BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Mayor John Ruocco spoke to “significant challenges ahead” in his state of the borough address at the governing body’s annual reorganization meeting Jan. 6.
Covering safety, infrastructure, parks and recreation, municipal services, quality of life, and finances, Ruocco said the council had accomplished much over the past year but can’t afford to rest on its laurels.
His first priority was to thank the borough’s employees and volunteers for their combined efforts in keeping Hillsdale a safe and attractive town.
He singled out the police force, DPW, paid professional administrative staff, Volunteer Fire Department, Emergency Management staff, and Ambulance Corps.
Also Jan. 6, the Volunteer Fire Department had its reorganization meeting.
The governing body said goodbye to Councilman Scott Karcich, who was praised for making valuable contributions in his term, and welcomed new councilmember John Escobar.
Councilmember Abby Lundy was sworn in for a new three-year term, Council President Frank Pizzella was renewed in his post for 2019, and Tom Kelley was sworn in as chief of the Hillsdale Fire Department.
CHALLENGES AHEAD
Removing the transfer station and improving the tax base
According to Ruocco in his state of the borough speech, Hillsdale’s legal obligation to make good on its affordable housing commitments will involve new administrative expenses, which he panned as an unfunded mandate from Trenton.
He said Hillsdale “is fortunate that it has limited land available for development and is being spared the severe demands made of neighboring towns by the Fair Share Housing Corp.”
Ruocco said that “The presence of Waste Management Inc. in town continues to cloud our future, and we will continue to seek their departure, mindful of the need to monitor and control our legal expenses.”
Closely tied to that, he said, is redeveloping the properties in the industrial area without resorting to the use of eminent domain, so that existing property owners focus on improvement rather than opposition.
“This will improve our tax base, slow the rate of property tax increases for all of us, and help us satisfy our affordable housing obligations,” he said.
Preserving the Pascack Valley Regional School District
Saying “We must continue to oppose efforts by Woodcliff Lake and Montvale to withdraw from the Pascack Valley Regional School District,” Ruocco warned, “Withdrawal would materially increase our taxes while jeopardizing the academic and athletic offerings available to our children.”
He said the reputation of the district is a key driver supporting property values and that it would be irresponsible to put that at risk.”
Investing in roads, equipment, and the firehouse
Ruocco said the borough must budget at least $500,000 annually to maintain its roads, and continue to invest in equipment to be used by the DPW to remove snow and leaves and groom parks, fields, and playgrounds.
He added, “At the same time, the capital needs of our police department and fire department must continue to be worked into the budget, lest we fall behind in being able to address the safety needs of our residents.”
He said the has already budgeted for the replacement of the firehouse roof in 2019.
Investing in sports and rec
According to Ruocco, local sports associations seek improvements to the borough’s athletic fields and recreational facilities, “possibly well over $1 million” overall.
He said these requests are “not without merit, both from a safety and quality of life perspective,” as such amenities play a crucial role in attracting families with young children and enhance the overall reputation of the Borough.
“Savvy debt issuance, prudently timed capital expense planning, the talents of an experienced municipal CFO supported by outside experts, and hopefully some fund-raising by the sports associations are likely to be needed,” he said.
Ruocco said that “Adding to the challenge will be how…making improvements to Stonybrook and the possible addition of a community center there can be accommodated at roughly the same time. These projects too could cost several million dollars.”
Stretching the tax dollar
Ruocco said much will depend on the council’s ability and willingness to take steps “to make our tax dollars go farther, economize where we can, and avoid unnecessary spending.”
Last year’s property tax increase kept to “a modest level” and paid down approximately $400,000 in debt, which now stands at $3.4 million, Ruocco said.
He said that’s all the more impressive as the borough “is in a financial vise that is getting tighter.” He noted that the new garbage contract increased by $130,000 each year, and annual pension costs increased by almost $90,000.
Meanwhile, he said, the town has been assuming “a much larger portion of the expense of keeping a school resource officer at the high school than the regional school board is willing to reimburse us for. The council needs to address this.”
He warned that homeowners would feel the pinch because Hillsdale has little in the way of commercial property.
Last year, for example, while the town kept the municipal property tax increase at a level consistent with the prior few years, Hillsdale bumped up against its 2 percent levy cap.
He said, “I don’t see Trenton taking steps to help us escape the vise,” and said it was important to “press the regional high school district to assume their fair share of what it costs us to keep a school resource officer on the police force. And it is why this council needs to seriously weigh its options in overhauling our aging police dispatch function.”
Shared services
Ruocco said “The time would seem to be ripe” for a shared service arrangement with the county or even with other towns.
He estimated as “considerable” the technological and financial advantages of partnering with the county, and said Hillsdale “needs to be in a position where its operations are up to 21st century standards for safety, administrative, and financial reasons.”
On that theme, he said the county is willing to arrange open houses at its Public Safety Operations Center for residents who want to learn more and that the county has offered to meet with local first responders and citizens.
“I implore the council and our first responders not to let this educational opportunity pass,” he said.
Ruocco also credited departing Fire Chief Patrick Doody, who last year “put up a trial balloon to the other Pascack Valley fire departments regarding the age-old question of how much equipment each town really needs.”
He asked, “Can we regionalize that aspect of our operations by sharing equipment?”
2018’s accomplishments
According to Ruocco, Hillsdale has much to celebrate from 2018. The borough:
- Obtained grants to improve sidewalk safety for children on Piermont Avenue and near the high school, as well as grants to install ADA compliant ramps for disabled residents.
- Saw additional special law enforcement officers assigned to the local and regional high school, and expanded the police force to provide a school resource officer at the high school.
- Landed a grant for more than $200,000 to replace Fire Department breathing apparatus.
- Replaced the roof over Borough Hall.
- Approved Gayle and Paul Gross’s $1 million donation to the Public Library. The donation, which will be funded in installments of $100,000 a year over the next decade, is to support new or expanded library programs and initiatives with an eye toward innovations that will attract and involve all facets of the community.
- Made gains in planning for repairs of the train station and in laying the groundwork for its restoration.
- Set a six-year capital improvement plan covering all departments, “including a commitment to consistently budget for a road repaving plan that better meets the needs of the residents.”
- Completed enhancements to the Beechwood Park bandshell area and planned and executed an impressive Fall Festival and a series of summer concerts, “all of which were well received.”
- Landed outside funding for improvements to the downtown Veterans Park Memorial.
- Inaugurated a forestry management program with the assistance of an arborist, who will guide officials in budgeting funds for greater tree removals and trimming.
- Saw the parking situation at Demarest Farms stabilize pursuant to the agreement obtained from the County Farm Board and through the coordinated efforts of the Police Department.
- “Passed several pieces of legislation that improved the life of the average homeowner,” including an easing of building variance requirements to make it easier for homeowners to improve their property, a noise ordinance, and an ordinance controlling the sale of marijuana.
- Adopted a Floodplain Acquisition Plan “that sets forth a rational environmental and ecological approach to minimize the effects of flooding in the Glenwood Park neighborhood, and increases our eligibility for grant monies to purchase properties.”
The Borough Council next meets Tuesday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at 380 Hillsdale Ave.