West Milford council reviews 2026 budget, grant funding, debt outlook

The West Milford Township Council reviewed the township’s 2026 budget on April 8, outlining funded projects, grant allocations and long-term debt projections across multiple departments.

Officials said major road projects including Lincoln Avenue and Warwick Turnpike were fully funded, while Westbrook Road received a $491,559 grant and is slated for work in 2027.

In Public Works, road resurfacing received $1.3 million in partial funding, micro-paving was allocated $200,000 and crack sealing received $100,000. However, funding was not approved for a salt shed at DPW Depot 4 or the municipal complex parking lot. A DPW garage roof replacement and loader and fuel tank replacements were fully funded.

In public safety, four police patrol vehicles were partially funded at $210,000, along with body and automatic license plate recognition cameras. Fire apparatus and a fire tank were fully funded, while a rescue boat and tasers were not included in the budget.

Officials reported total departmental requests of about $10.9 million, with a proposed capital budget of roughly $4.53 million after grants and funding allocations. The township’s debt currently stands at approximately $36.87 million and is projected to rise to $37.2 million next year before gradually declining. Discussion also included the possibility of using bonds, of which the township has two outstanding from 2016 and 2022.

Mayor Michele Dale suggested putting funds into general budgets to potentially reduce costs, while council members requested long-term financial forecasting.