[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6108897,"mediaKeyId","2765436-da74c5442b05c81d01b12efd28b85503","parentId",2765436,"title","Council reviews Department of Public Works budget, approves multiple line items and tables DPW storage decision","audioSeconds",4425,"startMs",3725000,"endMs",8150000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765436-da74c5442b05c81d01b12efd28b85503&start=3725&end=8150","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765436-da74c5442b05c81d01b12efd28b85503/thumbnail_3725000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6108897/New-Jersey/Council-reviews-Department-of-Public-Works-budget-approves-multiple-line-items-and-tables-DPW-storage-decision","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108897-280990ee307e2ae1dacbb33b5fef58a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189291&Signature=LSxbsywOzzsltKMeEabxMhUqrRUrzhUYvf2fQw~Q064ZRBSkwW3ycnqSJR9huMpjZHcDuQRFWxfsxfw-efMy-c7dLGSVssGjJoxB00SFxc-ouVjK-M5N4kV1LjddvsuL0rSg96cawOQ3FFkSgDfZzU~TC91aU9v7Q5W8OaX0nbxoK~slkN54L5jyYlXq50ERJR9c5eKZkp~LdpZU-g8agMCrGHwRR4ynL29TngugitghPlUUFI7PAi8NYs4ZzCwfrzzPeQEk0oHB0gIZcpwurrHaIx-UidReZeYLHcivvmJAt5RkI-n0CeHQ9DafgiWT05ji7l4p3oR3GeunRgNUdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Township of Washington","date","2025-03-25T01:40:25Z","article","Council members spent the bulk of Tuesday's meeting reviewing the Department of Public Works budget and asked staff for clarifications before finalizing several operating and capital lines.

DPW staff walked the council through line items on page 38 onward. Key operating items discussed included seasonal-worker pay ($112,000 requested and recommended), winter watch/overtime (listed at $13,500), rental and repair lines, radio replacements for vehicles, training, uniforms and facility maintenance. Officials discussed use of a snow trust fund to supplement winter costs and noted county reimbursements for plowing do not fully cover the town's outlays.

\"13.5 is what's anticipated to need this year,\" a DPW representative said, referring to the winter-watch overtime line and the town's plan to rely less on the snow trust. Council members pressed for accounting clarity about when trust reimbursements appear in the budget and whether lines should be shown gross with offsets.

Councilors also questioned equipment needs: radio purchases (staff said prices had risen from roughly $900 to about $1,420 each and some units remain on back order), vehicle- and equipment-repair forecasts, and safety gear for seasonal and full-time crews. Tree removal and large drainage or mapping projects were flagged as recurring, high-variance expenses; the council directed procurement staff to prepare a formal bid package for tree-removal work after the town exceeded local bid thresholds.

On capital, the council reviewed vehicle-replacement requests including two new sanitation (garbage) trucks (listed in the capital detail at approximately $300,000 each), a front-loader replacement estimated at $250,000, and a plow/salter pickup. Council discussion covered long lead times for heavy vehicles, the option to order now and borrow later under an eventual bond ordinance, and a trade-off between continuing repairs and ordering replacements earlier.

Councilors also reviewed a $32,464 contractual equipment-storage rental line; DPW staff requested adding roughly $13,800 (about $2,300/month for six months) for temporary storage tied to the planned DPW building project. Council members debated whether short-term rental should be charged to capital or current operations and whether temporary sites such as Cherry Field could be used to avoid the expense. The council voted to table the rental increase and requested further details and site options before approving any change.

Park and field improvements were also discussed: the council reviewed an $85,000 estimate to replace backstops and fencing at Memorial, Sharon and Clark fields. Council members described the fencing as a safety issue and authorized proceeding with the work; staff said a public bid may be required depending on procurement rules.

Several line-item adjustments and approvals were taken during roll call or voice votes through the review (for example, reductions to janitorial supplies and specific equipment lines were made after motions on the floor). Council members scheduled a follow-up meeting next Monday to finish salaries and wages and to finalize outstanding budget pages ahead of the April 7 budget-introduction deadline.

Why it matters: The DPW budget funds core services — snow and ice management, road and drainage repairs, field maintenance and sanitation — that affect public safety, town operations and capital planning. The council's choices on vehicle replacement and trust-fund use affect both near-term operations and longer-term borrowing decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Township Council Meeting 03.24.25","oneSentenceSummary","Council members spent the bulk of Tuesday's meeting reviewing the Department of Public Works budget and asked staff for clarifications before finalizing several operating and capital lines.","taxTitle","Township of Washington, Warren County, New Jersey","taxId",53893,"location","New Jersey","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6108901,"Planning board chairman urges council to fund recordings and YouTube uploads during master-plan update",484,3107000,3591000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765436-da74c5442b05c81d01b12efd28b85503&start=3107&end=3591","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765436-da74c5442b05c81d01b12efd28b85503/thumbnail_3107000.jpg","/articles/6108901/New-Jersey/Planning-board-chairman-urges-council-to-fund-recordings-and-YouTube-uploads-during-master-plan-update","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108901-621dca24228729b1aedd8596137750b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189291&Signature=V1ampbFb5JjqSnyAdNduxHISvg7s4FffnuiK2h~ifE-tuR26JdzvDmqHjIAo8q0UY4myl7jcAfZ~2vwmLGZ-2IgTMg9IrFNW8uHS8asKg05Yh2-hL-IOtLz28IaNO3uXjzQYa1HNAEGjNaW1B6oGrb9TaFUigK1F81Z5D~ofDRi~SREOgGUj12gWJ~uRKuMMBTPQ82b2vsiV3Q8ZiIyxZ18477ncmm6i1ZT359xT~VlXdrYz~kUOEwEaz7h2i1MtTST0Z90tVnLqxnyj0~6HlOxrFaWM5XbQGPO1wMtExL5SPyIdQCbzSqsK7xrmBEav-UnUwnILTY8eLZBGGK9YFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The planning board chairman asked the Township of Washington Council on Tuesday to restore funding in the 2025 town budget so planning-board meetings continue to be recorded and the videos posted to YouTube, saying that video visibility would help residents follow the master-plan reexamination.

