But council must still vote to authorize the talks.
Moving day may be fast approaching for the Phillipsburg town offices.
The town council is expected to vote Tuesday on a measure allowing the mayor to negotiate a permanent new location for employees now working in a municipal building compromised by mold.
A special meeting for the vote was announced this week, tacking it on to a council work session.
An environmental analysis completed in January found mold in the 675 Corliss Ave. municipal building that could pose a risk to anyone with respiratory issues or other ailments, like allergies or lung disease. Since then, council meetings have been held at various locations around town and municipal court cases have been handled in Alpha.
A few options have been discussed. Among them: If the building can be remediated (estimated to cost $1.7 million), if a new municipal complex should be built at the former armory property on Heckman Street or if the offices should be relocated downtown on South Main Street -- where town hall was before moving to its current location in the 1970s.
Mayor Stephen Ellis on Thursday confirmed that a pending resolution -- which council members said they have yet to see -- will authorize him to enter into negotiations to lease and/or purchase an office site in the 300 block of South Main Street.
Last month, Ellis identified the pair of office buildings totaling 14,000 square feet as "beautiful" for town use. The site is currently offices for Dental Health Associates, but the mayor had said a move there could happen within months.
The property's assessment this year values it at a little over $1 million, according to county tax records. It is owned by a real estate company in Bernardsville, N.J.
Petition: Move P'burg town hall downtown
Though council members reached Thursday said they haven't seen the measure described by the mayor, there was general agreement that the sooner any action is taken, the better.
Councilman Mark Lutz said he had reservations about the South Main Street location, citing concerns about costs and parking. But he said he is willing to support whatever solution is proposed.
"Everybody probably has their own feelings" on what should be done, said Randy Piazza, another councilman. "I'm hoping we can bring this to a resolution. We need to get these people out of there," he said, referring to municipal staff in the current town hall.
Town employees are anxious about their surroundings and some have been to doctors to see if they've been affected by the mold, according to a recent report by TV station WFMZ.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.