Township government

Mount Bethel Meeting House restoration

The New Jersey Historic Trust grant for the Mount Bethel Meeting House rose from $524,115 to $763,343, and the Paragon Restoration contract rose from $556,250 to $580,770 after one change order. The Oct. 8, 2026 agenda listed a proclamation celebrating completion; LocalWhy has not reviewed the meeting minutes.

Checked against the primary record on . Every figure on this page is sourced at the foot of the article.

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What happens next

Committee agendas post in the Township AgendaCenter before each meeting, and the Historic Sites Committee posts its own agendas there. Residents can comment at Committee meetings or ask the Township Clerk for the grant agreements.

The Mount Bethel Meeting House is listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Warren authorized a New Jersey Historic Trust grant and a construction contract for Phase 3A interior restoration and site improvements.

Grant and contract. Resolution 2025-081, adopted Feb. 20, 2025, authorized the grant agreement for $524,115. On Jan. 22, 2026 Resolution 2026-068 amended it: the Trust increased the award by $239,228, for a total of $763,343. Bids were advertised Nov. 20, 2025 and opened Dec. 16, 2025: Paragon Restoration Corporation of Kenilworth at $556,250 and Spartan Construction, Inc. at $583,750. Resolution 2026-057, adopted Jan. 22, 2026, awarded Paragon a contract “in an amount not to exceed $556,250.00.”

Appropriation. Ordinance 26-04, introduced Feb. 19, 2026, amended Ordinance 25-11 to raise the project appropriation to $763,343. The Committee adopted it 4–0 on March 12, 2026 (McCarey, Blick, Kian and Fine; Croson absent) after a public hearing with no comments.

Change order. Resolution 2026-223, listed on the Aug. 20, 2026 agenda, approved Change Order #1 of $24,520.00, a 4.4% increase for additional costs related to plaster, fire alarms and lights, revising the contract to $580,770.00. The minutes show it was included in the consent agenda, adopted by unanimous roll call: McCarey, Blick, Croson, Kian and Fine voted yes.

Completion record. The October 8, 2026 agenda lists a special meeting at 235 Mountainview Road at 6:30 p.m. The agenda also lists a proclamation celebrating the completion of the restoration and site improvements. Additionally, it lists the presentation of a “March to Victory Town Marker” by Brad Fay of the National Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association, Inc. The October 22 highlights page records a “March to Victory” presentation. It also describes Warren as a “Victory Town.” LocalWhy has not reviewed the October 8 minutes. Therefore, the agenda does not establish what occurred at that meeting or whether the proclamation was read.

The records differ on the earlier figure: the title of Ordinance 26-04 gives $524,155, while the ordinance text and Resolutions 2025-081 and 2026-068 give $524,115. The resolutions state no local match. The records reviewed describe restoration and completion, not a use policy or hours.

The Mount Bethel Meeting House restoration, explained

Timeline

Each dated event on this issue, oldest first, linked to the full sourced entry.

  1. Resolved Grant agreement authorized for the Mount Bethel Meeting HouseResolution 2025-081 authorized a grant agreement with the New Jersey Historic Trust for the Mount Bethel Meeting House project in the amount of $524,115. The figure is recited in later resolutions.
  2. Resolved Bids opened for the meeting house restorationBids for Phase 3A interior restoration and site improvements at the Mount Bethel Meeting House were opened Dec. 16, 2025: Paragon Restoration Corporation at $556,250.00 and Spartan Construction, Inc. at $583,750.00.
  3. Resolved Committee awards the restoration contract and raises the grantResolution 2026-057 awarded Paragon Restoration Corporation a contract not to exceed $556,250.00, and Resolution 2026-068 increased the New Jersey Historic Trust grant by $239,228.00 to a total of $763,343.00.
  4. Resolved Ordinance introduced to raise the meeting house appropriationOrdinance 26-04 was introduced Feb. 19, 2026 to amend Ordinance 25-11 and raise the Mount Bethel Meeting House project appropriation to $763,343. Its title gives the former amount as $524,155; the ordinance text and Resolution 2026-068 give $524,115.
  5. Resolved Committee adopts the $763,343 appropriation, 4–0Ordinance 26-04 was adopted 4–0 on March 12, 2026 after a public hearing with no comments, raising the Mount Bethel Meeting House project appropriation to $763,343. Croson was absent.
  6. Resolved Committee approves $24,520 restoration change orderResolution 2026-223 approved Change Order #1 of $24,520.00, a 4.4% increase, and lists a revised contract total of $580,770.00. The minutes record unanimous consent-agenda approval, 5–0.
  7. Active Agenda lists restoration completion proclamationThe Oct. 8, 2026 agenda listed a proclamation celebrating completion of the restoration and site improvements, and a presentation of a "March to Victory Town Marker." LocalWhy has not reviewed the meeting minutes.

