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Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • December 18, 2013
Area NBCUA budget will result in lower per customer cost
The Board of Commissioners of the Northwest Bergen
County Utilities Authority has unanimously approved a
$12,972,502 operating budget for 2014.
Chairman Brian Chewcaskie noted at this month’s
special meeting that the budget represents a decrease of
$2,632,005, or 17 percent from the authority’s amended
2013 budget of $15,604,507.
“The budget will be submitted to the New Jersey Divi-
sion of Local Government Services for their approval,”
Chewcaskie said. “Distribution of the final budget and
the 2013 final user service charges will be made as soon
as possible, but no later than Jan. 15, 2014 as stipulated
in our service contract.”
It was also announced that the process included an
amendment to the preliminary budget that had been
approved by the authority commissioners on Oct. 16.
This amendment was an adjustment to the projected
capital budget for 2014, rescheduling several anticipated
major capital projects from 2014 to 2015. The revision
does not impact either the operating budget or the oper-
ating revenues required for 2014, officials said.
Other highlights of the budget include:
The 2014 operating portion of the $10,328,405 budget
increased by $383,660 or 3.86 percent from the 2013
budget. The debt service portion of the budget decreased
by $2,901,665, resulting from the retirement of authority
bonds. The capital improvement portion of the budget
decreased by $114,000.
There was discussion that, even though flow intake
was lower than normal, relatively few municipalities
would experience increases due to infiltration at some
municipal lines. Even in such cases, the cost per cus-
tomer was reduced from $324 to $323, the lowest since
2000. As is the customary standard, revenue anticipated
from user charges will vary for each community depend-
ing on the factors applied for adjusted meter flow, water
use, and the number of equivalent dwelling units.
According to Chewcaskie, the total amount from all
user communities required to balance the 2014 budget is
$11,999,923, which is a reduction of $1,454,032 from the
original 2013 budget. This budget was amended in Sep-
tember to reflect the approximately $1.6 million in ser-
vice charge reductions for 2013. The increase in service
charges is 1.2 percent over the 2013 amended budget.
From its plant operating in Waldwick since 1969,
the authority’s service area accommodates the sewer
requirements of 75,000 residents. Current municipal
members include Allendale, Franklin Lakes, Ho-Ho-
Kus, Mahwah, Midland Park, Ramsey, Saddle River,
Upper Saddle River, Waldwick, and Wyckoff. The Vil-
lage of Ridgewood also has a service agreement with the
NBCUA. Atlantic Stewardship’s Food Drive exceeds expectations
ASB New Account Representative Michael Hyatt (right) and Mark Messina of Star of Hope Ministries.
During the month of November, Atlantic Steward-
ship Bank conducted a Food Drive throughout all of its
branches. This annual effort aims to replenish the food
pantry reserves that are depleted by the Thanksgiving
holiday. All month long, both customers and bank asso-
ciates are asked to fill the baskets with non-perishable
food items.
“This year’s collection once again exceeded our
expectations,” said Tonni von Schaumburg, the bank’s
assistant vice president of marketing. “When we con-
tacted the local food pantries they were all very grate-
ful as donations continue to remain considerably below
previous years.”
The collected food was distributed to local food
pantries both before and after Thanksgiving. The ben-
eficiaries of this year’s drive include the Social Service
Organization of Ridgewood, CUMAC, Star of Hope
Ministries, Oasis: A Haven for Women & Children, the
Pequannock Township Food Pantry, the Wayne Inter-
faith Network, Harvest Outreach Ministries in Paterson,
Westwood Cares, and New Hope Ministries in Haledon.
Atlantic Stewardship Bank, a subsidiary of Steward-
ship Financial Corporation, maintains banking locations
in Hawthorne, Midland Park, Montville, North Haledon,
Pequannock, Ridgewood, Waldwick, Wayne, Westwood,
and Wyckoff. Established in 1985, ASB is a full-service
community bank serving both individuals and busi-
nesses. The bank’s website is www.asbnow.com.