Politics & Government
New Turf Field Included Among $2.7M In Capital Improvements
The Fort Lee Mayor and Council approved a long list of improvements for various borough departments Thursday and about $2.5 million in bonding to finance them.
The Fort Lee Mayor and Council last week approved nearly $2.7 million in capital improvements and more than $2.5 million in negotiable bonds to pay for them.
The $134,650 difference in the two amounts represents down payments for a litany of improvements approved in the ordinance passed at the governing body’s regular meeting Thursday, including the Fort Lee Ambulance Corps, OEM, Building Department, Fire Department, Senior Center, Cultural and Heritage Affairs, Communications Center, Police Department, DPW, Community Center, Recreation Department, Van Fleet Park and Administration.
The biggest single-ticket item on the list is re-turfing at Van Fleet Park. That project is estimated at $459,752, of which officials estimate $436,765 would be financed through bonds or notes with a 15-year “period of usefulness.”
Find out what's happening in Fort Leewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The issue of giving General Van Fleet Park the makeover in early June, when borough officials estimated the cost at about $320,000 to re-turf the roughly 10-year-old field used by hundreds of Fort Lee children to play soccer and softball.
“They said if you get eight years, nine years, be happy,” Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich said at the time. “If you get 10, you’re on borrowed time.”
Find out what's happening in Fort Leewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
He added, “We’re now over 10, and it’s evident.”
“It’s ripped; it’s torn; it’s lost its fluff; it’s all matted,” Sokolich said. “And there’s a reason for that … that field is used as much as any field in the county.”
After the park, the next biggest appropriation in the ordinance is for a new ambulance, a power stretcher and power lift devices for the Fort Lee Ambulance Corps at an estimated cost of $305,735 and an “estimated maximum” bonding of $290,449 for 15 years.
The cost for milling and paving of streets, in addition to new storm basins for the Public Works and Parks departments is estimated at $299,931 ($284,934; 10 years), and Storz connections for fire hydrants, rescue tools, garage doors, replacement of generators and installation of fiber optic equipment for the Fort Lee Fire Department will come at an estimated cost of $287,345 ($272,978; 15 years).
Improvements to municipal buildings and facilities, which come with a price tag of about $258,611 and for which bonding is estimated at $245,680 for 15 years, round out the capital improvements costing in excess of $200,000.
A complete breakdown of the capital improvements and estimated bonding approved by the Fort Lee Mayor and Council Thursday follows:
Purpose Appropriation/Estimated Cost Estimated Maximum Bonds/Notes Period of UsefulnessAmbulance Corps Ambulance, power stretcher, power lift devices
$305,735 $290,449 15 years Emergency Management Generator, portable generators, radio equipment $11,494 $10,919 10 years Building Department Computers $8,620 $8,189 5 years Fire Department Storz connections, rescue tools, garage doors, generator replacement, fiber optic equipment installation $287,345 $272,978 15 years Senior Center Computer system for tracking participation, classes and membership, flat screen TVs, mounts, speakers, AV receiver $11,494 $10,919 5 years Cultural & Heritage Affairs Replacement of projection equipment at the community center $57,469 $54,596 5 yearsCommunications Center Furniture
$80,457 $76,434 5 years Police Department Upgrades to camera system, video recorders in patrol vehicles, body microphones for officers, automated license plate recognition devices $188,401 $178,981 10 yearsPolice Department Computer upgrades, Microsoft Office Professional licensing, laptops for patrol vehicles
$299,931 $284,934 10 years Public Works & Parks Replacement of sewer pick up trucks
$80,457 $76,434 5 years Community Center Staging roof new design, replacement of lights and outdoor fountain $114,938 $109,191 10 years Recreation Tables, folding chairs and storing cart $5,172 $4,914 5 years Van Fleet Park Re-turfing field $459,752 $436,765 15 years Administration Improvements to municipal buildings and facilities $258,611 $245,680 15 years Administration Computers
$86,204 $81,893 5 years Administration Vehicles
$114,938 $109,191 5 years
Total appropriations and estimated costs approved under the ordinance come in at $2,693,000, and the total estimated maximum amount of bonds or notes is $2,558,350.
****
Find us on Facebook or Twitter, or for news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