\"Just learned recently that they were not being posted on YouTube,\" the chairman said during the public-comment period, noting recordings had been retained only as internal records. He told the council the recording service costs about \"a hundred dollars a week.\" He said his planning board had discussed posting videos specifically for master-plan meetings to help residents understand zoning and density discussions.

A council representative on the planning board said the master-plan update is \"an extremely important topic\" and supported televising meetings so the town could later report how many viewers watched each upload. The representative added that if the council agrees to post videos permanently the boards should adopt that policy in writing.

Resident Andrea Dushora, of 552 Hickory Street, asked whether televising planning-board meetings would restore the ability for residents to call in. Council members and staff said the planning-board meetings are currently recorded but not posted; some zoning-board meetings are hybrid and allow callers, while planning-board meetings require in-person attendance or written submissions to the township clerk.

Council members discussed whether a planning-board resolution or a joint written vote was needed to authorize posting. The planning board chair said he would place the matter on the planning-board agenda; a council member said he would ask the zoning board to take the same step so both boards' positions would be clear before the budget line is finalized.

Council members indicated that funding for recording could be considered during the budget process and that staff would track viewer counts if uploads proceed. No final budget appropriation was adopted at Tuesday's meeting; council members said they would address the line during upcoming budget sessions.

Why it matters: The master-plan reexamination will guide zoning and development decisions. Recording and publishing discussions would extend access beyond meeting nights and provide a public record as the town considers changes to density and zoning.","At Tuesday's Township of Washington council meeting, the planning board chairman and council representatives asked the council to include money in the 2025 budget to continue recording planning-board meetings and to publish them to YouTube to increase public visibility during the master-plan reexamination.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6108893,"Council approves $3,000 for Health Advisory Board outreach including Black Poster Project",362,9110000,9472000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765436-da74c5442b05c81d01b12efd28b85503&start=9110&end=9472","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765436-da74c5442b05c81d01b12efd28b85503/thumbnail_9110000.jpg","/articles/6108893/New-Jersey/Council-approves-3000-for-Health-Advisory-Board-outreach-including-Black-Poster-Project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108893-7ad9bc623a7dc05f1bf1bf362eea0058/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189291&Signature=UTDfAqUjv4mfEWpkVsqFdN-GetthdAPvaIhBr7wkLjgUgt976JIbN4Wl6ScQVC6yPF1mfRputh~2LTwkhwRX85TprR4T~MCK7iXrEO5mlynQR15FNC6cFPXzg6qclajbEqJYNTGx6Qsf1LqB3kksTiPbGFJz9QIofItopBOa5ftC5YE-opxK8~u80XHn1bVuEfvWjTAnWHK5ojo6VI-vugziWR75o75mX2BdFcAlXbnZ9wRgf3MT2PtoSXLTKiL4HGNxHkfSKG5HZtcJIoryudngj4jiaTBjlHBqyWRX5Qgv1zcmfh-Lzp8mEHJCnTumu-FvWAFiOSGN5qqF7Szb9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Township of Washington Council approved $3,000 in the 2025 budget to support the Health Advisory Board's outreach, including the Black Poster Project and speaker events, council members said Tuesday.

Board member Andrea DeShore described the Black Poster Project as a displayed collection of posters and personal stories that memorialize people lost to overdose and said it had been hosted in nearby communities with police, families and residents in attendance. \"It really is a good time for the community to come together and for people to see that these are not just faceless, nameless people,\" DeShore said.

The Health Advisory Board asked for funding to cover the $1,500 cost of bringing the Black Poster Project to a large venue and for additional speakers and promotion for mental-health and addiction-awareness events aimed at seniors and the broader community. The board and staff also said they had consulted the town's grant writer but had been declined for a grant to cover the event; the council therefore approved the $3,000 line.

A council member noted the board had not finalized venues or dates and the board said it would return with specifics before events are publicized. One board member who participates in town committees said she would abstain if voting created a conflict with her organizational role; other council members voted in favor.

Why it matters: The Black Poster Project and speaker series are intended to raise local awareness about addiction and overdose, provide public education, and connect residents to mental-health resources.","The Township of Washington council approved a $3,000 line for the Health Advisory Board to fund speakers and outreach, including an expected $1,500 for the Black Poster Project, which uses posters and family testimony to raise addiction and overdose awareness.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council reviews Department of Public Works budget, approves multiple line items and tables DPW storage decision

Planning board chairman urges council to fund recordings and YouTube uploads during master-plan update

Council approves $3,000 for Health Advisory Board outreach including Black Poster Project