Politics & Government

Ridgewood Council Bonds $5.7 Million

Capital improvements come in the form of new vehicles for the fleet, street paving and upgrades for Ridgewood Water, among others.

A bevy of new vehicles will soon replace some of the village's aging fleet following the council's unanimous decision to approve $5.7 million in capital spending.

Roughly $3.8 million of the total will be allocated to the general capital fund.

The police department will receive $143,000, to go toward body armor replacements, weapons upgrades, and a new police SUV. Ridgewood EMS will receive a replacement for the aging Ambulance 12, at a cost of $25,000.

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The fire department will replace a pumper truck – which has been funded almost in its entirety by federal grants – while also replacing the SUV used by the Fire Prevention SUV, among other ancillary costs. The total costs amount to $55,000.

The Parks and Recreation departments are in line to receive about $250,000. Approximately $180,000 will be funnelled to the new Habernickel Horse Farm. Much of the funding has already been earmarked by a county grant. The remaining sum of capital will go toward sidewalk replacements in the village and also the acquisition of a back hoe and pickup truck to aid in snow plowing.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Upgrades in village computers and servers checks in at $24,000; various IT improvements for the telephone system, police vehicle computers and channel 77 total $49,400.

The biggest single chunk in the general capital budget will be in the form of street resurfacing and reconstruction, at $1.3 million; that line item includes an NJ DOT grant. There are also improvements scheduled for drainage at the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge and Marshall, worth $25,000. A stormwater collection system jet-vac truck will cost $180,000.

Ridgewood Streets workers will be receiving several vehicles, totalling $345,000. Sanitation is in line to receive two packer trucks at $490,000; Recycling will also replace two trucks for $270,000. A new tub grinder at the Lakeview facility rounds out the costs, at $140,000.

Ridgewood Water is also in line to receive some capital cash – $1.9 million. The money will go toward a well treatment facility design, well rehabilitation, storage tank improvement design and construction, computer-based improvements, and water meters, among other assorted costs. A generator at $220,00 was also approved.

Finally, the council agreed to fund $32,900 in new meters for the parking utility.


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