Wyckoff May 15, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Officials adopt budget, vote $625K for fire pumper by John Koster The Wyckoff Township Committee unanimously adopted the 2013 municipal budget with its $33 average annual tax increase, and voted to spend $625,000 on a new fire pumper, with one committee member abstaining. “We now have a budget,” Wyckoff Mayor Rudy Boonstra said with satisfaction. The budget totals $17,775,282 for municipal and library purposes. The average house in Wyckoff is now assessed at $812,200 and residents will pay an average of $1,757 annually for police, administration, and fire equipment for the all-volunteer fire department. The overall tax rate includes the property taxes assessed in support of the municipal budget along with taxes that support the K-8 and regional high school budgets and Bergen County expenses. Douglas Christie, a long-term member of the Wyckoff Volunteer Fire Department, recused himself from the vote on the fire pumper, though he supported the purchase of the pumper in principal. The appropriated funds, Township Administrator Robert Shannon said, would allow Wyckoff to tender bid options to three other fire truck manufacturers, although Spartan is seen as the most probable manufacturer. The municipal budget had been discussed in some detail at a previous meeting and attracted no comments from the audience. However, resident Jim Savage had some questions about the $625,000 approved in the form of an ordinance to pay for the new fire pumper. “It seems there are some unanswered questions about the insurance and the absolute need for a new fire truck,” Savage told the township committee. He asked if the township was sure the truck was necessary and whether the oldest Wyckoff fire pumper would be retained or retired. “The question was whether to keep the oldest pumper, which is 33 years old going on 34,” Township Committeeman Kevin Rooney replied in describing the prior meeting. Rooney said there was no question that a new pumper was needed because the state considers fire trucks to have a life expectancy of 10 years and most towns retire their trucks at 20 or sooner. Rooney credited the tender loving care of the volunteers with keeping the oldest truck operational and said the resale value of a truck of that vintage would be minimal. “Wyckoff keeps theirs for 30 years, which is unheard of,” said Shannon, who is also a volunteer firefighter. “The question of whether it is needed to provide support is still being assessed,” Rooney said of the vintage vehicle, but replacement by next year was considered mandatory. The township committee also voted to approve the application of Junior Firefighter Nicholas S. Pruiksma and to approve the New Jersey State Fireman’s Association application for James W. Viapiano into Wyckoff Volunteer Fire Company #1. The Wyckoff Police Department has reported the apprehension of a man charged with a number of thefts of cash and credit cards from cars. His case has been remanded to Superior Court of Bergen County. A 50-year-old man whose last known address was in The Bronx has been remanded to Bergen County Jail in lieu of Police apprehend New York man for thefts from vehicles $50,000 in bail money following his arrest at 4:28 p.m. on May 5 on Route 208 near Grandview Avenue. He had been charged with two counts of burglary from an auto, theft, and the illegal use of a credit card. On Jan. 17 and on April 2, women dropping off their children at Washington (continued on page 14)