The Township Committee plans to move forward with the engineering and design for a riverwalk that would stretch from the Paper Mill Playhouse to Essex Street, but some have concerns.

The committee will vote at its next meeting on March 31 to award a contract to Casey and Keller, a Millburn company, to do the work for $30,650. The Downtown Millburn Development Alliance secured a $600,000 federal grant, which was reduced to $540,000, for the project's construction, but it does not cover the design and engineering costs. The DMDA asked the committee to fund the design and engineering costs in February.

The walk would not actually run next to the river, and instead the sidewalk between the playhouse and Essex Street would be enhanced with lighting and pavers.

But Tom McDermott, deputy mayor, expressed reluctance over the project, saying it was hard to turn down receiving $540,000 by spending $30,000.

McDermott was mayor when the committee first learned of the project, and he said members learned about it by seeing a photo in the newspaper.

"It was thrown on us," he said. "We were told then there would be no cost to the town. . .I don't like being put in this position."

McDermott said he had concerns about cost overruns on the project and who would pay for them. "I need guarantees," he said.

Mayor Sandra Haimoff asked what would happen if the project started and more money than is provided under the grant was needed down the line.

Daniel Baer, a committee member, said the contracts and specifications for the project could be changed at any time.

McDermott told Harold Klein, DMDA executive director, to inquire among the downtown business owners if they would pay for any extra costs.

James Suell, a committee member, said the project should be designed for less money than the grant allows to create a cushion.

"You don't need to go for the top money," he said. "You need to be conservative."