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In RIVER VALE, the long-discussed, nearly $15 million Public Safety Complex finally got a green light from Council in late November, with bids likely to go out early this year. Only months ago, council had rejected bids that were about $500,000 to $1 million more. Following initial bids, the council approved bonding for up to $6 million more to cover increasing costs.
Council initially approved bonding for $13.3 million to cover the project’s costs in 2021 and recently bonded an extra $6 million following the first round of bids, which all were rejected by council.
While several residents recently questioned the escalating cost of the new complex, and others have questioned the facility’s cost from the outset, the mayor and council say the building must be built due to the lacking, out-of-date police building and previous councils’ lack of action on the issue.
In February 2022, the council hired Epic Management Services, Inc., a construction management company for $378,000 to oversee the anticipated 18-month Public Safety Complex project, including bid specs, building construction, and daily construction activities. The bidding process and construction schedule are likely to become known following bid acceptance by the council.
While the local Board of Education’s Nov. 7, 2023 referendum to hire three armed security officers for schools was defeated by voters, it was unclear if the district would pursue other options to bolster elementary and middle school security.