Explainers

  • The Mount Bethel Meeting House restoration, explained

    The New Jersey Historic Trust grant funded the Mount Bethel Meeting House project, rising from $524,115 to $763,343, alongside a Paragon Restoration contract that reached $580,770. The Oct. 8 agenda listed a completion proclamation; LocalWhy has not reviewed the minutes.

Documents

The township's own records on this issue. Each links to the official copy.

Meetings

  • Township Committee Special Meeting

    The Township Committee held a special meeting for a proclamation on completion of the restoration and site improvements at the Mount Bethel Meeting House and a presentation of a Washington–Rochambeau "March to Victory" town marker by Brad Fay. The agenda listed no resolutions or public hearings. Minutes were not reviewed.

  • Township Committee Regular Meeting

    The Township Committee adopted Ordinance 26-22, the $1,140,160 Dealaman Nature Trail and Pond appropriation, 5–0, and approved a memorandum with Nouvelle, LLC and Pillar Care Continuum for at least 32 affordable units on Stirling Road, 5–0. It introduced a $1,400,000 bond for the Round Top Swim Club purchase and a San Road vacation, 5–0 each, and passed consent resolutions 2026-210 through 2026-234, 5–0.

  • Township Committee Regular Meeting

    The Township Committee adopted eight ordinances 4–0, including the $763,343 Mount Bethel Meeting House appropriation, a $445,000 Valley View Road bond, an affordable housing development-fee rewrite and six affordable housing zoning districts. It introduced three more, 4–0: $900,000 for public safety communications, $100,000 for the Cherry Tree Lane drainage study and an AH-6 unit increase. Consent resolutions 2026-093 through 2026-105 passed 4–0.

  • Township Committee Regular Meeting

    The Township Committee adopted Ordinances 26-01, 26-02 and 26-03 5–0, approved the Green Acres application for Dealaman Nature Trail and Pond 5–0, and introduced eight ordinances 5–0, including the Mount Bethel appropriation, a Valley View Road bond and six affordable-housing measures. It adopted fifteen consent resolutions, with one abstention, and a temporary office lease 5–0.

  • Township Committee Regular Meeting

    The Township Committee approved the bond counsel contract with McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, 5–0, after tabling it on January 6. It introduced three ordinances 5–0, including a sanitary sewer easement with MDR Equities, and adopted consent resolutions 2026-050 through 2026-071, 5–0, including the Paragon contract for the Mount Bethel Meeting House.

Sources for this overview

  1. Township Committee minutes, January 22, 2026 (Resolutions 2026-057 and 2026-068)
  2. Township Committee minutes, February 19, 2026 (Ordinance 26-04 introduced)
  3. Township Committee minutes, March 12, 2026 (Ordinance 26-04 adopted)
  4. Township Committee minutes, August 20, 2026 (Resolution 2026-223, change order)
  5. Township Committee agenda, October 8, 2026 (special meeting at the meeting house)
  6. Township Committee meeting highlights, October 22, 2026
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