Borough Auditor Introduces 2011 Municipal Budget

The Fort Lee borough auditor introduced the proposed 2011 municipal budget at the Fort Lee Mayor and Council’s session Thursday. Steve Wielkotz said the total proposed budget for 2011 represents a 1.52 percent increase in appropriation or “a little over a million dollars” and a tax levy increase of 0.89 percent.

“That’s $37.20 [per year] on the average residential unit assessed at $465,000,” Wielkotz said. “While some of the surrounding towns are going to be struggling, as you’ll read over the next couple of weeks with a 2 percent tax levy, this budget, as proposed, is over $2.5 million under the appropriation cap and a little over $2.9 million under the tax levy cap. You’re not going to have many municipalities that can stand up and say, well we’re raising municipal taxes $37 for the year.”

Last week Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich told Patch he was "proud" of the minimal municipal tax increase.

“We plan on introducing preliminarily a budget ... that’s going to be around 0.8 %, which is well under the 1 percent that I committed to in the state of the borough,” Sokolich, who did not attend Thursday's meeting, said last week. “I’m proud of that, and I’m going to tell you I don’t think there’s going to be too many towns in the county, if not the state, that are going to be able to match that.”

The budget will be formally introduced at next Thursday’s regular meeting.

The borough council also discussed the following during the open session portion of Thursday night's meeting:

ENGINEERING DISCUSSION

• Interlocal Agreement for Sanitary Sewer Line with The Borough of Palisades Park
• Amending Application for Inwood Terrace Open Space Trust Fund

GENERAL DISCUSSION

• 2011 Municipal Budget – Borough auditor Steve Wielkotz to attend
• Ambulance Corps. Stipend Guidelines
• E-Tickets (JG)
• Denial of Towing License Application for TCB Towing
• Saint Rocco Italian American Mutual Aid Society Festival

Thursday evening’s meeting began in open session, but an immediate resolution to enter a closed session followed, during which the council discussed the following:

• Personnel: Communications; DPW
• Contracts: Administrative Purchasing Consultants
• Fort Lee Municipal Garden Complex Project – TBMK Development LLC Representatives, to attend
• Potential Litigation: Change Order for Creamer Sanzari With Regard to Main Street/Hudson Terrace Roadway Improvements (MSOK)
• Litigation: Borough of Leonia vs. Borough of Fort Lee
• Collective Bargaining: Fort Lee PBA Local No. 245

The Mayor and Council next meet Thursday at 8 p.m. in council chambers for their regular meeting.