Boro stands to lose $19K if program
is pulled by state
SOUTH RIVER — The Borough Council adopted a resolution in support of the state’s now-threatened Clean Communities program Monday in an attempt to urge state legislators to keep the program available to municipalities.
Clean Communities provides funding to municipalities in order to implement anti-litter programs. However, if the appropriations committees in the state Senate and Assembly do not approve a bill to continue the program this year, many municipalities will lose money that help beautify their communities.
According to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Assembly was supposed to vote on the bill last week, but it was stalled and is still pending a vote, expected to take place in the near future. DEP officials said the Senate is waiting to see what action the Assembly takes, while the bill sits stagnant in their appropriations committee.
The borough has been receiving a grant of $19,000 each year to aid in litter control, according to Borough Business Administrator Brian Valentino.
If the grant is not renewed, the borough will only be given $2,700 next year, he said. The following year, the borough will not receive any state aid for litter control, the business administrator said.
The funds received through the Clean Communities Act help the borough pay an employee’s salary, Mayor Robert Szegeti said. The funds also pay for trash receptacles in the downtown area, Szegeti said.
"[Losing the funds] would severely hurt the cleaning of downtown," Councilman Arthur Londensky said at Monday’s council meeting.
The DEP’s press office said the agency has made it "a top priority" to see the program continued, and noted that it’s the majority leadership in the Assembly that is keeping the bill from coming up for a vote.
The South River council unanimously approved the resolution in support of the act. In addition, the council members have contacted their state legislators urging their support of the Assembly bill, borough officials said.
Many other governing bodies from municipalities throughout the state are passing resolutions similar to South River’s.

