Glen Ridge Council Adopts Police Captain Salary Ordinance, Hires Tax Appeal Law Firm Without Bidding

At the Glen Ridge Mayor & Council meeting on June 9, 2025, the council gave final approval to an ordinance setting 2025 maximum salaries for non-union borough employees, including the police captain position. The measure passed unanimously after a public hearing drew no comments. Relatedly, Councilor Hughes reported that Lieutenant Deacon Dardellis has been promoted to police captain. The council also finalized a separate ordinance appropriating capital improvement funds for various borough equipment and improvement projects, which likewise passed unanimously with no public comment.

The council voted unanimously to approve a professional services agreement with the law firm DiFrancesco Bateman Kunzman Davis Lehrer & Flaum PC to handle tax appeal legal work, with fees capped at $120,000. The contract was awarded without competitive bidding. In other business, the council unanimously approved renewals of four state liquor licenses for the July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 period, covering Bottle King Discount Liquors, Glen Ridge Country Club (whose address was corrected to 255 Ridgewood Avenue during the discussion), Fitzgerald's/Mayfield Tavern Partners on Herman Street, and Glen Ridge Pharmacy and Liquors.

Councilor Moody announced that the planning board's review of the borough's draft housing element and fair share plan, posted on the borough website, has been moved up to Monday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m., shifted from June 18 due to graduation. Councilor Hughes also noted that Essex County will hold a public hearing, limited to just 30 minutes, on plans for intersections along Bloomfield Avenue at Bloomfield Town Hall.

Elsewhere, officials reported that a surprise inspection by the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health agency examined the borough's crossing guard training and equipment, which passed successfully. A council member relayed a warning about rising bank fraud schemes, describing an acquaintance who lost $60,000 from retirement accounts after personal information was stolen while using coffee shop Wi-Fi. The mayor thanked the police chief for safely relocating a bear found in Glen Ridge, and Mr. Zakalik reported the borough's audit came back clean, praising the finance office and department heads. Councilor Zimet noted the annual logger run at Morell Field succeeded despite rain and marked the final race organized by former councilman Dan Murphy after 19 years. Additional items included an upcoming police-run bike rodeo at Central School, a Project Graduation event themed "The Lorax," a Motor Vehicle Commission mobile unit offering Real ID service at the community pool parking lot on September 19, and a report that the volunteer ambulance squad handles about 1,400 calls annually free of charge, funded entirely by donations.

What to watch

• The planning board's review of the draft housing element and fair share plan on June 16
• Essex County's public hearing on Bloomfield Avenue intersection plans at Bloomfield Town Hall
• The Motor Vehicle Commission's Real ID mobile unit at the community pool parking lot on September 19

Watch key moments

• 12:48 — Former councilman Dan Murphy's final logger run