BARNEGAT – After years of anticipation and setbacks, Barnegat Township opened its new municipal complex to the public on January 22, 2025. A row of sleek black benches now sits attached to a concrete structure in front of the building, which prominently displays the words “Township of Barnegat.”
Township officials have confirmed that the move to the new facility has been planned in phases. The police department will remain in its old headquarters for a short time to accommodate a smoother transition. Local in-court sessions and Township Committee meetings will be conducted in the new building.
The old town hall is set to be demolished once state approvals are secured. The front of the site will be repurposed into a paved parking area for the new complex, which will most likely not be completed until spring. Additionally, the Barnegat Recreation Department will receive a new façade designed to seamlessly match the exterior of the town’s administrative offices.
Unexpected Challenges
The journey to this milestone was marked by delays and unexpected challenges. Originally projected for completion in mid-2022, the project faced a nearly two-and-a-half-year delay. Officials broke ground on the building in late 2020, with Frankoski Construction Company (FCC) awarded the $12.96 million contract as the lowest responsible bidder under state law. However, by late 2023, the project was far from finished.
When progress stalled, former Mayor John J. Novak, acting as special counsel for the project, stepped in to terminate Frankoski’s contract for non-performance. He then filed a performance bond claim with Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, the insurer responsible for guaranteeing the project’s completion.
“Travelers stepped up and retained Vertex Construction Management, one of the top firms in the country, to take over,” Novak said. “This ensured the building was completed without adding costs to the township.”
Vertex began overseeing the project in November 2023, with a revised completion timeline of June 2024. They kept Frankoski as the general contractor, holding them to their original contract price.
Township Administrator Martin Lisella noted the township avoided skyrocketing post-COVID construction costs, estimating the building could have cost $18–$20 million if rebid today.
Delays stemmed from material shortages, subcontractor disputes, and a state inspector’s rejection of an elevator ventilation system already approved in the original plans. Improvements to the building, including HVAC upgrades, enhanced lighting, and safety features like a second-floor guardrail, added less than $700,000 in change orders.
Lisella credited Municipal Clerk Donna Manno for expediting the final stages of the move-in process. “In the last six months, the move-in has been pushed through by Donna Manno,” said Lisella. “It could have been much later if Donna didn’t take control and set up the whole building and storage for each department. She and Andrea (Deputy Clerk Christensen) did the storage downstairs and set up the departments.”
“In the end, we got our building for the price we bargained for pre-COVID,” Novak said. “That’s a win in my book.”
Novak confirmed that the township is considering litigation regarding the delays, citing a $2,500-a-day liquidated damages clause in the contract with Frankoski.
An official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new facility has not yet been scheduled.
