Wyckoff
February 3, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 11
Connolly offers frank assessment of budget process
by John Koster Wyckoff Township Committeeman David Connolly pulled no punches about what the governing body and Wyckoff employees, can expect from the 2010 municipal budget. “It is a nightmare,” Connolly said at last week’s work session. Wyckoff is taking precautions to minimize hardships the committee members anticipate if state mandates continue to impose on the township as state aid dwindles. “There’s a real wild card out there – there is the $300,000 from the library,” said Mayor Rudy Boonstra. Boonstra and Township Committeeman Brian Scanlan emerged last week from a four and a half hour meeting with the entire Wyckoff Library Board and a tentative agreement that $307,000 which the State of New Jersey mandated for the Wyckoff Public Library could be returned to the municipal budget if the State Librarian agrees and if all the necessary paperwork can be completed in time. “I think we really should have this money for the taxpayers,” Connolly said. “We need this. Our budget is looking very difficult as it is – that $300,000 is huge.” The township committee also considered shopping for insurance from the Joint Insurance Fund rather than going with the state’s policy, which is going up 22 percent this year based on projections. Scanlan, the governing body’s lone Democrat, said his corporation was expecting a 19 percent increase, but the township committee said a three percent savings is worth considering in times like these. Scanlan also said one way to save on insurance costs without harming employees is to buy into policies with big deductibles -- $4,000 was mentioned – and then agree to pay the deductible for the employee if necessary. “That’s a good suggestion,” Connolly responded. Scott Fisher, head of the road department, had already been asked how he and his workers could save the township some money. Fisher suggested the road department could take over cutting the grass at Wyckoff Community Park, saving about $4,000 of the $9,200 previously paid to outside contractors. “That’s a lot right now,” Committeemen Kevin Rooney noted.
Wyckoff Township Committee members again agreed to waive their honorariums for 2010. They first did so in 2009 due to the tight economic conditions that began to emerge in the fall of 2008. The township already reportedly has the lowest ratio of public employees to residents in Bergen County. A safety program is credited with saving money on insurance costs and the township maintains sinking funds to defray the purchase prices of big-ticket items like fire engines. However, the township committee members agreed that even more had to be done to keep costs down. “Obviously the big question is the state,” said Committeeman Christopher De Phillips. “We’re waiting for that final decision from the state before we know where we’re going.”
Members of Branches, the Saint Elizabeth’s Church Youth Group, are participating in a national movement to transform Super Bowl weekend into the nation’s largest youth-led weekend of giving and serving through the “Souper Bowl of Caring.” On Super Bowl Sunday, the teens will collect donations in large soup pots and donate everything to the Center for Food Action in Mahwah. Souper Bowl of Caring began in 1990 after Brad Smith, a South Carolina pastor, led a Super Bowl Sunday prayer: “Lord, as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us
‘Souper Bowl’ food collection set
be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat.” Youth group members were inspired to collect money for local hunger-relief charities. Since that time, this simple project has grown into a national movement. Every penny and every food item collected goes directly to a charity selected by each participating group. Teens will accept cash donations and canned goods at Saint Elizabeth’s Church, 700 Wyckoff Avenue, Wyckoff on Feb. 6, between 5 and 6 p.m. and Feb. 7, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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