By Sunayana Prabhu
RED BANK – The borough council unanimously approved a $4.875 million bond ordinance for the first phase of construction on the long-awaited Department of Public Works facility, which will replace deteriorating temporary trailers that have housed workers for more than two decades.
Officials said the full cost of the project won’t be known until the first phase is complete. “There’s a lot of professional services that (have) to be done first,” said borough administrator Jim Gant said. “As we move forward in Phase 1, and get through Phase 1, we will have a much clearer picture of what that ballpark is.”
The ordinance, adopted Aug. 14, authorizes the funds for the demolition of existing structures, construction of a new facility, and related professional services such as environmental impact studies and architectural planning.
Since 2003, DPW employees have been working out of temporary trailers originally intended for a five-year use. Council member Laura Jannone called the situation “appalling.” An ad hoc committee, led by Jannone and comprising council members Nancy Blackwood and David Cassidy, reviewed the DPW facility for improvements. “They have been in there 20-something years now,” Jannone said. “They work hard. They deserve to work in a safe place.”
Gant said the new facility will include enough bays to store vehicles, a mechanic workshop and space for road salt storage. Plans also call for administrative offices, locker rooms and the relocation of secure gas pumps from Chestnut Street.
Council member Ben Forest, who also pushed for the project, described the current site as an “eyesore” and raised concerns about worker safety.
“I remember actually going in there with my son when he was doing his Eagle Scout project,” Forest said. “Being appalled at the inside of that hangar, conditions in there.”
The new facility will be built on the site of current DPW operations at 75 Chestnut St., requiring temporary relocation during construction. The borough said the work will not affect the water treatment plant on the property, though most of the existing DPW buildings will need to be demolished.
The bond was approved for $4.64 million; the additional $235,000 will come from the borough’s capital improvement fund.
The article originally appeared in the August 28 – September 3, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
