Council Rejects Bids To Improve Edgemont Park

Once again, the Township Council has rejected bids for the completion of improvements at Edgemont Park because they exceeded the cost estimate of $800,000.

At Tuesday night's council meeting, Councilor Robin Schlager admitted she was disappointed with a process that's already been underway for years.

"But, to be fair, we want to do the right thing and get the right bid and the right contractor," she said.

Township Manager Marc Dashield said that, even though more bids have been rejected, he hopes to have another proposal ready for approval at the council meeting scheduled Oct. 2. 

"We are going to begin negotiations with the contractor in an attempt to provide a contract for the council to approve on Oct. 2 [the next council meeting]," he said.

The bids rejected by the council Tuesday night ranged from $965,261 to $1,263,011.

For years, former Councilor Cary Africk and others have been pushing for improvements to Edgemont Park that would include the dredging of the park's pond and the construction of a new retaining wall to replace the one there now that's currently crumbling.

In early 2010, Montclair received a Green Acres grant of $800,000 to make improvements to the park.

"From the beginning this project has been mishandled. Mistake after mistake has been made, going on for four years," Africk said recently. "A Green Acres grant is funding the project, and we’ve been unable to even spend other people's money!"