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Mayor’s Message
March 2001

2001 has been another busy year for the Mayor and Council. No matter what challenges we have overcome, our main mission is still how to best utilize your hard earned tax dollars entrusted to us. This year, I am pleased to announce that the 2001 municipal government tax rate as adopted at $0.196 per $100.00 of assessed valuation represents a slight decrease compared to last year’s budget. This tax cut was accomplished with the sharp knife of finance chairman Councilman Andy Link, Councilman Bert Hereen and Borough Administrator Michael Kronyak. More good news, because of a new state law reducing our pension contribution which our own Assemblywoman Rose Heck co-sponsored, there is a good possibility that our municipal tax rate may drop even further!

The 2001 capital budget portion includes initial spending for the new Municipal Center which includes the Library and Senior Center and the new Municipal Public Safety Center housing the Court, Police and Fire Departments. There is also funding for a new Fire Apparatus(Pumper) for Engine Company No. 1 and the resurfacing of numerous borough streets with no loss of services to the people we serve.

Streets to be resurfaced funded from the 2001 budget are: LaSalle Avenue from the Boulevard to Oak Grove, Paterson Ave. from Terrace to Burton, Kipp from Boulevard to Terrace(State Grant), Summit Street- entire length and Plant Road.

Streets that will be resurfaced this spring from last year’s budget are: Kipp Avenue from the Boulevard to Woodside Avenue, Wood Street Lincoln Avenue to Passaic Avenue, Collins Avenue from Rt 46 to Coolidge Avenue, Cleveland Avenue from Terrace Avenue to Wood Street, Longview Avenue-entire length, Ottawa Avenue-Burton Avenue to Rt 17(State Grant)

We are streamlining borough government to be more efficient and user friendly. We are taking advantage of a state statute allowing us to eliminate the Zoning Board of Adjustment and turn its statutory powers over to the Planning Board. Our congratulations to a job well done to Zoning Board members past and present who dedicated themselves to the improvement of our community. Moreover, I congratulate Planning Board Chairman Henry Dobbelaar and Zoning Board Chairman Bob Searle for initiating the board consolidation. As I have previously stated at our public meetings, Mr. Dobbelaar and Mr. Searle represent all that is good about the volunteers that serve us by their unselfish dedication in putting the good of the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights above their own interests.

The Mayor and Council has requested that the Planning Board and Zoning Boards conduct a joint meeting to review the Site Plan for proposed Municipal Center which includes the Library and Senior Center between Central and Madison Avenues on the Boulevard. This is the first time the Zoning and Planning Boards have met jointly since the Zoning Board’s inception over 50 years ago. The historic joint board gave final approval to the Site Plan on March 14th. This project will now go into the design development phase with planned groundbreaking this fall.

The Boulevard Revitalization program will be presented for public comment at a meeting of the Planning Board in April or May. The plan which proposes new concrete side walks with pavers, colonial street lamps benches and streetscapes, design specs for new or altered store frontage, incentives for improvements, a complete overhaul over our permitted zoning uses, a forestry management plan for borough trees and a new parking plan. These improvements beautify the Boulevard while at the same time making it safer with improvements to slow down traffic and improve pedestrian safety. It is these improvements that make us eligible for federal grants which we will aggressively pursue.

Pursuant to our new contract with Cablevision, we will have access to a Pubic TV Chanel to televise community events. The contract also requires Cablevision to wire all public buildings including all the schools for Cable TV. Cablevision also will provide television cameras and other equipment for broadcasting. We hope to get this new service in operation by summer.

As always, if you have any questions, I can be reached at 201-288-7608.

[Mayor's Corner]

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