Boro offices finally move into new home

BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Top photo: Tinton Falls' new municipal building has a center section, where the court is located, and two wings, one for the municipal offices and the other for the police department. Bottom: The new courtroom is a vast improvement over the old one. After nine years and numerous cost overruns, the new Tinton Falls municipal building is open for business.

Most of the people working for the municipality think the wait was worth it. The building is attractive, spacious and state-of-the art.

Donna Huy, who works in the personnel office on the second floor, said she can't believe how much space she now has.

"I was in a closet-sized office in the public works buildings for a while. Prior to that, I was in the old municipal building, but mold was discovered there and my office was moved out," she said, adding that even before the mold was found, her office had profuse leaks.

"I had to go to the file cabinet with an umbrella," she said.

Huy's office in the new building is not only large, it is dry.

"I've waited nine years for this," she said.

Huy is not alone. Chief of Police Gerald Turning said the police department's new offices have changed the attitude of everyone in his department.

"We never had a facility so conducive to good working conditions," he said.

His wing holds five lieutenants' offices, two captains' offices and his own large office where he displays pictures of his grandchildren.

In addition, there is a state-of-the-art fitness room with $40,000 worth of equipment that was purchased by the Policeman's Benevolent Association Local 251.

Turning pointed out that all of the furniture was purchased with money, approximately $30,000, raised from the forfeiture of motor vehicles that were sold at municipal auction. The microwave, refrigerator, blinds and evidence lockers were purchased with another $18,500 raised at municipal auction.

In addition, the men's and women's lockers were purchased with money raised from the forfeiture of motor vehicles, approximately $40,000.

All security equipment including the internal and external cameras, radio console and security locks were purchased by a $197,000 grant received in 2003 from the federal government.

The equipment located in the patrol room, which is used for training purposes, was purchased using funds seized from drug and prostitution operations, which amounted to $8,000. The equipment includes a 60-inch television with CD and video capabilities.

Turning said that having a professional facility enables the police department to serve the community more efficiently.

The police department is to the left of the courthouse and the borough clerk's office, which used to be housed in a trailer on the municipal complex, is now on the second floor of the wing on the right.

Borough Clerk Karen Mount-Taylor, who has followed the complicated and controversial construction project for the past nine or so years, said she can't believe the borough employees are finally in the building.

"It's such a pleasure to be in such a beautiful building," she said as she arranged flowers for her two-room office.

Offices on the first floor of the administration wing include the building department, the tax collector's office and the recreation office, which is at least three times larger than the meager space in the old building.

But the courtroom/council chamber is the most impressive. A huge room with blue upholstered seats and a large dais, it has high-tech acoustics that are a vast improvement over the sound system in the old facility.

Completing the construction was touch-and-go for awhile. Last spring, $1.5 million in additional funding became necessary after unanticipated problems arose during construction of the 37,000-square-foot building.

They included water problems that came to light after the excavation began, and the fact that an adequate generator was not included. Both of those items together cost the borough close to $300,000.

The additional $1.5 million brought the cost of the municipal building up to almost $9.5 million.

Council President Brendan Tobin, who attended the ribbon-cutting and building tour on Friday, said the governing body in the last five years has accomplished a number of major innovations, including the new municipal building, the new public works building and the establishment of two major parks.