RIVER VALE, N.J.—At its May 19 meeting, the Township Council unanimously approved a $23.8 million municipal budget for 2025 that raises property taxes by $177 on a home assessed at the township average of $600,000, according to administrator and chief financial officer Gennaro Rotella.
The adopted budget totals $23,833,306 and includes a municipal tax levy of $15,066,614 and a local library tax of $925,788.
Voting in favor were Councilmembers Ari Ben-Yishay, Denise Sieg, John Donovan, and Jim Tolomeo. Council President Paul Criscuolo was absent. Rotella said no public comments were received during the budget hearing.
Rotella said a significant portion of the tax increase—about $120—is tied to debt service for the public safety complex, under construction. The facility, originally expected to open this summer, is now more likely to be completed in the fall due to unforeseen site improvements and construction changes. Additional change orders are anticipated in the coming months as the project nears completion.
Among the recent modifications: a sump pump pit on the building’s exterior, changes to interior wall finishes, and extra grading around the structure.
On Feb. 24, the council approved a $170,373.48 contract for a camera and door access system to enhance security at the complex.
As previously reported, the project has generated eight change orders totaling approximately $72,000—nearly 10% of the $750,000 contingency fund designated for unexpected expenses. Officials have said the total project cost would not increase unless that contingency fund is exceeded.
In November 2023, the council awarded a $14.8 million construction bid to Dobco Inc. of Wayne. Nearly $20 million in bond funding, approved through two ordinances, is supporting the project.
New sidewalks near school
The council also approved Resolution 2025-127, authorizing use of a $278,821.20 state Department of Transportation grant to install new sidewalks along Rivervale Road, from Prospect Avenue to Woodside School.
The new half-mile walkway will be installed where no sidewalks currently exist. Rotella said the improvements will provide a safer route for students walking to the elementary school at 801 Rivervale Road. The contract was awarded to Covino & Sons of Fair Lawn, with installation expected this summer.
Council opposes ADU legislation
In other business, the council passed a resolution opposing legislation passed by the state Senate in February—and now pending in the Assembly—that would allow property owners to create accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on residential lots.
The resolution argues the bills would erode local control over zoning, which “is critical for local officials to adopt policies that are the most beneficial to the community and that our residents have long come to expect.”
The measure urges lawmakers to reject bills ACS 2792, A-4370, and A-2489, and calls for preserving local autonomy in decisions about whether and where ADUs may be permitted.
Equipment purchases approved
The council also approved several equipment purchases from state contracts: two Ford F-350 pickup trucks for $129,933.74; a ProCore 648s aerator from Storr Tractor Company for $36,048; and a trailer-mounted leaf vacuum from W.E. Timmerman Co. Inc., for $137,300.11.