April 15, 2025 Council Meeting

Apr 23

Below you will find a summary of the main points from the April 2025 Council Meeting. The full meeting is available to watch by clicking here.

2025 EXECUTIVE BUDGET

The 2025 Budget was introduced and on May 20th there will be a public budget hearing.

Total budget $18,499,460, with $13,401,341 raised by taxes, and $5,098,118 raised by other revenues (state aid, cell tower fees, grants, etc.).
Taxes will increase 3.8 percent this year.
Large budget cuts were required due to large increases in required spending, however details on these cuts were not part of the presentation.
Water rates are going up by 4% this year.
Spending increased $390,337.00 since 2024, and the largest increases included: Healthcare for borough employees ($251k); New garbage contract (200k); Police salary and wages ($162.5k), Streets and roads ($87k); Retirement program for volunteers ($60k); liability insurance ($26.4k); and Utilities ($24k).

PRESENTATION ON THE SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

A Special Improvement District (SID) is created by municipal ordinance and funded by a $150 annual assessment per business (excluding churches and single-family homes). Managed by the non-profit Ringwood Business Improvement District Management Corporation, the SID enhances the appearance, services, and economic vitality of local business areas.

The board will include:

2 governing body members (Borough Manager and the Director of Economic Development)
3 business/property owners
1 at-large member

The SID covers shopping centers on Skyline Drive through Robert Erskine School and the area between Haskell Paving and the liquor store. The Corporation will support marketing, infrastructure (e.g. streetlights, sidewalks), beautification, and business growth. It can also apply for grants and loans.

SKYLINE DRIVE REDEVELOPMENT

As widely expected, Azarian will be applying for Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) for the redevelopment and has hired a financial consultant for the PILOT application. They have hired an architect for shopping center improvements, are preparing renderings and financials and are tentatively set to present to the public on May 20. As widely expected by residents, progress with Azarian is slower than the Borough’s initial timeline.

They are also in negotiations to grant an easement for the Borough to gain access to the only developable lot on the Pagano property — a parcel the Borough controversially purchased for $1 million last year without any clear plan for its use, marking an unprecedented and costly move for taxpayers.

BOROUGH MANAGER’S REPORT

The town received an $80,000 grant from the Department of Community Affairs to begin rehabilitation work on the roller hockey rink adjacent to Hewitt School. The town is also providing matching funds.

•Cell tower on Cannici Drive – town received bids from the 3 telecom carriers that have been on the tower to continue leasing space for $48,000 per year with 3% increase per year.

Skyline Lakes Drive and Canterbury Road intersection has been realigned into a 3-way stop to help promote traffic calming. Drainage improvements are complete. Milling and paving are anticipated to be completed in the late April to early May timeframe.

Cheshire Lane water main break repairs are complete. Total cost ~$125,000.

Pima road granite block curbing installation was completed last fall and milling and paving is scheduled in the late April to early May timeframe.

NEW ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 2025-#04 - This ordinance authorizes the town to increase the budget by 3.5% over last year’s budget and to create a 2025 “cap bank” of the difference between the maximum authorized budget and the actual budget spend, to be available for the town to draw down in case of need during the next 2 years.

Ordinance No. 2025-#05 - The ordinance amends the ordinance marking municipal parks and recreation areas as being closed December 1st to March 15th to include town playgrounds. This change was made for liability reasons, as the playgrounds are not maintained in winter (snow shoveled, walkways salted) and the frozen ground is an injury risk for children using playground equipment.

Ordinance No. 2025-#06 - This ordinance increases the fee for indoor and outdoor storage of towed/impounded vehicles to be paid by the vehicle owner in order to bring those rates in line with neighboring towns.

Ordinance No. 2025-#07 - This ordinance authorizes the creation of a Special Improvement District in Ringwood, as discussed above.

MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

A Ringwood resident was killed on Skyline Drive earlier this month, the Borough Manager has been in contact with the Country, involving the engineering department and police department, to find a solution to make Skyline Drive safer.

EXECUTIVE SESSION