[ad_1]
Published on November 09, 2022
Highlights: Start of a New Courthouse Project, Expanded Public Safety Investment & Continued Support for Parks
The Morris County Board of County Commissioners unveiled a comprehensive capital spending plan tonight that includes the design and bidding phase for a new courthouse in Morristown, while continuing to focus on the county’s priorities of improving infrastructure, public safety, boosting education and helping at-risk residents.
The board’s Capital Budget Committee, including Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen and Commissioners Stephen H. Shaw and Thomas Mastrangelo, outlined how federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are being used to reduce future borrowing needs. Overall, the county’s 2023 Capital Spending Plan, without the ARPA funding and the courthouse project, puts $34.7 million toward enhancing human services, public safety, public health and upgrades to roads, intersections and bridges.
“This capital plan makes good on our annual commitment to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure. It contains $15.5 million to resurface 26 miles of roads in 14 towns, $7.4 million to complete bridge and culvert upgrades and $2.6 million for improvements to major county intersections,” said Commissioner Shaw, chairman of the county budget committee. “At the same time, we are committing $2 million to the county park system and investing $1.7 million in information technology improvements.”
The courthouse project, estimated at $85 million to be financed over 25 years, will be located on the county parking lot and pocket park off Schuyler Place in Morristown. A formal presentation on the project will be made to the Commissioners during their Nov. 21 work session.
“This is the year we will resume the courthouse project, which we put on hold due to the pandemic. It must move forward due to the requirements of the New Jersey judiciary. We anticipate completing a final design in 2023 and then bidding the construction, which will involve eight courtrooms, a jury assembly area and judicial chambers,” said Director Selen.
The capital spending plan includes multiple areas where ARPA dollars are helping to support key county investments, particularly in areas of law and public safety.
Click Here to View The Slideshow Presented by the Capital Budget Committee
“More than $3.8 million will help upgrade our Correctional Facility, including the control room, communications, inmate transportation and other critical areas, while another $3 million will help to renovate our very important K-9 facility,” said Commissioner Mastrangelo. “This plan also puts $355,308 toward tactical and response equipment for the prosecutor’s office and another $270,000 for training equipment and personal protection gear for our Office of Emergency Management, where the Command Post will receive an additional $1.4 million in capital funds.
The 2023 Capital Spending Highlights Include
Resurfacing 26 miles of Our County Road Network
- 3.3 miles of Mendham Road (CR 510) from Indian Head Road to Cold Hill Road in both Mendham and Morris Townships
- 2.2 miles of Main Road (US 202) from Fulton Street to Route 287 Northbound Ramps in Montville Township
- 4.1 miles of Ridgedale Avenue (CR 632) from Littell Road (Route 10) to Route 280 in both Parsippany and East Hanover Townships
- 3.8 miles of Tempe Wick Road / Glen Alpin Road (CR 646) from Leddell Road to Blue Mill Road in both Mendham and Harding Townships
- 1.8 miles of Newark Pompton Turnpike (CR 660) from Jacksonville Road to Route 23 in Pequannock Township
Traditional Capital Projects Augmented by $19.8 million in ARPA Funds
- Law Enforcement – $7,688,600
- Capital Upgrades to County Buildings – $5,140,000
- Human Services – $2,671,620
- Morris County School of Technology – $2,200,000
- Public Safety – $1,765,000
- Park Commission – $350,000
Morris County government has a massive and diverse inventory of responsibility, ranging from the Morris County Administration Building in Morristown to Human Services and Law & Public Safety complexes in Morris Township and Parsippany.
The infrastructure includes:
[ad_2]
Source_link
