May 20, 2025 Meeting
Here’s what has happened at this Month’s Council Meeting!
Welcome to our monthly council blog! It is always an honor to take the opportunity to recap the council meeting and to discuss important events going on in our community.
Last night, we presented and adopted the budget. This was the most challenging budget cycle I have ever participated in. This year, all municipalities saw two big drivers of increased budgets which are employee health insurance and benefits and a significant increase in garbage collection. Both are contractual obligations. Every municipality and BOE’s across NJ were faced with increasing prices and inflationary pressures making governing bodies have to carefully weigh services and needs against taxpayer burdens. It becomes like a game of chess employing strategies to be able to present the best budget possible for the community. As a result, after cutting $1.8 million from the budget we are looking at a 3.8% increase which equates to an increase of $106.35 to the average assessed home.
In attendance to discuss the budget were CFO Debbie Buchanan, Brian Gibbons, our auditor from Nisivoccia and Borough Manager, Scott Heck. Scott presented a very thorough and user-friendly slideshow detailing the various revenues, expenditures, departments, etc. This can be found by clicking here.
Mr. Heck made some very important points, one of which is that ALL departments received some form of a cut in their budget. This shared sacrifice was necessary in getting to this point. Thank you to Debbie, Scott, Brian and the finance committee for the countless hours spent on the 2025 budget.
Budget
Around the Community
What’s new in our business community?
Council Meeting Blog
Pagano Property Purchase
What’s new in our Business Community?
Last night we had the initial reading of a new ordinance to create a Special Business District. The Special Improvement District is established by municipal ordinance and funded through special assessments on properties within the district. The Special Improvement District provides a mechanism for businesses and property owners of the community to organize as a single entity, to raise funds for activities that enhance or expand upon municipal services, and through a District Management Corporation, to manage themselves to become a more effective destination for commerce.
The purpose of the Special Improvement District is to:
Enhance the cohesive appearance and functionality of the business district.
Promote economic growth and employment within the district.
Provide supplemental services that go beyond what the municipality offers.
Promote tourism initiatives.
Provide events, marketing, promotion, streetscape, and beautification projects to enhance the districts overall appearance.
Photo credit: Tom Conway
Understanding the Pagano Property Purchase
In 2024 The Borough of Ringwood had been in active litigation for 9 years with a developer (Pagano) who wanted to build 100 plus affordable units on the Skyline Drive corridor. With no end to the expensive litigation in sight, we were presented with the opportunity to purchase the property and control the situation or take the chance that the courts decide what would happen to that property. This council was not willing to let the courts decide our destiny so we purchased the property. This property screams potential as it is a gateway from the shopping center to the Erskine area. As your elected officials, we will be gathering ideas for best uses of the property in order to maximize it for the Ringwood residents and business owners. It is an endless opportunity to enhance our community!
WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT JUDGE DEL SARDO APPROVED OUR REVISED AFFORDABLE HOUSING SETTLEMENT WITH THE FAIR SHARE HOUSING CENTER AT A FAIRNESS HEARING HELD ON MAY 8, 2025.
THIS WAS A REVISED SETTLEMENT BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS JUDGE ASSIGNED TO THE CASE WANTED THE BOROUGH TO CONSIDER HOW TO ADDRESS THE PROPERTIES OWNED BY MR. PAGANO. RESOLVING THIS ISSUE TOOK TIME, BUT ULTIMATELY, THE BOROUGH ACQUIRED HIS PROPERTY LAST YEAR, ENABLING US TO MOVE FORWARD.
SKYLINE LAKES DRIVE PHASE 2 OF THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETE. THE ROAD WILL BE STRIPED FROM THE BEACH PARKING LOT THROUGH 409 SKYLINE LAKES DRIVE IN THE COMING WEEKS.
PHASE 3 IS CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN FOR THE MILLING, PAVING, DRAINAGE AND GUIDE RAILS THAT WILL BEGIN AT 412 SKYLINE LAKES DRIVE AND END AT THE INTERSECTION OF OAKWOOD DRIVE.
WE ANTICIPATE CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN IN THE FALL.
In the Community
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN CARING FOR RINGWOOD DAY! WE HAD 62 PARTICIPANTS. THANKS TO SCOTT CONLEY AND THE DPW FOR PLANNING AND ASSISTING THIS EVENT.
THANK YOU TO THE DPW FOR THEIR HARD WORK GETTING 129 HOMETOWN HERO BANNERS OUT!
COME JOIN US FOR A BUSINESS RESOURCE SEMINAR ON MAY 28, 2025 AT 9:30AM AT THE RINGWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCATED AT 30 CANNICI DRIVE, RINGWOOD, NJ 07456.
LEARN ABOUT GRANTS, LOANS, BUSINESS RESOURCES AND BUSINESS ASSISTANCE. FOR QUESTIONS OR TO RSVP TO ATTEND PLEASE EMAIL KHOLTON@RINGWOODNJ.NET. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR FLYER
CHECK OUT THE PARKS AND RECREATION PAGE FOR SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATIONS AS WELL AS YOUTH FALL SPORTS REGISTRATIONS!
