$2.3M for upgrades; hearing set for May 9

RIVER VALE—Approximately $2.3 million in bonds for municipal projects and River Vale Country Club improvements are up for approval before the Township Council at its May 9 meeting.

The two bonds, one approximately $1.5 million for local capital projects and needs, and one for $825,000 for River Vale Country Club upgrades, were approved unanimously on first reading April 26. It was not clear what the cost of the bonds would be on an average homeowner.

Ordinance No. 400-2022 appropriates $1,499,730 for six specific capital projects, and includes issuance of $1,364,742 in general improvement bonds or notes for financing.

The projects and needs to be funded include: $187,000 for Department of Public Works (DPW) site remediation, with $177,650 to be bonded over 15 years; $258,500 for purchasing property for the DPW, with $245,575 to be bonded; and $692,450 for handicap doors for the community center, new garage doors at south firehouse, catch basins and fencing at Upper Grove Field, with bonding for $657,827.

Other improvements to be funded include $26,294 for radios and pagers for the volunteer ambulance corps and fire department, with bonding for $24,979; purchasing two pick-up trucks with plow and hook lift and plow and salter for about $275,000, with bonding for $201,250; and $60,486 for firefighter personal protective equipment, Knox Boxes, hoses, nozzles, appliances and equipment, with bonding for $57,461.

Ordinance 399-2022 approves the issuing of $825,000 in bonds or notes for township-owned River Vale Country Club, for driving range netting and installation of a storage building, plus all work and materials needed.

New pickleball courts

In other news, Borough Clerk Karen Campanelli said the township would advertise for bids to construct new pickleball courts at Mark Lane Athletic Complex. The lone bid received from Sport-Tech Construction, Brewster, N.Y. on April 21 was over the project’s estimated budget and rejected. The original bid specs were to construct four pickleball courts.

The council also rejected the lone bid from Zenith Construction Services, Orange, for driving range poles and netting improvements as over its cost estimate and plans to re-advertise bid specs soon, Campanelli said.