New Providence Borough Council will vote Tuesday, Oct. 27, on a $1 million grant for the police station renovation project.

The money comes from the Union County Improvement Authority's (UCIA) 2026 Capital Project Grant Program, part of a $10 million countywide fund that does not require a local match, according to a borough announcement. The grant will support the New Providence Police Department Public Safety Building addition and renovation. New Jersey Senate President Nicholas P. Scutari was credited with helping secure state funding for the program.

The borough called the award "tremendous news for our community and an important investment in the men and women of the New Providence Police Department."

But public records first reported by John Migueis of NJ 21st raise questions about how the project's money is being managed. Documents obtained through the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) show the UCIA project management agreement includes a $200,000 administrative fee, and the total funding amount in the agreement was left blank.

The police building carries a total price tag of about $13.5 million: roughly $9.9 million for construction and $3.6 million for other costs, NJ 21st reported. A project schedule shows construction starting in March 2027 with the building opening in fall 2028, though other documents in the same records batch say construction has already started. What work is actually underway remains unclear.

Separately, UCIA billed the borough $1 million for startup costs. A $300,000 payment appeared on Oct. 1, before the council's Oct. 13 vote on the project, according to NJ 21st. The invoice did not specify what the payment covered.

The grant requires spending within five years and quarterly progress reports. Missing the deadline could mean the borough must repay the money with interest or lose access to county grants for five years.

More spending on the agenda

The Oct. 27 agenda also includes a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application for an ADA-accessible bathroom and automatic entry door at the new police station. The borough's Community Activities Department is requesting the grant. A memo says no local match is required, but the total renovation cost is not listed.

The council will consider authorizing up to $54,500 for Colliers Engineering & Design to handle construction administration on the Maple Street project. The resolution splits the cost between a capital account and a current budget account. NJ 21st noted the underlying proposal was not attached to the agenda packet.

An $18,737.70 change order for Schifano Construction Corporation on the 2026 road paving project is also on the agenda, tied to higher fuel and asphalt prices. The original contract was $477,116.73. If approved, the new total would reach $495,854.43, an increase of about 4%.

The council will also vote on $782,534 in bills. The vendor list was not included in the agenda packet.

Most of the spending items sit on the consent agenda, where they can pass in a single vote unless a council member requests separate discussion.