West Penn Township has approved funds to upgrade J.E. Morgan Memorial Park.

Supervisors Monday morning opted to proceed with using funds from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for improvements to the park.

A motion was made to award a contract with reductions, as the board indicated by change order directing its engineer to send out the change order with the intent to award.

The township previously received one bid from Dutchman Contracting LLC, in the amount of $139,391. It has a $60,000 DCNR grant, which, along with a $30,000 match, equals a total project cost of $90,000.

As part of that, a new pavilion and bathroom will be constructed, while the township will do some of the work itself, such as the paving access path and parking areas, ADA parking sign and pavement markings.

The DCNR grant project has until has until the end of 2024 to be completed. However, Supervisor Glenn Hummel said he would like to see the pavilion, restroom and well put in.

Despite the board’s decision to move forward, Hummel said he wasn’t happy with it.

Neither was Supervisor Tim Houser.

“This to me is highway robbery,” Houser said. “We have to pay prevailing wage; this is nothing less than corruption as far as I’m concerned.”

Houser wasn’t done.

“I’m becoming more anti-government than I’ve ever been,” he said.

Plans to bid out work last month didn’t materialize after a proposal came in $40,000 over budget.

At that time, the board tabled the sole bid the township received in the amount of $139,391 of Dutchman Contracting LLC.

Hummel said at that time the amount was $40,000 more than the township received from a DCNR grant.

He then added that he’s “shocked” after the cost estimate for the pavilion came in at $29,000, compared to a previous estimate of $7,900 the board received from the township’s former engineer.

Board Chairman Tony Prudenti suggested that they talk to DCNR to see if the township can get more money for the project due to the pandemic.

The work, to be completed before May 27, includes improvements to the existing facilities.

The project calls for construction of a pole style building, picnic pavilion, potable water well drilling and water pump installation, an ADA-compliant paved parking stall, an ADA-compliant paved access path and project acknowledgment sign.

The grant will pay for a new sign, playground equipment, re-skinned infield of the baseball field, an equipment shed/stand, pavilion and picnic tables.

In June, the board agreed to request information on the Morgan Park Grant from Lehigh Engineering LLC, and terminate their obligation for engineering for the DCNR Morgan Park Grant and pursue other means.

In October 2020, supervisors announced the township had obtained a $60,000 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant to further develop the park.

In April 2019, supervisors agreed to do the field.

That’s when the township submitted its application for a DCNR grant.

Supervisors said their main concern at that time was to build a good baseball and soccer field to be used by the growing youth ball leagues.

An unanticipated cost increase at that time was skinning the baseball field, which cost about $15,000 in materials alone, supervisors said.

The board also wanted to install a play area and use rubber mulch as well.

In March 2019, supervisors adopted a resolution stating that the township desires to receive a grant from DCNR for the purpose of carrying out the J.E. Morgan Memorial Park Project.

The township in 2018 received a $55,000 grant to spruce up a park, and has since renamed the former West Penn Park East after the late John E. Morgan, who died in 2001.