John’s Notes on the 05/20/2025 Town Council Meeting

The 4 Million Dollar Bomb…I mean, Bond

The May 20th Township Council agenda includes a $3.8 million bond ordinance that was introduced just two weeks ago. It hasn’t been passed yet, but it’s moving fast — and it deserves more attention.

Most of the funding — $2.78 million — will come from long-term debt. That includes small-ticket items like $15,000 for computers and $7,500 for valve replacements. On their own, these aren’t outrageous, but bundling them together with major building and sewer projects into one ordinance makes it hard for the public to understand what’s essential and what’s not. It also makes it harder to push back on anything — either you accept the whole thing or reject it entirely.

One item worth flagging: about $46,000 is being pulled from the police vehicle reserve fund, while a police vehicle is also being partially funded through this bond. Residents should ask whether this is double-dipping or just poor communication.

There’s also nearly $1.5 million for sewer upgrades — at the same time the township is pushing to sell the sewer plant. Is this needed maintenance, or an effort to get the plant sale-ready while leaving taxpayers with the bill?

Another vague line item: $75,000 for a “radio antenna filter” — no explanation offered in the ordinance.

All of this is being rushed through in a two-week window, and it follows a push for the sewer plant sale that happened during a meeting that wasn’t recorded or made available to the public.

Bill List

Also up for approval is a Bill List totaling $875,366. Some of the bigger-ticket items include:

• $649,000 to Allied Construction for sewer pump and filter work
• $39,000 to Rapid Pump & Meter for repairs and sewer parts
• $25,000 to NJ American Water for hydrants and service
• Plus electric, telecom, and fuel costs across departments

This spending isn’t part of the new bond (or it shouldn’t be) — that money hasn’t been authorized yet — but it shows the scale of ongoing capital expenses the Township is racking up.

No-Bid Contracts and Political Connections

Two of the vendors getting contracts on this agenda — Neglia Group and Rapid Pump & Meter — have political donation histories.

Neglia is set to receive nearly $100,000 for work on Sherman Avenue. According to our tracking, that brings the firm’s 2025 total to about $435,000 in Township contracts so far. Neglia’s donations to local and county campaigns are well documented.

Rapid Pump & Meter is lined up for a $30,000 contract for a sewer-related installation. A quick ELEC search shows the company gave $1,550 to political committees, including those tied to Paul Sarlo, between 2007 and 2016. A prior authorization for ~5,000 allocating funds to Rapid was approved earlier this year (also no bid) through the Bergen County Cooperative. .

These awards are legal under New Jersey’s contracting laws — but they’re worth watching, especially given how often these names keep showing up on the agenda.

If approved they will be added to our spreadsheet.

Police Rates Are Going Up

The Council is also introducing an ordinance to raise the rates for hiring off-duty police officers. The new rates are:

• $90/hour per officer, plus a $15 administrative fee
• $105/hour for holidays, nights, or last-minute coverage
• $30/hour if a Township police vehicle is used

These rates shouldn’t affect the school district’s SRO or SLEO contracts — those are separate. But it does raise a question: Is the school district ever paying for regular-hour police presence on top of what we’re already funding through contracts? We reached out to the Board of Education to find out.

Fire Works or Light Show?

The Mt. Carmel Feast has become a sore spot for many residents, as a 100-year tradition now hangs in the balance—threatened by a County plan to build yet another park.

This year, it appears the event is moving to Little Flower. Depending on which version you believe—either the council-endorsed media’s “light show” or the official agenda’s mention of fireworks—the celebration may look very different.

One wonders: Will Nossa Senhora gaze down on the joyful tradition we’ve come to cherish, or will she be greeted by a surreal display of strange lights and a soundtrack from Pink Floyd’s The Wall?

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