Netcong firehouse restroom work targeted to start week of Nov. 9

Netcong Borough said in its Nov. 5 update that a replacement contractor intended to begin the delayed Fire Company No. 1 restroom renovation during the week of Nov. 9, 2026. The borough reported awarding the $116,000 construction contract on Oct. 1. The start window was a target, not confirmation that work had resumed.

The contractor attended a preconstruction meeting and had approached the Byram Township Construction Office about permits. The borough’s update did not confirm permit approval.

Restrooms unavailable since 2025 i

According to the borough’s account reported by WRNJ, work stopped after design questions and possible asbestos floor tiles were reported to the New Jersey Department of Labor. State officials inspected and sampled the site, then issued a stop-work order. Borough-retained testing also found asbestos-containing materials. The borough said it terminated the original contract and reported $24,726.25 in asbestos testing, mitigation and related costs.

The borough said it hired a new engineer and an architect, revised the plans and competitively bid the replacement work. It said the revised plans addressed accessibility concerns.

The fire company told WRNJ that its permanent bathrooms had been unavailable since the third week of August 2025, more than a year before the contractor’s target start. The company said the situation raised sanitation and accessibility concerns, affected members with disabilities and its four female firefighters, and led to canceled events. The borough reported spending $3,311.63 on ADA-compliant portable restrooms, while acknowledging they were not a long-term substitute for permanent facilities.

Spending and estimated total cost i

As of Nov. 4, the borough reported $234,638.44 in project expenditures and estimated total costs at about $350,000, including the replacement contract. The reported expenditures equal roughly 67% of that estimate. That comparison is not an unpaid-balance figure: the total is approximate and includes the new contract.

The contractor had approached the Byram Township Construction Office about permits. The borough’s Nov. 5 update did not confirm permit approval or a construction start or completion date.