Firm to evaluate municipality’s telecom system

Firm to evaluate municipality’s
telecom system
By karl vilacoba
Staff Writer

BRICK — With an eye toward increasing efficiency and safety, the Township Council has hired private consultants to evaluate the existing telecommunications services within Brick’s municipal complex.

"Since Sept. 11, the security of this building has certainly been a concern, but we were also looking for someone who does a professional job," Brick Business Administrator Scott MacFadden said during the caucus portion of the Nov. 12 council meeting.

On the administration’s recommendation, the council tabbed Constentini Information Technologies, of Freehold, to perform the services. The firm’s role will be three prong, according to Councilman Frederick Underwood.

Those services will include an examination of the municipal building’s telephone line capacity and security capabilities. The company will also provide expertise on land-use matters regarding telecommunications, such as applications to build cellular antennas in the township.

At present, officials said the number of available phone lines in the building’s system can barely accommodate existing needs. There are 500 lines available, 495 of which are in use, according to MacFadden.

"They may come in and say, ‘What you have is fine; you just have to reconfigure it,’ " MacFadden said.

The council’s resolution allocates an amount not to exceed $35,000 for the professional services, which were not put out for competitive public bidding. Underwood said the cost for the services "may never get anywhere near that, but it depends on the work they do."

Councilman Stephen Acropolis wondered if the services should be put out for bid out of the possibility that a less expensive service exists. However, MacFadden said the administration was comfortable with Constentini because the firm had no obligation to sell specific brand products, and would therefore have no other interest but the client.

"The beauty of this service from our perspective was we don’t want anyone with any [product] attachments," MacFadden said.

In other council business:

• The council resolved to join "The Brainy Bunch," a Brain Injury Association of New Jersey program that promotes the use of helmets by youngsters who ride bicycles. Councilwoman Kimberley Casten said Brick’s elementary and middle school students would be asked to participate in an essay-writing contest on the importance of wearing helmets.

New bicycle helmets will be awarded to 15 finalists in the contest, and one overall winner will receive a gift certificate for a new bicycle. A panel would review the submissions and recognize the winners at the Dec. 10 council meeting.

Wal-Mart will provide the helmets and Commerce National Insurance will donate the gift certificates, redeemable at Brick Bikes.

• Road improvements begun at the intersection of Route 70 and Chambers Bridge Road have been completed weeks ahead of schedule.

In light of imminent holiday traffic increases, a Thanksgiving target date was hoped for when the council approved Earle Asphalt, Farmingdale, to do the work on Oct. 22. But the township has announced that the work was officially completed on Nov. 9.

• The council accepted a $28,877 grant from the Ocean County Office of Solid Waste through the Municipal Recycling Mini-Grant Assistance Program. The money was to be inserted into the 2002 municipal budget as an item of revenue.

The grant was the second largest in the county behind another allocated to Waretown, Councilwoman Kathy Russell said. The money will be used for upgrades to the township’s recycling center.

• Although he lost the race for Ocean County freeholder, Underwood apparently did not lose his sense of humor.

"Sometimes you’re the bug, sometimes you’re the windshield," he said of the election.

According to the Ocean County Clerk’s Office, incumbent Joe Vicari received 59 percent of the votes cast to Underwood’s 41 percent. That aside, Underwood said the race was overall a positive experience that he does not regret.

"Even though I didn’t win, I think I’m a better councilman for it."