STOCKTON: Budget gets OK; Wilson work on horizon

For a Stockton residence assessed at $350,000,a municipal tax-rate increase of 2 cents will bring an annual tax increase of $70

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   STOCKTON — The 2013 municipal budget that will bring a municipal tax- rate increase of “just under 2 cents” per $100 of assessed property value was adopted by Borough Council June 13, borough Clerk Michele Hovan said.
   The public hearing and adoption vote originally were scheduled for June 10, but were postponed because not enough members of Borough Council were able to attend that session.
   For a Stockton residence assessed at $350,000, close to the borough average assessed value, a municipal tax rate increase of 2 cents will bring an annual tax increase of $70. Itemized property tax bills include school and county taxes as well as municipal taxes.
   Under the adopted budget, $347,059 will be raised for the budget by local (Stockton) taxes.
   OTHER BUSINESS — Reconstruction of Wilson Drive is expected to begin early in September and be finished by late October, Ms. Hovan said.
   Last month, the council passed a resolution that authorizes awarding a $213,593 contract between the borough and Top Line Construction Corporation of Somerville, for the reconstruction of Wilson Drive.
   The resolution states that Top Line submitted the lowest bid for the project and that awarding that firm the contract had been recommended by both Ms. Hovan, in her capacity as borough administrator, and borough Engineer Dennis O’Neal.
   A state grant of $165,000 will be applied toward the $213,593 project, with the borough covering the balance.
   In a May 8 letter to the Stockton Council in which he recommended that Top Line be hired for the Wilson Drive project, Mr. O’Neal, who also has been nearby Hopewell Borough’s engineer for years, said: “We have worked with Top Line Corporation on many projects, including the emergency repairs to sewage force main at the Stockton Borough Sewage Pumping Station, and found them to be a good contractor.”