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Welcome to The Official Borough of Allendale NJ Website

Message From The Police Department

Message to All Residents: There have been a number of THEFTS from unlocked cars parked at residences in our area. The Allendale Police Department advises all residents to lock their cars while parked outside their homes as well as remove valuables and cash from them. Thanks The Allendale Police Department
Added on May 13, 2008 deletion date May 27, 2008

Crestwood Swim Badges

Due to a computer problem, pictures for Crestwood Lake are canceled until further notice. Please call Borough Hall for more information.
Added on May 5, 2008 deletion date May 19, 2008

Franklin Avenue Closing in Wyckoff

Ridgewood Water will pave one lane of Franklin Avenue in Wyckoff (from Overlook Drive to the Franklin Lakes border) where Ridgewood Water constructed a new water line last fall. The paving work is anticipated to be completed in once day. Work will begin on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 6:30 a.m. and is expected to be completed by 6:00 p.m.

This work will require the complete closing of Franklin Avenue on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 in the project area. In the event of rain, the work will be performed on the next rain free day. Motorists traveling on Franklin Avenue should anticipate delays, plan an alternate route or follow the detour. For a copy of the detour please click on the link below.

Detour for Franklin Avenue

From the Mayor's Desk

On Tuesday, February 26, 2008, Governor Corzine delivered the budget address that everyone feared. We in municipal government knew it was coming, but it was worse than anticipated. State spending is to be cut $500 million with a direct and devastating impact on municipal state aid particularly to small towns such as Allendale.
Gov. Corzine stated “Regrettably taxpayers live in a world where commitments and failures of the past crowd out the resources for services our people deserve today. Frankly, New Jersey has a government its people cannot afford”. I could have said the very same to the residents of Allendale.
Gov.Corzine cut $190 million in aid to municipalities, targeting towns with fewer than 10,000 residents for additional punishment. The message has been clear for months. Small towns will be pushed to consolidate or suffer less and less state aid. The day after the Governor's speech, we met with our auditor and CFO to review the impact of the state budget. Historically, towns would complain if state aid remained flat but never did the state reduce state aid. That now has changed. The projection is that Allendale will receive $102,000 less in state aid for 2008 according to advices received from the state on March 3rd.
Although cuts are necessary, the sad part of the Governor's message is that all small towns are being penalized irrespective of how cost efficient they are versus their larger neighbors. Bigger is not always more cost effective and certainly not always better. We have already taken steps to share services and reduce expenses. Presently Allendale shares the following services:
Municipal Court (Ho-Ho-Kus)
Construction Code Official (Midland Park)
Tax Assessor (Ramsey)
Water testing (Waldwick)
Public Health Services (Bergen County)
Sanitary Sewer Inspection (NWBC Utilities Authority)
Court Teleconferencing (Ridgewood)
Public Assistance Services (Bergen County)
DPW Equipment (NW Bergen Shared Services)

The governor's office had been warning municipal governments for months. The Council and I knew this was coming. We began to take steps the first of the year to cut our costs and reorganize to operate more efficiently and cost effectively. We eliminated the Boro Administrator's position because it was felt that cuts would have to be made and that the town could operate as efficiently with a reorganization of its existing staff. As I stated on January 25th, “This Council is acting with foresight to be ahead of the curve and not simply waiting until the problem slams directly into us”. Our employees have stepped up to the challenge and preliminary indications are that the restructuring has been an unqualified success.
I had also stated that this action alone was not a silver bullet. In fact preliminary figures indicate that we are still slightly over cap and further reductions in the proposed municipal budget will be necessary. It appears that we will be forced to make further staffing cuts. Additionally, we have continued our capital expenditure model of no deficit spending. Our capital spending was $1,506,000 in 2005 and $1,691,000 in 2006 with a debt repayment of only approximately $700,000 per year. Deficits such as these are not longer acceptable, nor can we afford them. Capital expenditures have been reduced in 2007 and 2008 by more than $1million each year. Capital expenditures in 2008 again will not exceed our principal debt repayments. It will be a long process to reduce our debt, while still maintaining our capital infrastructure requirements, but it will be done.
The news is not all dire. In the past 3 weeks we received very encouraging advices that two (2) grants have been awarded to the Borough. Both grants relate to Orchard Commons. It should be pointed out that the 2008 budget does not contain one dollar of taxes toward the acquisition of Orchard Commons. As was stated last year when the property was purchased, the goal was to pay for the acquisition with grants and the Municipal open space tax passed by the residents three (3) years ago. The first installment in December 2007 in the sum of $2million was paid with $1million in grants and the rest from our municipal open space tax funds. We subsequently applied for additional grants from the state Green Acres program and Bergen County Open Space Trust fund. Councilman Schoepflin and I had met with the Green Acres staff in Trenton and indications were that we could expect further grants. To our delight, Green Acres has awarded the Borough an additional $300,000 on 22 February 2008. Also, we submitted an additional grant application to Bergen County toward the acquisition. Councilman Strauch and I met with members of the County Open Space committee on the site and stressed the importance of open space in the heart of Allendale. On March 12, 2008 Councilman Schoepflin and I appeared before the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund committee in Hackensack. The County committee approved our request for an additional $500,000 grant. The total of $800,000 in new grants will be applied to the next installment due this September.
We are also in the process of preparing two (2) further grant applications this year and are cautiously optimistic that we will receive an additional $900,000. Councilman Strauch and the volunteer committee have set a goal of $500,000 toward the acquisition and have already raised approximately $250,000. We are on track with our original projection that when the final installment payment is due in March 2009, no additional taxpayer dollars will be required to complete the acquisition.
The committee for Orchard Commons has also been hard at work to start construction of the park. Six (6) landscape architects have been interviewed and many interesting concept plans were considered. Hopefully work will commence in the very near future. Continued fund raising efforts will be taking place to reach the final goal of $500,000. The committee expects to present a concept plan soon at a Town hall meeting to elicit comments, suggestions etc. from the residents. This project has been truly a town endeavor and will remain so, from planning to completion.
In closing, this year's budget will be challenging at best. The Council and I will continue to look for areas to share services with our neighbors. We will also continue to implement productivity and other cost saving measures. Hopefully, we can prove to state and county officials that fiscal responsibility can be achieved without mandating consolidation of smaller towns. The harsh reality is we cannot continue with business as usual. Residents, employees and former elected officials need to understand the seriousness of the situation. Bold initiatives are necessary. Make no mistake, the Council and I will continue to change the culture of how we do business so as to preserve our small town quality of life in a fiscally prudent manner.

The Allendale Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps are always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in joining either organization you can contact the Allendale Fire Department at (201) 934-7015. The information for the Allendale Ambulance Corps will be forwarded to the appropriate person.

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As the year progresses, our goal will be to keep you well informed and up to date.

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Allendale Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps Looking For Volunteers

The Allendale Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps are always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in joining either organization you can contact the Allendale Fire Department at (201) 934-7015. The information for the Allendale Ambulance Corps will be forwarded to the appropriate person.


Compost Permits

The 2008 compost permits are now available for $30. To purchase the permits please come to the Borough Clerk's office at Borough Hall. For more information please call (201) 818-4400 ext. 200 or ext. 201. If you use a landscaper, they need to obtain a permit from the DPW. For information regarding the landscaper permits please call the DPW at (201) 818-4410.