Council awards $650K road-paving contract, introduces flood-hazard and budget-cap ordinances
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With Mayor Patrick absent, Council President Murphy presided. Finance Chair Hughes reported the finance committee had met with outgoing Administrator Michael Rohal, incoming Administrator Mike Zichelli and the CFO, noting tax collections running around 99.8% and a strong financial position reflected in the borough's recent bond-rating increase. Council introduced Ordinance 1727 on first reading, creating a municipal "cap bank" for 2020 by setting the budget appropriation limit at the maximum allowable 3.5% rather than the roughly 2.5% typically used — an accounting measure, not new spending, that lets the borough draw on the banked difference in either of the next two years to cover an unforeseen expense.
Council awarded a $649,637.25 road-improvement contract to DLS Contracting of Fairfield, the low bidder among nine received, to repave numerous streets in the "Barrel" neighborhood, including Clark, Appleton Road and Place, Windsor, Cross Place and Street, Willow, Reynolds, Chestnut Hill Place, Astor, Victor, Glen Park and Summer, funded through state DOT aid, CDBG funds (covering required ADA ramp upgrades) and borough capital funds. The work follows behind the ongoing lead water-service-line replacement project; a badly deteriorated stretch of Baldwin Street between Ridgewood and Forest avenues is slated for a future phase once water work on Clinton Street is finished.
Council introduced Ordinance 1728 on first reading, updating the borough's floodplain-management regulations ahead of new FEMA flood insurance rate maps due in April, and approved a roughly $10,000 Sustainable Jersey small-grant application for water-conservation education. It also approved adding several community organizations to the borough's insurance policy at no added premium cost, and a raffle license for a March 3 off-premise 50/50 raffle.
Public Works reported that a new styrofoam drop-off recycling program, paired with the borough's existing monthly electronics drop-off, has been overwhelmed by resident participation, possibly requiring added staff or a dedicated collection container. Police announced the 2020 Citizen's Police Academy, now also including Verona and East Orange alongside Glen Ridge, Bloomfield and Montclair, and noted the recent passing of retired Lieutenant Richard Corcoran, who served the department from 1969 to 1995.
What to watch
- Ordinance 1727 (2020 budget cap bank) and Ordinance 1728 (floodplain management regulations), both pending final reading/adoption
- Planning Board's review of the first Master Plan draft, expected to resume in March
- Next phase of road and water work on Baldwin and Clinton streets