Council Takes Big Step Forward on Municipal Complex

Just slightly more than five years after fire damaged the old town hall building, township council finally approved Monday an $11.9 million bond to build a new municipal complex.

“It took us a long time to get to this, didn’t it?” Mayor John Button said to his fellow council members before the vote was taken.

Though council would ultimately vote 5-0 to bond the money, a couple residents tried to halt their momentum.

One man questioned the necessity of building a new municipal complex, suggesting the township would be in better financial shape continuing to rent.

“You’re about to commit to something this town doesn’t need,” he said. “We can rent for far less than the interest on the bonds (will cost) … forget the principal.”

George Williams, who served on the municipal complex task force, rebutted that claim, pointing out the cost of ownership—over the long-term—is cheaper than renting.

The resident also suggested the township’s debt on the municipal complex would impair its future borrowing ability.

Township manager Scott Carew refuted that claim later in the meeting however, labeling it “completely incorrect.”

Resident Greg Newcomer, a Democratic candidate for council, also tried to temporarily halt progress on the project by imploring council to consider reinserting the into plans for the municipal complex.

Carew has spent the last several months , the location of which would also house Moorestown Police and would be outside of the downtown area. He explained that Police Director Harry Johnson was also not concerned with having police headquarters downtown.  

Nonetheless, Newcomer suggested a police department is a critical component of the “town center” concept the township is looking to capture with the new town hall/library building, and something a number of township residents would appreciate as well. 

But Newcomer’s proposals didn’t get far with township council, which has held countless meetings and workshops and cycled through multiple iterations of the project over the last year-plus.

“Revisiting things we have talked about so many times before is not overly productive,” Button said.

Following the unanimous vote, Button summed up his feelings with one word: “Wow.”

Architect Rick Ragan told council bids for the project have already been advertised and are due on Oct. 17. He said he would be distributing plans to interested contractors today.

Council is expected to award bids at its Oct. 29 meeting. The scheduled completion date for the municipal complex is March 2014.