Council introduces road and drainage bond ordinances while some members press for a two‑week technical review

The Bridgewater Township Council on June 24 introduced two separate bond ordinances to finance local infrastructure projects: a $1.9 million package of road improvements and a $2.5 million drainage program covering multiple neighborhoods.

Road improvement ordinance: The $1.9 million bond ordinance covers state‑assisted municipal‑aid projects (Country Club Road, Ardsley Lane, Goldfinch Drive, Van Vechten Drive, South Avenue and Garretson Road). Council members noted the work is intended to capture available NJDOT funds and that reimbursements will be applied to the authorized improvements. The administration said language can be added to require state reimbursements to be used to pay down the notes.

Drainage ordinance and procedural debate: Council discussion on the $2.5 million drainage ordinance was more contested. Councilman Michael Kirsch urged caution and proposed referring the item to a short committee to review scope, engineering and permitting; he said he wanted to avoid being "penny wise and pound foolish" on a long‑running 20‑year problem. Other members argued for introducing the ordinance now to preserve timelines and access to contractors and grants. After extended procedural debate, the council introduced the ordinance and scheduled final action and the public hearing for July 9 while several members pledged to convene a short review process and return detailed recommendations in two weeks.

Why it matters: The road ordinance takes advantage of state municipal aid but requires the township to front costs. The drainage ordinance covers longstanding flood hazards; council members said some proposed projects may require DEP permits and additional engineering work. Several members requested a prioritized capital plan to ensure the township’s overall bonding capacity isn’t exceeded this year.

Next steps The council set final action for both ordinances for July 9 and asked the administration, bond counsel and township engineers to provide specific answers on grant reimbursement clauses, engineering scope, permitting and the township’s assumed credit capacity before the next meeting.