Waterside Construction LLC, the company suspected of bringing in tainted material while cleaning up the contaminated Veterans Field, will remain the contractor on the project and pay to have the latest contaminants removed.
“I believe we need to work within the contract,” borough attorney Philip Boggia advised the council during a special meeting Wednesday. “Our experts are satisfied, at least at this point, that [the situation is] manageable and that all steps that need to be put in place have been put in place.”
Some residents have called for the firing of the contractor, but Boggia said that by having Waterside stay on and pay for the removal of the contaminants, the cleanup would take months. The alternative would be to sue the contractor for defaulting on work, which could lead to years of legal wrangling, he said.
The attorney also said the contract with Waterside includes a provision for the contractor to address improper materials brought onsite. “Defective work shall be made good; and unsuitable materials may be rejected,” states a clause in the contract
“The contractor has acknowledged responsibility and is willing to pay the cost of whatever is required to remediate the situation,” Boggia said.
The municipality shut down Veterans Field, the borough’s premier park, in September 2011 after discovering...
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