Money would go to roads, DPW trucks, phones, dispatching equipment
Former Councilman Rich Onderko raised questions before the Borough Council passed a $1.3 million bond ordinance Monday night in a 4-2 vote.
Republicans Sue Asher and Councilman Steve Szabo said “no.”
More than half of the money in the bond will go to street improvements.
More than $300,000 is slated to buy equipment for the Public Works Department, and another $128,800 will go to expenses needed to transition the police dispatching system to a county system.
Another $125,000 would buy generators and related equipment at public buildings and facilities.
Mr. Onderko, a candidate, spoke during the public portion regarding the bond ordinance, asking if a property tax increase of $81 “still holds.” Mayor Angelo Corradino’s reply was yes.
Mr. Onderko also asked why the generators under the bond were not put under a FEMA grant request.
”We are looking into grants. If we get the grants, then we save the money,” the mayor said.
Mr. Onderko said he also was concerned about the large amount of money for the street repairs. The mayor said the condition of streets will be assessed by the consulting engineer and the borough engineer for work to be done first, then to see how much could be done.
Mr. Onderko called a section of Louis Street from North 7th, 8th and 9th as the “worst street in town. You drive down that street 25 miles an hour, and your head will go through the roof.”
Mr. Onderko told the mayor and council, “I think the timing of this is kind of off. We are supposed to be getting a busy storm season and, God forbid, one more flood in this borough. I am not sure who is going to be paying the bill.”
Ms. Asher addressed some aspects of the ordinance “so you have a better understanding as to why I am voting no.”
She said, “I wish that I could have separated some of these. The road improvement program I know we do that every year and we get grant money. I was hoping that we could just use the grant money this year instead of bonding. I know that the tractor, the mower and the dump truck are something that we are going to need in the future, but we don’t need it right now.
”The new telephone system, from my understanding, was budgeted. I know that the Rescue Squad, Fire Department and police station need generators, and I was hoping that we would get them from FEMA or the state. There are so many people down the shore benefiting from Hurricane Sandy but what about Hurricane Irene (victims)?”
The councilwoman said the $128,800 for the Police Department “could have been eliminated if we decided to keep our dispatch system here in town so that is an additional expense. Just a few comments on my part just so you have a better understanding as to why I am voting no.”
More than half of the money in the bond will go to street improvements. More than $300,000 is slated to buy equipment for the Public Works Department, and another $128,800 will go to expenses needed to transition the police dispatching system to a county system. Another $125,000 would buy generators and related equipment at public buildings and facilities.
Items covered in the bond include:
• $700,000 for road improvements, including curbs, sidewalk and drainage where necessary. A prioritized list of streets will be prepared.
• $80,000 for a tractor to be used by the DPW.
• $15,000 for a mower for the DPW.
• $215,000 for a dump truck with plow and spreader and a pickup truck.
• $35,000 for a new telephone system for Borough Hall.
• $125,000 for generators and related equipment at public buildings and facilities for public use.
• $85,000 for computer software and mobile data terminals for patrol cars as part of the conversion of police dispatching from a borough system to one run by Somerset County.
• $8,800 for upgrades to in-car modems for police cars.
• $35,000 for a security system at police headquarters.
Five percent of the cost, or $62,400, is included in the 2013 municipal budget.
The $13.1 million budget increases the local tax rate to 76.3 cents from 73.6 cents for each $100 of assessed value. That’s about an $81 increase (3.7 percent) on a house assessed at $300,000, the mayor said.