Lengthy debate continued in Upper Moreland on Monday over the borrowing of $3.25 million for township projects, but in the end the majority of commissioners agreed to move forward.

In a 5-2 vote, the board voted to proceed with the process of securing a bond that would be used predominately for completing the War Memorial Park entrance, part of the township’s Willow Grove revitalization efforts.

The project is expected to cost around $2.5 million, and leftover money would be used to renovate the township and police building and perform some streetscape work on York Road.

That’s the part that bothers Commissioners Lisa Romaniello and Jim McKenna, who cast the nay votes, because money for some of these projects had been allocated years ago but the work was never done.

In 2006 and 2007, according to Romaniello, $250,000 had been set aside for renovations to the prisoner holding area at the police station, along with $80,000 for security cameras.

But the money was spent on other projects, said township manager David Dodies.

“It’s not underneath the mattress or some place it shouldn’t be,” he said, explaining that half of it was used to keep property taxes stable from 2005 to 2007, and the rest was used for other capital projects.

Some township officials pointed blame at the previous police administration, under former Chief William Moffett, for never seeing the project through.

Romaniello says the township is just tacking on projects to the bond and would have liked to see just the $2.5 million borrowed. “My concern is we’re borrowing money above and beyond what’s absolutely necessary,” she said.

But Commissioner President Stacey Efkowitz argued that the true costs of the park project are not really known and could end up being more than expected. It may turn out that even borrowing $3.25 million leaves little left over for the other projects or the township could pay off its bond faster.

Township officials estimate a homeowner, whose property is assessed at $150,000, will see taxes increase by $16 in 2009 because of the borrowing. That same homeowner is now paying $549 in property taxes. Officials have pointed out that borrowing $2.5 million would have cost taxpayers $15, so the bigger bond is only resulting in a $1 difference.

Upper Moreland has received nearly $600,000 in grants for the Memorial Park project.