FARMINGDALE – The Borough Council has adopted an $854,846 budget for 2017 that will raise municipal taxes by $9 for an individual who owns a home that is assessed at the borough average of $300,000.
A public hearing on the budget was held during the council’s June 20 meeting. No residents commented on the budget.
Council President Michael Romano reviewed the budget with the members of the council and with Chief Financial Officer Robbin Kirk.
Voting to adopt the budget were Romano, Councilman Erich Brandl, Councilwoman Kaaren Corallo, Councilman George Dyevoich, Councilwoman Patricia A. Linszky and Councilman Dr. Don Steinfeld.
Mayor James A. Daly was not present at the meeting.
The municipal budget of $854,846 will be supported by a tax levy of $379,638. Officials will use $465,744 from Farmingdale’s surplus account (savings) as revenue in the budget. The borough will receive $137,208 in state aid.
According to the budget, Farmingdale’s municipal tax rate will increase from 24.1 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2016 to 24.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2017.
There are 355 homes in the borough and they are assessed at a total of $106.54 million, yielding an average assessment of $300,117. The owner of that home will pay about $732 in municipal taxes in 2017, after paying $723 in municipal taxes in 2016.
In addition to municipal taxes, property owners also pay Farmingdale Public School taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes and Monmouth County taxes as part of their total tax bill.
Planned projects include road improvements for Walnut and Water streets. Kirk said the borough has received a $255,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation to cover a portion of the costs.
The estimated total cost of the road improvements is $1 million, with $13,500 appropriated in the 2017 capital improvement fund and $267,000 in authorized debt. A total of $350,000 for the road improvements will be funded in future years, according to the capital budget.
There are plans to continue the Main Street streetscape improvements. Kirk said Farmingdale has received Community Development Block Grant funding in the amount of $144,143 to cover a portion of the costs.
“We are also planning improvements in our water system which will include rehab of the water tower which is estimated to be $500,000, as well as other system improvements,” Kirk said.
The water system improvements will cost $1.5 million, with $50,000 appropriated in the 2017 capital improvement fund and $950,000 in authorized debt. A total of $500,000 for the water system improvements will be funded in future years, according to the capital budget.
In other business, council members voted to appoint Jim Hermann to the Planning and Zoning Board. The council appointed Brett Hebrew as a part-time Department of Public Works employee.
The council voted to confirm committee appointments. The committees oversee different aspects of the borough.
Corallo and Steinfeld were appointed to the COAH Committee (affordable housing) and Dyevoich was appointed chairman. Dyevoich and Romano were appointed to Finance and Linszky was appointed chairwoman. Corallo, Romano and Steinfeld were appointed to Personnel/Computers.
Linszky and Corallo were appointed to Buildings and Grounds and Brandl was appointed chairman. Dyevoich and Brandl were appointed to Streets and Roads and Steinfeld was appointed chairman. Linszky and Brandl were appointed to Water and Sewer and Romano was appointed chairman.
Daly was appointed to Office of Emergency Management/Safety Oversight.
The council renewed two liquor licenses for July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. Academy Street Partners LLC (Woody’s Roadside Tavern) had its consumption license renewed and Niceolette LLC (Farmingdale Liquors) had its distribution license renewed.
