RIVER VALE—The average township homeowner likely will see an approximate $185 annual property tax increase over 30 years due to the $13.3 million bonding necessary for a proposed one-story, 18,000-square-foot new Public Safety Complex planned for 3.25 acres at the corner of Rivervale Road and Prospect Avenue.
According to town administrator and CFO Gennaro Rotella, the $14 million project cost includes a $700,000 down payment on the bonds, courtesy of a contribution by Woodmont Properties as part of its developer’s agreement with the town.
The estimated tax impact was calculated by Rotella, who told Pascack Press that the projected annual increase was “conservative” and might wind up being less depending on bond interest rates when bonds are issued.
The public safety building, which will house only the police department and all its related functions, will replace an outdated facility and has been a hot topic for mayors and councils for nearly two decades.
Initial building concepts included a two-story structure that incorporated municipal court operations. Rotella said that option was not pursued by the mayor and council.
The next regular meeting of the governing body is Tuesday, Oct. 12 in person at Township Hall.
Rotella said the proposed building’s next step will be to issue a request for proposals — probably in October — to solicit construction management companies. A construction management company is hired to supervise and oversee a construction site’s day-to-day operations and progress.
He estimated that costs for such companies at $20,000 to $25,000 per month, based on similar project costs he has reviewed.
The estimated project timeline is 18 months, he said.
In late July, the council approved bonding $13.3 million for the new safety building. At the mayor and council’s Aug. 30 meeting, resident David Rice chastised members for not properly informing taxpayers about the complex and its bonding.
While the Public Safety Complex has been raised occasionally lately, generating little mayor and council discussion, the council also has not yet held any specific public forums or town halls on the topic.
“They should be putting out this information to the whole community,” Rice told Pascack Press, noting he had asked the council to step up its public communications.
He said our related Sept. 27 headline “Officials agree communication could be better” [Michael Olohan, page 19] was “too generous” to the council’s communication efforts.
He noted that the council sends out email notifications of its weekly farmers’ market but asserted it fails to notify residents about such issues such as a Public Safety Complex discussion or a $14 million bond proposal.
He also claimed that the township’s attorney “berated” him for requesting the agenda to be published online in advance of council meetings.
The state’s Open Public Meetings Act notes advance electronic notice of public meetings may be provided but is not required. The OPMA Act only requires an agenda to be prominently posted 48 hours in advance in a public place or hand-delivered to at least two newspapers that “have the greatest likelihood of informing the public.”
Rotella also clarified that the rendering on the architect’s site, which we shared in our Aug. 30 issue, showed an outdated two-story building. He said the current design is a one-story structure that includes a first floor and basement.
Rotella said the basement will encompass rooms for evidence storage, general storage, an armory, male and female locker rooms, a records room and information technology room. He said space for a gym will also be set aside in the basement.
On the first floor, there will be an entry foyer, a dispatch/desk area, men’s and women’s bathrooms, interview rooms, a large training room, a break/lunch room, a sally port, and a whole processing area for individuals being detained or persons of interest.
He said approximately 20 parking spaces will be set aside for the public. Additional secure spaces for officers’ vehicles will be sited behind the complex.
In Sept. 2020, Settembrino Architects of Atlantic Highlands estimated a timeline that set December 2022 for completed construction and January 2023 for Police Department move-in. Due to Covid-related delays, that completion timeline may likely be pushed back into fall 2023 or early 2024.
Settembrino was hired in early 2019 on a $562,500 contract for architectural design services for a new public safety building.
Woodmont Properties, of Fairfield, N.J., which provided a $700,000 contribution as a down payment on the Public Safety Complex bonds, is constructing a 249-unit townhome development called The Fairways at Edgewood, which is under construction on nine holes of Edgewood Country Club off of Rivervale Road and Piermont Avenue.
Toll Brothers Construction is building 225 luxury condominiums and townhomes on the site.
The development includes a separate 24-unit affordable townhome complex adjacent to a 18-hole private golf and resort club.
Rotella previously noted that as the under-construction Fairways units are added to River Vale’s tax base, the tax impact of the $13.3 million bonding on individual taxpayers could be reduced.Officials estimate the proposed $14 million one-story River Vale Public Safety Complex will carry $13.3 million in 30-year bonding, with the average homeowner seeing a $185 annual tax increase.
