Glen Ridge Council Approves Road Contract Increases, Adopts $3.75 Million in Payments
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Glen Ridge's Mayor and Council approved a series of change orders to the borough's 2024 road paving contract with J. Alexander, adding $12,070.87 for night paving work in front of Mountainside Hospital and $20,897 for additional wheelchair-accessible ramp work. Combined with earlier changes, the contract now totals $528,493, paid for through a New Jersey Department of Transportation municipal aid grant. Separately, residents were told that road work tied to a PSE&G project will bring milling to Ridgewood Avenue starting the day after the meeting, with paving to follow roughly three weeks later, and related work continuing in the north end of town from Cambridge Road toward Watchung Avenue.
The council also adopted a resolution authorizing $3,751,465 in claims and warrants from the current fund, covering payments to the schools, utilities, recycling, and garbage removal, along with smaller payments from other funds. In a separate budget move, the council formally added $14,900 from the Essex County Municipal Alliance Committee into the 2026 budget to support the borough's municipal alliance grant program.
Council members approved three gambling-related licenses: a bingo license for the Women's Club of Glen Ridge for October 15, 2026, a 50/50 raffle license for the Glen Ridge High School Association for October 18, 2026, and three raffle license applications for the Bion School for an event October 19, 2026, at Glen Ridge Country Club. The bingo license vote passed with Councilor Turiano abstaining.
During public comment, longtime resident Maria Ala pressed the council on whether it had explored ways to lower property taxes rather than raise them. In response, officials pointed to the borough's recent county-ordered property reevaluation and its adopted affordable housing plan.
In other business, the borough announced a new online resident guide covering town services, local organizations, and information like dog licensing, with a public launch event planned at Freeman Gardens. The council also issued a proclamation honoring the Bloomfield Glen Ridge Renegades 12U baseball team for winning the 2026 USABL National Metro Division championship, recognizing coach Dan Cenote along with coaches Deutsch and Evangelista and the team's players. The mayor thanked the police department and residents for their patience during several large Netflix filming productions that required road closures and police assistance, saying the production companies gave positive feedback. The borough clerk reminded residents that the 13th is the voter registration deadline and said the borough will continue publicizing election deadlines. Council President Moody reported that a storm water training session is still being planned for the fall as a high priority given recent severe weather. Councilor Turiano also reported that the Department of Public Works completed a range of infrastructure and park maintenance tasks, including curb and crosswalk painting, garden preparation at Benson Street and Sherman Avenue, storm cleanup, catch basin maintenance, and winter equipment preparation.
What to watch
- A storm water training session for the Planning and Development Committee and Board of Adjustment is still being planned for the fall.
- A public launch event for the new online resident guide is planned at Freeman Gardens.