HACKENSACK, N.J.—A new $3.3 million federal grant to Bergen County will enable residents to get rid of the major source of lead contamination—leaded indoor paint—said the Bergen County executive at a Jan. 31 forum with county leaders held at Stony Hill Inn in Hackensack.
James Tedesco III, now serving year two of his second term as county executive, and a former Paramus mayor, told over 100 leaders at a Friday Forum sponsored by Bergen County Volunteers, that the county health department applied for a grant last year to abate lead and was recently awarded funding.
“I’m happy to say that we are one of only a few counties throughout the nation that was selected,” said Tedesco. “This grant allows us to test for it, find it and remediate [lead paint] out of people’s houses.”
Tedesco said people in older houses and tenants may not have the funds to remove and remediate the paint. The sale of lead paint was outlawed in 1978.
Most health departments view lead paint as the leading cause of lead contamination in children who may eat leaded paint chips or be exposed to lead paint dust.
Lead exposure can lead to cognitive impairment in children; symptoms include developmental delays, abdominal pain, neurologic changes and irritability, say health officials.
Another risk of chronic exposure is irreversible brain damage among children, and high levels of lead can be fatal if not addressed, they add.
“In order to remediate lead you have got to get rid of it,” said Tedesco. “You just don’t paint over lead paint.”
County officials formally announced the program Feb. 2, noting homes to be targeted were constructed before 1978. County officials said 75 percent of Bergen’s housing stock predates 1978, with 21,000 units constructed pre-1940.
Interested tenants should contact the county’s childhood lead program at (201) 634-2780.
Lead in water also a concern
Over the last year, replacement of lead water service lines has been a major concern.
Currently, Suez North America, a private, global water utility, is replacing utility-owned lead pipes in its Bergen and Hudson counties service area on an expedited basis and awaits a decision on a plan to replace customer lead lines now before the state Board of Public Utilities.
Elevated lead drinking water levels were found in over 10 percent of customers sampled by Suez in late 2018, forcing Suez to report the findings and begin a lead line replacement program, under state Department of Environmental Protection regulations.
Suez says it replaced 2,517 lead lines and connectors in the time that has elapsed since, and plans to replace over 2,000 more of its lead lines and connectors this year.
Other news around the county
In a wide-ranging 35-minute speech that touched on dozens of topics, Tedesco spoke of the county’s shared-service agreements, its recent five-year growth rate, a new “workforce housing” initiative, increased county funding for Open Space grants, and the importance of residents taking part in the 2020 census count.
He said the county has 57 shared-service agreements, including a highly-effective consumer protection division shared with Passaic County.
Tedesco said former police detectives hired there have saved “millions and millions of dollars” for county residents harmed by scams and defective products. He noted the elderly are most affected by fraud and scams.
Tedesco noted shared services “is growing by leaps and bounds” and the county shares services with school districts as well as municipalities.
Moreover, a county spokesman said agreements include but are not limited to serving as the health officer to 35 municipalities, providing mechanical services for the repair of government vehicles, fuel provision, cooperative purchasing, 911 dispatch services, data storage services, animal control, emergency and non-emergency equipment, snow plowing, IT support services, street sweeper rental and use of Office of Emergency Management equipment.
Bergen still growing
Tedesco said the “growth rate” in Bergen County’s population over the last five years is 3.7 percent, with Bergen now approaching 1 million residents.
He earlier noted the county as the most densely populated county statewide, which is still growing in population.
He said he hopes to secure funding to increase tourism in Bergen County and work with businesses to make that happen.
He said the county plans to work with a local resident employed at a New York radio station to promote and spotlight Bergen County events and programs to draw visitors to the area.
“From a business perspective… Bergen County continues to grow,” said Tedesco, noting in Hackensack alone, about 4,000 housing units are planned or under construction.
‘Workforce housing’ planned
He noted a planned county effort to finance and provide “workforce housing” by constructing about 100 rental apartment units, mostly studio apartments, on county-owned land opposite 150 River St.
“We are going to have ‘workforce housing,’ the first one ever in Bergen County or the state of New Jersey,” he said to applause.
He said these units would be made available at affordable rental rates to police, firefighters and teachers, and others requiring affordable housing and starting off new careers.
A county spokesman said “workforce housing” will be created in partnership with Bergen County Improvement Authority, and likely to break ground by year end and take 24 months for completion.
The 100 units—geared toward moderate income individuals entering the workforce—will be near a bus depot, office space, parking and retail space, he said.
County Open Space funds
Tedesco said $18 million was distributed in 2019 open space grants to Bergen’s 70 municipalities for 74 projects.
“That was 30 percent of the money that we actually collected,” said Tedesco, noting a county fee of .01 percent of county taxes is dedicated to its open space fund.
He said another 70 percent of Bergen’s Open Space trust fund is used by the county to fund its 9,000-acre park system, purchase open space and buy out flood-prone properties.
“There’s a huge benefit to that [open space] funding and I continue to thank everybody for supporting that because it’s really making a difference,” said Tedesco of freeholders’ support to up the county fee for open space funding.
Make the 2020 census count
He told business leaders of the magnitude of how important it is getting the census count right.
“The impact [to Bergen County] is in the tens of millions of dollars,” he noted.
Tedesco said the county’s federal community development funding was based on census population numbers, as is funding for a federal home rehabilitation program that helps Bergen County homeowners pay for and fix up homes to allow them to maintain ownership.
He said road resurfacing improvements play a key role in an area’s economic health and quality of life, and road resurfacing funding comes from federal coffers based on census counts.
A county spokesman also urged county residents to access the U.S. Census Bureau website and share census bureau news and information products. In addition, participation on a U.S. Census complete count committee may “help spread the word about how the census is easy, safe and important,” he added.
‘Don’t get our fair share’
“I encourage all of you to go on the [county] website and complete the survey. I also encourage all of you to talk about it in a positive manner because it is [positive], and understand how important it is to us as a county because we certainly don’t get our fair share of money that we contribute to the federal government or the state, in return back,” added Tedesco.
Tedesco told leaders about a new county parks master plan prepared to help improve and maintain the county’s 9,000-acre park system.
He cited new attractions such as a waterpark at Darlington County Park, Mahwah, and the fourth annual Winter Wonderland held at Van Saun Park, Paramus.
“It’s like Bryant Park [New York City] but ours is better and cheaper,” he said.
The Paramus attraction closed in mid-January but ice skating remains open until Feb. 23.
