Council OKs $39.7M budget

The Township Council approved the 2025 municipal budget with no increase in the local tax levy at its meeting May 7.

The spending plan of about $39.7 million was introduced April 2. It is $234,044 less than the 2024 budget of about $39.9 million.

The council introduced a $4.6 million bond ordinance to finance various improvements and ordinances amending rules to allow temporary tattoo businesses and set license fees for them.

Public hearings and final votes on all three will be held May 21.

Police Officers Kylie Calamita and Paris Petritsis were sworn in as were special police officers Denes Mosolygo and Nicholas Szuszkowski.

Council members approved a resolution permitted the transfer of a liquor license to Jay Bhole Liquor Corp., 3051 Route 23, Oak Ridge.

Lifesaving Awards

State Assemblyman Christian Barranco, R-25, presented Lifesaving Awards to Police Officers Nicholas Soltesz and Peter Wunk along with John Ward for helping remove two people from a burning vehicle after an accident March 15 on Clinton Road.

According to three joint legislative resolutions, Soltesz and Wunk found two people trapped in a smoking car that had crashed into an embankment. ”While the officers tended to the victims, the car caught fire and drew the attention of a Good Samaritan,” one said.

Ward saw the officers trying to free the two people in the car, and he helped Wunk free the driver while Soltesz helped the passenger.

Both officers had minor injuries. The driver and passenger were taken to the hospital.

The resolutions praised the “bravery and quick thinking under pressure” of the officers and Ward.

“The swift and decisive actions of John Ward and his steadfast efforts in response to the needs of others despite conditions of considerable danger to his own personal safety have earned for him the respect and admiration of this Legislature and the appreciation of all who know of his selfless deeds,” one resolution said. The resolutions for the officers were similar.

Barranco said, “This is about the love for your fellow man that flowed through these three people that night. This is the kind of stuff that we need to celebrate with the blue. ... It is an honor for me to share this sort of compelling story.”

Cannabis rule changes

The council members discussed possible changes in the township ordinance regulating cannabis dispensaries.

Topics included extended hours, the transfer of licenses, special events hosted by the dispensaries and the possibility of limiting the number of dispensary licenses in West Milford if some of the 10 now permitted close.

The 10th dispensary will hold its grand opening soon.

Councilman Matthew Conlon pointed out that the township benefits when the dispensaries do well because state law allows municipalities to impose up to a 2 percent tax on cannabis sales.

”Your success directly benefits the operation of this township and it directly benefits the residents by helping to keep us from having to pass on those costs to them,” he said.

Councilman Kevin Goodsir said the council would have had to raise taxes this year because of the loss of state aid “if we didn’t have the cannabis.”

The township’s tax rate has been flat for the past 10 years, he noted.