Mayor's Message- July 2023

The famous American writer, Pearl S. Buck wrote: "All things are possible until they are proved impossible--even the impossible may only be so, as of now..."

I mention this quote as a start to my monthly message concerning the Patriots Way Bridge.The Borough has been pursuing grant funding to replace the superstructure of the Patriots Way Bridge for several years. We have previously secured two grants totaling $1,213,170.00.  However, the Bridge is estimated to cost $9,200,000.00.

I have been pursuing help for funding from our Federal, State and County elected officials. We needed additional grants to cover the shortfall for this project. I appealed to our Congresspeople and our State representatives only to hear that the money is not there.

I drive by Patriots Way Bridge every morning going to work knowing that I could not give up. I was going to keep trying to obtain the needed funds. As I have repeatedly told residents, that in order to qualify for Federal funding we could not start the project. So, we waited. But the possibility of Federal funding would delay the start of the project by at least 2 years. Therefore, alternative funding was sought to minimize, if not eliminate, the cost to all our residents. With the many calls I made begging and pleading, and the letters sent, I became the squeaky wheel in Trenton resulting in negotiations with the NJDOT to secure funding over multiple fiscal year funding cycles.

Thank you to Richard Kunze and Michael Carelli and our Borough Staff for preparing the required grant applications, and to Kevin Boswell, our Borough Engineer, who developed the spending plan requested by the State estimating the required funding needed throughout the 24 month construction phase.  Thank you, State Senator Paul Sarlo, Deputy Majority Leader, for his help. A special thank you to NJDOT Commissioner, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. Without the Commissioner and her Staff this never would have happened.

The spending plan predicts the Borough would require $4 million during fiscal year 2024, this will allow us to proceed and begin the project now and seek additional funding in the next fiscal year cycle. The additional funding would be allowed even though the project was started.  In other words, we are asking for funding now and additional funding next fiscal year.

When the Governor signs the budget the grant funding for this project will increase to $4,213,170.00.

I have asked the Borough Council to introduce a funding ordinance at the July council meeting to enable the Borough to award a contract after bidding is complete.

Moral of the story is--never give up.