Hamilton council approves $60M bond, $1M solar lease upfront and multiple licenses and ordinances

Hamilton Township Council on March 19 advanced several major financial and regulatory measures, voting to authorize $60,000,000 in bonds for a municipal building redevelopment, approve a solar-lease agreement carrying a $1,000,000 initial payment, and pass multiple licensing and code ordinances.

The council passed bond ordinance 24-013 to appropriate $60,000,000 for the municipal building redevelopment project (Block 1922, Lots 5 and 7) by a 4-0 roll-call vote. Council members described the ordinance as a significant step toward replacing or redeveloping the municipal building.

The council also took second-reading action on ordinance 24-015 to authorize a long-term solar lease with Sol Ops Hamilton Solar Redevelopment LLC for Block 2154, Lot 21. Staff told the council the agreement includes a $1,000,000 initial payment and recurring annual lease payments expected to yield more than $1 million in revenue over the lease term; the ordinance passed 4-0 on second reading. A council member said the project could substantially reduce the township’s carbon footprint.

Licenses and other approvals: Resolution 24-122 authorizing a one-year Class 2 manufacturing license for Mule Extracts LLC at Thomas Rhodes Drive was moved and approved; the record shows prior state and planning-board review and a $25,000 initial investment/fee tied to the project. Resolution 24-123 approved the person-to-person and place-to-place transfer of an inactive alcoholic beverage control license from Hammie Liquors LLC to Rainey Hospitality LLC (vote recorded 4-0). The consent agenda (CA1–CA14) — including transfers between insurance funds, a budget self-examination, and the sale of $19,600,000 in general improvement bonds for previously authorized borrowing — passed 4-0.

Other code updates: Ordinance 24-012 (amending fees and lease/rental policies for Health, Recreation, Senior and Veteran Services) and Ordinance 24-014 (restricting the use of private pools for public/leasing/renting) both moved on second reading and passed 4-0. Ordinance 24-016 (first reading) would allow the township to exceed municipal budget appropriation limits and establish a cap bank under the cited statute; it was introduced and approved on first reading.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in roll calls):
- Bond ordinance 24-013: passed 4-0.
- Solar lease ordinance 24-015 (2nd reading): passed 4-0; initial payment $1,000,000 plus annual lease fees.
- Resolution 24-122 (Mule Extracts LLC license): passed (record notes one abstention, Mister Tai, due to NJEDA affiliation in related votes); council discussed a $25,000 initial investment and anticipated municipal excise reporting processes.
- Resolution 24-123 (liquor license transfer): passed 4-0.
- Consent agenda CA1–CA14: passed 4-0.
- Ordinances 24-012 and 24-014 (second readings): passed 4-0.

Next steps: Ordinance 24-016 proceeds from first reading to subsequent hearings; the solar and bond ordinances are now adopted on second reading as recorded. For items with follow-up (licenses and financial procedures), finance and community development staff were assigned to implement collection processes and confirm administrative requirements.