TOMS RIVER – The township is working to have its youth center meet state-regulated guidelines for day care facilities, and plans to spend about $200,000 in upgrades.
The Toms River Youth Center currently has an after school program, summer camp and special events, at its facility on North Bay Avenue. But Township Administrator Paul Shives said with some updates to the layout of bathrooms, entrances and fire suppression systems, the building would qualify as a day care center in a move that would make the facility “code compliant.”
“These changes would allow the Youth Services Center to be a licensed day care center for the state,” said Shives, adding that the project is mostly retrofitting and not new construction.
Township Council approved spending $48,250 on architectural services from Musial Group Architecture to draw up the plans. Shives said the work on the building to install the new features could cost $150,000 to $250,000.
The building would have more than the required fire suppression system, upgrading it to a full fire sprinkler system, Shives said.
In other news, a routine approval of the bill list to be paid at the last township council meeting found one council member voting no on one payment.
Councilman Brian Kubiel was the lone no vote on a particular bill, for snow plowing services.
“I voted no on that because I think they did a bad job,” Kubiel said after the meeting.
The payment was for $2,520 for snow plowing services on January 7, from Midlantic Construction.
Council also introduced several ordinances that the public will be able to comment on before a final vote at coming council meeting.
One ordinance would establish a $150 fee for the golf course, for nonresident seniors. The township has a resident senior fee already for those to use the municipal golf course, Bey Lea.
The next township council meeting is February 21 at 6 p.m. in town hall.
