Politics & Government

Previously Defeated Sewer Ordinance Passed By Par-Troy Council

Mayor Barberio, Councilman DePierro call Nelson's motion "irresponsible."

As elections draw nearer, tensions are increasing between Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio and Councilman and Mayoral Candidate Jonathan Nelson.

The pair recently sparred after Barberio ordered the heads of township departments not to speak with Nelson without first getting permission from the mayor.

On Tuesday, July 16 Barberio and Nelson publicly disagreed over a sewer ordinance allocating funds for sewer utility improvements.

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The ordinance was back up for first reading after being defeated 3-1 at the June 18 meeting. With Councilman Michael DePierro absent, the ordinance needed four votes in favor.

Council President Brian Stanton, Council Vice President Vincent Ferrara and Councilman Paul Carifi Jr. all voted in favor. Nelson voted against the measure, effectively defeating the ordinance.

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However, that same ordinance came back before the council on Tuesday, July 16, this time with the full council present.

The ordinance appropriates $4,400,000 and issues $3,325,000 in general improvement bond notes for a “4 mgd upgrade, a pump station #4 upgrade to include a Lake Hiawatha Study, lab renovations and the purchase of a tanker, including all structures, work, equipment and materials.”

“Last year we installed a new meter at the sewer department and we thought we were taking in about 13 million gallons a day of sludge and a little under 10 million now,” said Nelson. “Because of that, towns that contract with Parsippany to use our sewer departments will be paying a significant amount more this year to the township.”

The current sewer surplus is $3,975,000, said Paula Cozzareli, Assistant Business Administrator.

“This is a very big problem that the township has,” said Nelson. “The sewer plant is very efficient, it's making a lot of money for the township which in essence means its good for all the residents.”

According to Nelson, over the course of 15 years, the interest payments on the $3,325,000 bond will be approximately $800,000. He suggested that if they authorize the bond, that they add a measure that they would not bond unless the sewer surplus drops below an agreed upon level.

If they could pay it off in a five year period, he said, it could save about $750,000 over the course of a 10-year period.

“The Director of Utilities (Phil Bober) is very adamant that we keep $5 million of the surplus and right now we are at $3,975,000,” said Barberio. “It's very irresponsible to take current cash surplus to pay for projects that have a life of 15 years, it just doesn't make financial sense for the township.”

“By using a $1,000,000 down payment, that's a huge down payment,” added Business Administrator Jasmine Lim. “We did that purposely to start getting the surplus down and will continue to do that in future years. That has almost the same effect as paying this bond over a very short period of time.”

“Next year if we have capital items and we again put down a significant down payment, we will be whittling down, but slowly and at a pace that we are comfortable with rather than immediately diminishing surplus by several million dollars,” she added.

Nelson made a motion to table the ordinance to be discussed at the next meeting on August 6. No other council member would second, which defeated the motion.

“All of these items are needed by the sewer treatment plant to operate,” said DePierro. “To table it would be irresponsible.”

The first reading of the ordinance passed 4-1 with Stanton, Ferrara, Carifi, and DePierro voting in favor. Nelson voted not to approve the motion.

The ordinance will come before the council for adoption at the Aug. 20 public meeting.


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