Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • July 31, 2013 Waldwick Council to seek open space trust reauthorization The Waldwick Borough Council decided last week to ask voters in the November general election to reauthorize the open space municipal trust fund for another 10 years. The official resolution approving the wording to be placed on the ballot will be voted upon at the council’s next meet- ing. Funded through a half-cent tax approved by referendum in 2003 also for 10 years, the current fund expires at the end of 2013. Currently, the owner of a home assessed at $416,000, the borough’s average, contributes $21 a year towards the open space trust. Since the amount is already included in the tax base, continuation of the fund would result in no increase in taxes to property owners. Borough Administrator Gary Kratz initially recom- mended that the reauthorization have no sunset clause but rather run indefinitely. Councilman Frank Palladino said, however, that he felt the tax to be revisited periodically. “It’s the right way to go, allowing voters to choose. It’s been good for the beautification of our parks, and we should continue this way,” said Councilman Anthony Celeste. “It’s money put to good use giving back to the commu- nity, and it adds beauty to the town,” agreed Mayor Tom Giordano. Kratz said that the moneys raised over the past ten years, coupled with county open space grants, had gone to make improvements to all the borough’s parks, as well as to maintain those areas in which substantial investments in landscaping had been made. “Are we finished? No,” said Kratz emphatically.” There are other areas we’d like to do. When people move to town, they look for recreational opportunities. Waldwick does a good job providing recreational opportunities,” he added. Municipal trust fund moneys may be used “solely for the acquisition, development, maintenance and preserva- tion of lands for recreation and conservation purposes as well as acquisition of farmland and historic properties for restoration and preservation purposes and for the payment of debt service for any of these purposes.” Waldwick projects undertaken with those funds have included rebuilding Veterans Park, installing new play- ground equipment at Emmet Park, and upgrades at Bor- ough Park, among many others. A special needs playground and the rehabilitation of the comfort station at Borough Park will be done with open space trust funds this year. Residents allowed to opt-out of new meters Waldwick residents may opt out of having smart water meters installed at their home for medical reasons, the Waldwick Council decided last week. Those availing themselves of the exemption will have to pay $25 per quarter to have the meter manually read. Borough Administrator Gary Kratz said the charge would pay for the reader to visit the house, enter the readings into the system. The remote meter would have to be hard-wired to the side of the house, he said. John and Roxanne Surless had asked for the exemption, claiming that the radio frequency meters “are not as safe as previously thought … and they interfere with the electrical systems within our bodies.” “Even if you don’t see it, it has a cumulative effect. The public is not informed. We had a gas meter put in, and we were affected. We had it taken out,” Roxanne Surless told the council to illustrate her objections. Resident Ted Sanzo said he did not agree to the opt-out option. “The town can give the residents a paper card, as in the old system, and the homeowner can give you a reading, then once a year someone can read it manually,” he said.