Glen Ridge Council Approves Borough-Wide Water Meter Replacement, Adopts 2024 Budget Cap Ordinance
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Glen Ridge Mayor and Council authorized the purchase of 2,369 water meters through the Morris County Cooperative Pricing Council, kicking off a project that will send crews house-to-house across the borough to replace every residential water meter of two inches or smaller and take stock of the town's water lines. Separately, the Council awarded its 2024 athletic field maintenance contract to TruGreen of Rockaway, New Jersey, for $47,178, after a bid solicitation in May 2023 failed to draw any proposals and the Parks and Recreation director had to seek out vendors directly.
The Council also held a public hearing, at which no residents spoke, before formally adopting Ordinance No. 1804, which allows the borough to exceed standard municipal budget appropriation limits and sets up a "cap bank" for calendar year 2024. The Mayor said the full 2024 municipal budget will be formally presented at the Council's meeting on May 13, and a council member noted the proposed budget is already posted on the borough website for residents who want to review it beforehand.
On environmental matters, officials publicized Essex County's Household Hazardous Waste Day, set for May 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the county Department of Public Works yard on West Bradford Avenue, reminding residents that unlabeled containers, latex paint, and standard alkaline batteries won't be accepted there, while noting the borough's own Department of Public Works now runs a separate program accepting rechargeable, lithium, and NiCad batteries. A resident from the south end of town asked the Council to consider pushing back Saturday garbage collection, currently starting around 5 a.m., so residents can sleep with windows open in warmer weather; no formal action was taken. The Council approved the March 11, 2024 meeting minutes by a vote of two ayes with two abstentions, from Council members Law and Marro, rather than unanimously, and separately adopted Resolution No. 81-24 authorizing payment of the borough's routine bills and claims.
Other business included a resolution proclaiming April 26, 2024 as Arbor Day in Glen Ridge, recognizing the borough's Tree City USA status and noting 57 trees were planted this spring. A borough official also reported attending a press event with Congressman Sherrill in North Caldwell alongside police chiefs from other towns that received grants for automated license plate readers. Residents were also told about the grand opening of a new Young Adult Space at the library, funded by the Library Bond, set for May 4 at 11 a.m., featuring new enclosed study areas, a new downstairs bathroom, and a water fountain with a bottle filler. Finally, three community cleanup events — a shredding day at Central School, the Joseph K. collection drive at the high school, and the "rake and bake" event at Gardens — were all announced for the same upcoming Saturday.
What to watch
- The formal 2024 municipal budget presentation at the May 13 Council meeting.