Additional 'Professional Services' Contracts Approved by Council

Among the two dozen resolutions approved by Lawrence Township Council members at their meeting last week (Jan. 22) were several authorizing the awarding of no-bid “professional services” contracts.

Several other “professional services” contracts were approved at the Jan. 8 council meeting.

Stated in the body of each of these resolutions is the following: “This contract is awarded without competitive bidding as a ‘professional service contract’ under the provisions of the Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5).”

Excerpts from these resolutions include:

Planning Board Attorney

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Sokol, Behot & Florenzo, represented by Neil Yoskin, Esq., as attorney to the Planning Board for 2013, subject to a maximum of $22,000 and subject to availability of funds and a final appropriation in the 2013 budget.”

Planning Board Traffic Consultant

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Arora and Associates, P.C., represented by James Kochenour, P.E., 1200 Lenox Drive, Suite 200, Lawrenceville, N.J. 08648, as traffic consultant to the Planning Board for 2013, subject to a maximum of $17,500 and subject to availability of funds and receipt of applicant fees.”

Planning Board Planning Consultant

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Clarke Caton Hintz, 100 Barrack Street, Trenton, N.J. 08608, represented by Philip B. Caton, PP, AICP, as planning consultant to the Panning Board for 2013, subject to a maximum of $86,000 and subject to availability of funds and a final appropriation in the 2013 budget.”

Planning Board Acoustical Consultant

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with The Noise Consultancy LLC, 309 Van Neste Road, Flemington, N.J. 08822, represented by Eric Zwerling, as acoustical consultant for the Planning Board for 2013, subject to a maximum of $5,000 and subject to receipt of applicant fees.”

Planning Board Traffic Consultant for Quaker Bridge Mall Site Plans

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with John Rea, PE, McDonough & Rea Associates Inc., 1431 Lakewood Road, Suite C, Manasquan, N.J. 08736, as traffic consultant to the Planning Board for the Quaker Bridge Mall site plans and other site plans for 2013, subject to a maximum of $10,000 and subject to receipt of applicant fees.”

Zoning Board Attorney

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Mason, Griffin & Pierson, 101 Poor Farm Road, P.O. Box 391, Princeton, N.J. 08542, represented by Edwin Schmierer, Esq., as attorney to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for 2013, subject to a maximum of $42,000 and subject to availability of funds and a final appropriation in the 2013 budget.”

Zoning Board Recording Secretary

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Sara Summiel, 13 Lanning Street, Trenton, N.J. 08618-1523, as recoding secretary to the Zoning Board for 2013, subject to a maximum of $4,500 and subject to availability of funds and a final appropriation in the 2013 budget.”

Zoning Board Traffic Consultant

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Arora and Associates, P.C., represented by James Kochenour, P.E., 1200 Lenox Drive, Suite 200, Lawrenceville, N.J. 08648, as traffic consultant to the Zoning Board for 2013, subject to a maximum of $17,000 and subject to availability of funds and receipt of applicant fees.”

Zoning Board Planning Consultant

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Clarke Caton Hintz, 100 Barrack Street, Trenton, N.J. 08608, represented by Brian Slaugh, PP, AICP, as planning consultant to the Zoning Board for 2013, subject to a maximum of $30,500 and subject to availability of funds and a final appropriation in the 2013 budget.”

Zoning Board Special Legal Services

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Katz and Dougherty LLC, 4020 Quakerbridge Road, Lawrence Township, N.J., represented by George T. Dougherty, Esq., as special counsel for Lawrence Township Board of Adjustments. Consultant shall be paid a fee of $165 per hour subject to a maximum of $5,000 and subject to availability of funds.”

Special Counsel for Workers’ Compensation Matters

“The mayor and municipal clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute an agreement with Capehart & Scatchard, PA, 8000 Midlantic Drive, Suite 300 S, Mount Laurel, N.J. 08054, represented by Prudence M. Higbee, Esq., as special counsel advising in various workers’ compensation matters, subject to a maximum of $20,000 and subject to availability of funds.”

*   *   *

Also during the Jan. 22 meeting, council approved an ordinance that amends the agenda for future council meetings. Most notable among the changes are the imposition of a 5-minute limit per speaker during the first period of public participation and the creation of a second period for public commit later in the agenda with speakers at that time each limited to three minutes. (A copy of the ordinance can be found in the media box above, together with full audio from the Jan. 22 meeting.)