April 13, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 5 Ho-Ho-Kus Council opposes shared services bill in current form by Jennifer Crusco Responding to an advisory from New Jersey League of Municipalities Executive Director William G. Dressel Jr., the Ho-Ho-Kus Council has approved a resolution opposing State Senate President Steve Sweeney’s proposed shared services bill in its current form. The council’s resolution urges its state representatives to communicate the need for amendments to S-2794. In its present form, the bill would amend the statutes that created the Local Unit Alignment Reorganization and Consolidation Commission, and provide that entity with increased powers and duties in matters of shared service proposals. The resolution notes that the bill includes objectionable features, including permission for the LUARCC to send a consolidation or shared service proposal to the voters. “If a majority of the voters of a municipality do not approve a shared services proposal, or if a municipality or other entity identified in a proposed shares services agreement does not enter into an implement the proposed shared services agreement within 14 months following voter approval, the state shall annually reduce the total amount of state aid allocated to that municipality or entity by the total net savings estimated in the proposal,” the NJLM advisory states. Dressel’s communiqué also states, “Beyond our confusion regarding the meaning of the term ‘state aid,’ we must oppose any proposal which would, on the one hand, allow the voters to express their will; but, on the other hand, inform those voters that they will be punished, if their will does not comport with that of a majority of the appointed members of the LUARCC.” In addition, the advisory states that the league opposes the “imposition of a legislative veto of a LUARCC proposal, instead of vesting that decision in local elected officials.” The advisory acknowledges, “We share with Senator Sweeney the commitment to provide meaningful, lasting relief to New Jersey’s property taxpayers. His leadership in On April 16, Ho-Ho-Kus Boy Scout Troop 54 will hold its annual Pancake Breakfast and Scouting for Food event at the Community Church, 400 Warren Avenue in Ho-HoKus from 8 to 11 a.m. The all-you-can-eat breakfast is $8 per adult; $5 for children and seniors. The Ho-Ho-Kus Cub Scouts ask residents to fill the bags the troop has been leaving at homes in town and leave them on the front porch for collection on April 16 before 9 a.m. The boys will be joining Scouts around the country in the Scouting for Food collection. Troop 54 will transport the filled bags to local food banks. Residents may also bring their bags directly to the HoHo-Kus Community Church on April 16 before 11 a.m. Scouting for Food, Pancake Breakfast set promoting shared services is part of that commitment. By removing many of the roadblocks that increase the costs of shared services – things like terminal leave pay, civil service mandates, employee tenure requirements – many of the provisions in Senator Sweeney’s bill could reduce the costs of shared services and consolidations, produce municipal savings, and promote relief for our property taxpayers.” When the Ho-Ho-Kus Council voted to oppose S-2794 as written, Mayor Thomas Randall explained that the borough is not averse to shared service agreements and, in fact, participates in many. He stressed that the borough is opposed to being forced to participate in such agreements. “It’s always better when you can calmly analyze the situation and see what needs to be done, rather than be forced into an agreement for the sake of a shared service,” Ho-HoKus Borough Administrator Don Cirulli summarized. Cirulli recently told Villadom TIMES that the borough will soon formalize a new shared service agreement. According to Cirulli, the Borough of Paramus’ mechanical maintenance department will be making repairs on HoHo-Kus fire trucks at a cost of $65 per hour. Repairs were recently carried out by Paramus on an emergency basis, Cirulli noted. He pointed out that the borough usually brings its fire trucks to a location in Pennsylvania, and pays $100 per hour for the repairs. The administrator noted that the anticipated agreement with Paramus will allow the borough to save on the hourly fee and on travel costs. SAT LAST DITCH? Your SAT Verbal-Writing-Math scores can go up 100 points or more before the cut-off. We’ve been doing it for years. Verbal-writing $60 per hour. Math $70 per hour. References from Princeton, Cooper Union, Cornell, NYU, many from Rutgers 62 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick • 201-389-3961 �������� DRY CLEANING starting at ����� $350 $1 00 Men’s dry cleaning * Shirts *with any Try it, Feel it, Love it. 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