Road closed sign on the construction project on Exton Avenue. The Hamilton Town Council will 

address a second change order to the project's contract tonight.

Hamilton Township Council on Tuesday will take on an appointment to the township post vacated as a result the scandal involving the mayor’s federal corruption charges.

Mayor John Bencivengo recommended acting Director of Community Planning and Compliance Rich Williams to fill that role permanently. Williams took over that post in June after the previous director, Rob Warney, resigned before pleading guilty to federal corruption charges.

Williams served as the township’s engineer before Warney’s resignation and will continue in that capacity. Williams has run the engineering department, as well as planning, inspections and affordable housing departments since June, according to Business Administrator John Ricci.

Williams’ salary will increase from $113,759 to $114,028 with the change in title, if his appointment gets the expected council approval.

“He’s going to be a busy guy for that $300,” Ricci said. “It has been great; he’s been doing a heck of a good job.”

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In addition to Williams’ appointment, the council will also hear a change order on a long-delayed road project and a continued hearing on a vacant property ordinance, among other measures.

The road and sewer project on Exton and Reeger avenues is coming back to council a second time. The council will consider tonight another contract change, which will increase the cost by more than $150,000, and bring the total cost of the project to more than $1 million.

“At this point, with the way the residents have been suffering, we just want to get this done,” Council President Kevin Meara said. “We’ll pursue whatever we have to afterwards.”

The township could collect tens of thousands of dollars in penalties from the contractor for going over the time of the 40-day contract. Originally, the contract was supposed to be finished last fall. But problems with the contractor, utility lines, weather and other delays have pushed the project back.

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The council will likely vote to approve an abandoned property ordinance carried over from the last meeting. The council made a number of changes at the proposal’s second reading two weeks ago, which prompted them to wait.

It requires property owners to register with the township when a house is vacant, and requires that they keep the property up to zoning code as well as contact and notification requirements.

“It looks real good, looks like it will serve the purpose it was intended to serve,” Pone said.

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Technology permitting, I'll be blogging about the meeting and tweeting @awisefool.