Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • March 16, 2011 Waldwick Waldwick Police officer Thomas Dowling was sworn in as the department’s newest sergeant during last week’s meeting of the Mayor and Council as a full house of well-wishers looked on. “I’m proud of this honor and look forward to the challenges it holds,” said the 17-year department veteran. “I work with a great group of men and look forward to many more years with the department.” Dowling joined the police department in 1994 as a dispatcher and was sworn in as a police officer in 1995. He currently serves as the department’s Bias Officer, Alarm Enforcement Officer, updates the department’s business files, and has served as a Field Training Officer for new hires. His promotion, and a salary of $123,000 as per the police contract, become effective March 14. A lifelong Waldwick resident, Dowling graduated from Waldwick High School in 1988. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Ramapo College of NJ and is a certified EMT. He is married and has four children. At right: Sgt. Tom Dowling takes the oath of office from Borough Clerk Paula Jaegge, right, as his family looks on. Officer Thomas Dowling promoted to sergeant The Waldwick’ town council last week introduced a budget for 2011 that is lower than 2010’s spending plan. The $13,555,841 proposed budget is down $40,009 from 2010’s budget. The overall expense reduction is due mainly to retirements in the police department, according to Councilwoman Anita Bozzo, the council’s finance committee chairman. She praised Borough Administrator Gary Kratz and Chief Financial Officer Mary Ann Viviani for producing a lower bottom line in the face of rising costs. “They did a great job,” she said. The fixed financial obligations increased by $285,822. Sewer charges Town council budget is leaner than last year’s to the Northwest Berger County Utilities Authority are up $76,751. Employee pension contributions jumped $122,899 and health benefits costs increased by $56,172. Additionally, the borough had to increase by $30,000 the reserve for uncollected taxes based on the previous year’s data. Taxes will go up slightly, however, because less surplus than in previous years will be applied to the new budget. “We want to have more of a cushion. We don’t know what will happen this year, and we want to have it to lean against,” Bozzo said. The new budget anticipates $805,000 or 37.7 percent of the surplus balance. In 2009, $918,000 or 44.8 percent was anticipated. The tax rate will go up from $.544 to $.551 per $100 of assessed valuation. Annual taxes on a house assessed at $416,000, the borough’s average, will increase by $29.12 for municipal purposes only. “It’s a modest increase, but we will be able to continue all the services we enjoy. We made sacrifices last year, and those past decisions helped us weather the storm. We challenged our employees, and they responded well,” commented Councilman Don Sciolaro. Councilman Frank Palladino, who voted no on the budget introduction, said that even though the budget shows the lowest increase in years, he would like to approach future budgets “starting at 0 percent and working backwards.” Former Mayor Frank McKenna, present in the audience, said he supported the decision to reinstate the full amount of the mayor and council members’ salaries, which were reduced by half last year as a cost-savings measure. “It was not the right thing to do. You should get the full amount you had been getting. Some of you earned that,” he said. Council members will now get $1,500, with the mayor receiving $2,000. Just a Click Away! CHECK OUR WEBSITE www.waldwickchamber.com www.villadom.com Thousands r of Readers Ove se and Above Tho r u Who Receive O Paper in the Mail! Visit Our Website: Direct Links to Advertisers’ Websites! Read Our Other Editions Too! Current & Past!