RIVER VALE —The Township Council on April 29 approved the introduction of two bond ordinances—one for general capital improvements and one for upgrades to the township-owned golf course—totaling slightly over $3.3 million.
A public hearing on the ordinances will be held May 20 at town hall. The two bond ordinances total $3,344,973.00. The vote was 4-0, with council president Paul Criscuolo absent.
Ordinance 433-2024 appropriated $1,688,373 for various capital improvements, of which $1,603,953 will be general improvement bonds or notes, states the ordinance. The balance, $84,420, for down payments on bonded improvements, will be covered by previously adopted capital improvement fund budgets, notes the ordinance.
Ordinance 434-2024 appropriates $1,656,600 for various improvements to River Vale Country Club, for which a similar amount of golf course utility bonds will be issued
Bond Ordinance 433-2024 will provide funding for seven capital improvement projects, including $473,000 for improvements to public buildings and properties, including, but not limited to, new roof at Town Hall, Department of Public Works site remediation, and improvements to Veterans Park.
Other improvements include: $116,303 to acquire information technology and telecommunications equipment, such as computers, notebooks; server, radios and pagers for ambulance corps members; communications equipment for the volunteer fire department; and mobile radios for Department of Public Works vehicles.
Another $50,770 bonded appropriation will acquire equipment for the volunteer Fire Department, including firefighters’ personal protective equipment; miscellaneous equipment, hose, nozzles, appliances and equipment. Another $96,800 bonded appropriation covers acquisition of shipping containers for the volunteer Fire Department training center, and a field groomer and brine tank for the Department of Public Works.
Moreover, the general improvement bond includes $495,000 for reconstruction and resurfacing of various roads and streets to Class A standards, as identified on a list in the clerk’s office.
In addition, the bond includes $132,000 for vehicles with gross vehicle weight below 15,000 pounds, including a pickup truck with plow, and a sewer van for the public works department.
What’s more, the bond includes $324,500 for purchase of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight greater than 15,000 pounds. This includes a Kenworth T480 dump truck and snow equipment for the Department of Public Works.
Ordinance 434-2024 calls for issuing $1,656,600 in golf course utility bonds or notes for improvements to the township-owned River Vale Country Club.
Both bond ordinances provide a list of estimated maximum amounts of bonds or notes to be issued for each improvement, plus the period of usefulness of each improvement.
Four improvements are listed on the golf course’s bond ordinance. These include: $27,500 to acquire information technology and telecommunications equipment; $330,000 for clubhouse improvements, upgrades and capital repairs, such as architectural services and a walk-in cooler; $1,138,500 for golf course improvements including walkways, retaining walls and drainage, bunker renovations, level tee boxes, upgrade, extension and repair irrigation system, and maintenance area paving and truss buildings, states the bond ordinance.
“The several improvements or purposes described in Section 3 of this bond ordinance are not current expenses. They are improvements or purposes the Township may lawfully undertake as general improvements, and no part of the costs thereof have been or shall be specially assessed on property specially benefited thereby,” reads the golf course bond ordinance.
$29K change order OK’d
In other news, council approved a $29,463 change order cost increase on the new Public Safety Complex construction contract for site sanitary elevation changes, noted the resolution. In late November 2023, council approved a $14.8 million bid from Dobco Inc. of Wayne to construct the long-awaited complex, and work has begun on site.
The resolution noted the $29,463 change order was subtracted from a $750,000 “contingency allowance,” leaving $720,537 in the contingency fund. The resolution adds that there is no change to the contract sum for this project.
The contingency amount is included in the contract,
(See “Public Safety Complex is a go.” Michael Olohan, Dec. 4, 2023, PascackPress.com).
Council also introduced Ordinance 435-2024 that established position titles and annual salary ranges for non-union municipal employees. A public hearing is scheduled on May 20.
Examples include:
- Administrative Assistant/Communications Coordinator: $60,000–$105,000
- Building Department Secretary: $50,000–$75,000
- Business Administrator: $50,000–$62,000
- Chief Financial Officer: $85,000–$159,500
- Chief of Police: $185,000–$244,000
- Code Enforcement Officer: $45–$85 per hour
- Construction Code Official: $55,000–$85,000
- Director of Public Works: $85,000–$185,000
- Library Director: $90,000–$110,000
- Tax Collector: $60,000–$115,000
- Police Department Administrative Assistant: $55,000–$70,000
- Public Works Secretary: $45,000–$50,000
- Township Clerk: $90,000–$135,000
Under the ordinance, council members receive $7,000 annually, and the mayor $9,000.