor work. The steel contractor is continuing work on setting up the frame.
Plaza gets additional parking
The Town Council gave its tentative approval last week to a plan that would add parking spaces to the Plaza area, an issue that has plagued merchants in the area since the state’s reconstruction of the Plaza in 1990.
Using a rough plan proposed by the merchants, the town engineer has produced a plan that could replace five parking spots with 12. The Town Council earlier this year budgeted $50,000 for the project.
The plans will install slant-style parking, but would not destroy the island, which has become the base of seasonal displays and flower plantings.
Elwell said the plan would actually add another green area near Humboldt Street, similar to one located at the corner of Paterson Plank Road and Irving Place.
The plan calls also for the installation of 12 half-hour parking meters.
The town will provide additional metered parking in an area behind the Plaza Diner on First Street. Earlier this year, the city closed off exits from the diner’s parking lot in order to make a single continuous curb. But the area has not yet been metered. This was another part of the merchants’ recommendations two years ago.