Preview: October 29 Town Council meeting

Proposals to pay out nearly $400,000 in successful property tax appeals funded in part with emergency borrowing, acquire the contaminated 549-51 Valley Road property and cancel its 2013 property taxes, and approve two construction change orders of an additional $310,000 head the agenda for the October 29 council meeting.

The meeting agendas and related materials are here.

Council is asked to approve $395,136 in successful property tax appeals – which would eliminate another $11.9 million from the tax base, or nearly 7% of the properties’ original $174.06 million in assessed value. The appeals include:

-  A $225,001 refund of 2011 taxes – reflecting a reduction of nearly $6.5 million, or 12%, of assessed value -- on the West Mill Gardens apartments on Old Short Hills Road.

-  A $76,034 refund for 2013 and 2014 (part of a previously approved settlement) for West Orange Plaza, at Prospect and Eagle Rock Avenues.

-  A $35,438 refund for 2011 and 2012 for 10 Oak Bend Road.

(Generally, successful tax appeals reduce the town’s cash for refunds and also decrease future tax revenue because of lower assessed values. West Orange has lost approximately $1.4 billion, or 20%, of its tax base since 2008.)

The administration is asking for council approval to borrow up to $3 million to fund 2013 tax appeals. This type of borrowing must be repaid over three years, which will have the effect of raising property taxes.

Council is also asked to approve the acquisition of 549-51 Valley Road, previously a gas station. The state Department of Environmental Protection has designated the site “brownfield” because of environmental contamination. The town has held an option to acquire the property since 2006. The town would acquire the property for $1 and cancellation of 2013 taxes of about $6,000. It’s unclear from the resolution what the cost of remediation or the town’s plans for the property.

Council is also asked to approve change orders for various construction projects, including:

- An additional $175,000 for work on Aspen Road and Oak Crest Road to relocate a sewer line, repave road and install curbs.

- An additional $92,000 for resurfacing, curbs and speed humps on Edgemont Road.

- An additional $18,000 for four speed humps on Redwood Avenue.

- An additional $25,000 for modifications to the rebuilding of the gazebo at the passive park on Ridgeway Avenue.

The total cost of the additional work is partially offset with a $19,000 encumbrance that brings the proposed net expenditure to $291,000.

Proposed ordinances on second and final reading include:

- Placing additional responsibilities on landlords for violations by tenants that includes potential imposition of a bond subject to forfeit for additional violations.

- Re-establishing the Environmental Commission.

- Giving senior managers a 2% pay raise.

Other proposed resolutions of interest include:

- Correcting the given cost of four shuttle buses, approved at the last council meeting, to $240,674, up from the original stated cost of $237,008.

- An executive session for council to consider a proposed settlement of a dispute with New York City over the use of two emergency radio frequencies, as well as the proposed settlement itself.

- Purchase of a $46,620 fingerprint scanner for police, paid for with forfeiture funds, to meet a state mandate.

- Authorizing the creation of a redevelopment escrow account for a potential project at 22-26 Central Avenue and 9-15 Mitchell Street by property owner Valley Road Residential LLC. The company is also trying to renovate the abandoned Harvard Press site between Mitchell and Central with 100 income-limited apartments.   

If you’d like to contact the council with your thoughts on any of these issues, please send an e-mail to council@westorange.org or call 973.325.4155 to leave a message.

I’m a West Orange Township councilman since 2010, reachable at jkrakoviak@westorange.org. I'm a business communications consultant in my spare time.