Matawan may lease court space elsewhere Council considers $221K estimate for mandated upgrades too high BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer MATAWAN - It will cost approximately $221,000 to complete the statemandated upgrades to the courtroom at the community municipal center, a figure borough officials are unwilling to pay. On Oct. 2, the Borough Council voted unanimously to search for less expensive members agreeing the cost far exceeds the original estimate of between $60,000 and $100,000. The matter was discussed after Councilman Michael Cannon announced his aversion to paying for the upgrades, despite the need to comply with a state and Monmouth County mandate. "I have a very large problem with the current renovations they're doing in this building," Cannon said. "The bottom line is the borough of Matawan is pinching pennies, people," Cannon added. "We're pinching, people. We're lucky if once a month we can pay our bills. I mean, where are we getting this money?" The unanimous vote instructed Borough Attorney Pasquale Menna to begin contacting neighboring communities, asking if they would be interested in renting or leasing out their courtrooms and court services until Matawan can afford to pay for the upgrades. Cannon said that it disturbed him that the court and the police department were not in the same building. The police department is still located on Main Street, at the old borough hall building. "I'm sorry. It bugs me," Cannon said. "I just think there's a better solution than spending $221,000. I may not always speak properly, but I usually say what everyone else thinks." Councilman Paul Buccellato noted that the courtroom in the community center was poorly designed from its inception and lacks the required rooms for holding prisoners. Because of this flaw, the building must be locked while prisoners are present, and cannot be used for any other purpose on weekly court nights. Even after the upgrades, this problem would still exist. Cannon concurred, saying it did not make sense to invest so much money into a building that would still be flawed once upgraded.