Council splits on auditor’s recommended 'not‑to‑exceed' engineer thresholds
January 20, 2026 | Township of Washington, Warren County, New Jersey
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The Township of Washington council spent extended time on Jan. 8 considering auditor‑recommended 'not‑to‑exceed' compensation thresholds for board engineers.
Administrator Mark DeCarlo said the amounts — $140,000 proposed for both the zoning board of adjustment and the planning board — were recommended to give the finance department guidance about how much to encumber against escrow and to reflect prior year professional payouts. The administrator and town attorney said the amounts are intended as guidance and are typically funded from escrows tied to applicants, not the township’s general budget.
Several council members questioned the size of the figure, expressed concern that it could be perceived as a guarantee the township will pay that amount from municipal funds, and asked for clearer reconciliation procedures for escrow accounts. After a roll call, the council rejected Resolution 26‑165 (zoning‑board threshold). The council then voted to table Resolution 26‑166 (planning‑board threshold) and directed staff to obtain additional information from the auditor and return the item to a future meeting.
Administrator Mark DeCarlo said the amounts — $140,000 proposed for both the zoning board of adjustment and the planning board — were recommended to give the finance department guidance about how much to encumber against escrow and to reflect prior year professional payouts. The administrator and town attorney said the amounts are intended as guidance and are typically funded from escrows tied to applicants, not the township’s general budget.
Several council members questioned the size of the figure, expressed concern that it could be perceived as a guarantee the township will pay that amount from municipal funds, and asked for clearer reconciliation procedures for escrow accounts. After a roll call, the council rejected Resolution 26‑165 (zoning‑board threshold). The council then voted to table Resolution 26‑166 (planning‑board threshold) and directed staff to obtain additional information from the auditor and return the item to a future meeting.
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