August 28, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 Franklin Lakes Senior citizens request rent control ordinance by Frank J. McMahon Residents of the Horizons at Franklin Lakes, a senior citizen housing complex located on Courter Road near the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Colonial Road, have asked Mayor Frank Bivona and the Franklin Lakes Council to adopt an ordinance that would limit the monthly increases in rent to a two percent ceiling on all lease renewals. About 40 seniors came to last week’s meeting of the governing body and complained about recent rent increases of between $150 and $642 per month on lease renewals, and water treatment charges of from $28 for a one bedroom unit to $44.75 for a two bedroom unit including a $3.75 ser- vice fee for an outside contractor to do the billing for the landlord. The currently listed rents at the Horizons are $1,745 to $2,040 per month for a 754 square foot, one bedroom unit with one bath and $1,955 to $2,340 for a 1,066 to 1,250 square foot, two bedroom and two bath unit. Veronica Gringeri, one of the residents of the age 55 and older housing complex, spoke on behalf of the tenants. She claimed that the rents at her complex are among the highest in the area. “We are aware that you have managed to keep our municipal budget under the state-mandated two percent cap,” Gringeri told the mayor and council, “and we respect- fully propose that the Borough of Franklin Lakes adopt an ordinance limiting per month increases to no more than a two percent ceiling on all renewals. One hundred fifteen other municipalities throughout the state already have adopted such ceilings.” Gringeri also complained about the water treatment plant charges the tenants receive, claiming those charges are more than the local per household charges imposed by the Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority. Another Horizons resident, Constance Russell, told the council her rent had been raised 40 percent in the four years she has lived there and she plans to move because the rent increases are driving her out. Asked by Bivona if Horizons had provided an explanation for the rent increases, Russell said she was told it was to reach market value and that the increases were non-negotiable. At the helm Joseph Kroth, also a resident of Horizons, complained that the sewer charge is based on the number of bedrooms and not the actual consumption by the unit owners. But Bivona explained that that method of billing is not atypical of how sewer charges are imposed and, in fact, the borough (continued on page 16) The Franklin Lakes Branch of the Valley Hospital Auxiliary recently installed its new officers. Pictured, left to right: Maureen Smith, co-recording secretary; Ann Swist, program chair; Nancy Davidson, co-chair; Elaine Heimberger, co-chair; Elaine Gold, co-recording secretary; Eileen Leone, co-chair-membership; and Dorothy Bell, fundraising chair. Not pictured: Linda Leeder, treasurer; Sandi Wesner, Adeline Webb and Mercedes Coto, publicity co-chairs; June Linz, membership co-chair; and Marie Turi, refreshment chair.