[{"_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",6060928,"mediaKeyId","3287676-20cf512973de5a1c74b9710a1138e584","parentId",3287676,"title","Kenilworth council adopts 2025 municipal budget; CFO says no services cut","audioSeconds",1142,"startMs",2298000,"endMs",3440000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3287676-20cf512973de5a1c74b9710a1138e584&start=2298&end=3440","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3287676-20cf512973de5a1c74b9710a1138e584/thumbnail_2298000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6060928/New-Jersey/Kenilworth-council-adopts-2025-municipal-budget-CFO-says-no-services-cut","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060928-dfe2d5deebff6aadb538b82b54627849/orig.mp4?Expires=1776763380&Signature=WEHHHpe~UUrCcRXZYUgdZGWIw4REvDGmFiPzvSuaODUY917owkXY9t6sjC2srqALx-Ni0FEgRYzYn9gMoxehW9G64p0eflzyDq4fuf9xEdL6dasMRxK5h-FT-yLHkimj-IQWVFhKTtcbxoRfv4NAamSlSHvnYBcZORIf~GCUkpa9twibBX6C5k7acco3NRBRwCm0mRE9NYEGW0-XnL4Ilxsa270Hh0uXc2W7wph~LidKCR57~vXDzecba9qayZkhApu4Ligx5P7boTynIIliuYjwWFqr82TKcpiKLJhOLuhvnbnfnnMXo0OIld1q~zqSIM5bVfHXzWPdcSUzOuf0RA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kenilworth TV NJ","date","2025-05-09T16:56:47Z","article","The Kenilworth Borough Council approved the 2025 municipal budget at its May 6 meeting after a public hearing and recorded roll call.

Why it matters: the budget sets property tax levies, department appropriations and the borough’s fiscal plan for the year. Council and finance staff described a multistep process that trimmed appropriations and adjusted revenues to bring the budget within statutory limits.

Key details: Chief Financial Officer Kevin Brown summarized the budget work and thanked department heads and the budget committee for cooperation. Brown said the borough cut more than $800,000 in appropriations and reduced an initially larger projected tax increase during the drafting process; he told the council that “no services were lost with this budget.”

Voting: the council voted to adopt Resolution 25‑121 (adoption of the 2025 municipal budget). Roll call recorded affirmative votes from Councilmen Boyle, Finestrella, Morrow, Piper and Scurries; one member was recorded as excused. The borough attorney reminded the council that four affirmative votes were required for budget actions and acknowledged that one councilmember arrived after roll call but was eligible to vote.

Next steps: staff will publish the adopted budget as required by law and implement the approved appropriations. Council members said they will continue monitoring capital needs and possible grant opportunities that might alter future budgets.

Ending: the council closed the public hearing with no public comments and moved forward to consent agenda items following the budget vote.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025 Meeting of Mayor & Council May 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved the borough’s 2025 municipal budget after a public hearing. Chief Financial Officer Kevin Brown told the council the package required large cuts to appropriations but preserved existing services; the measure passed on recorded roll call.","taxTitle"," Kenilworth, Union County, New Jersey","taxId",58166,"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},6060933,"Kenilworth council introduces amended garbage ordinance to formalize monthly bulk pickup and clarify receptacle rules",1216,2450000,3666000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3287676-20cf512973de5a1c74b9710a1138e584&start=2450&end=3666","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3287676-20cf512973de5a1c74b9710a1138e584/thumbnail_2450000.jpg","/articles/6060933/New-Jersey/Kenilworth-council-introduces-amended-garbage-ordinance-to-formalize-monthly-bulk-pickup-and-clarify-receptacle-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060933-1405e440f228220500353742585961e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1776763380&Signature=LUhUYlHI125O3P~rrHWalMDlduUAkJivcNsmFJ4aX-jN2IVN~5x81eY3eSrll-hyI~-hd5fmjvBnvFgzn7v5PhnvUMi5q0EI-EILaPKkO2D9IFqX4K2pG~t~huUH7Ypot-FKNbjYMFAQNnX87zQCp6vGFJhGxcwOs2-TdR29BwqkW51mEq34Dkwb-TeUUdDBbX~vG017DCDO4gT5fdjm-cojJuAhg02MpcPSRNdVmrO1286PXEl50wDkWPNAsbSbaqcqzhgwtviD79u99zxuH3sWycVDNOOBc7lgDCAgoccG6FwAKSF8lJPq~rAPtX-LGKHWVIc2gABPhK-fROkxxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kenilworth Borough Council on May 6 voted to introduce Ordinance 2025‑05, an amendment to Chapter 106 (Garbage, Refuse and Recycling), with changes intended to clarify how bagged trash and bulk pickup rules apply to residents and multi‑unit dwellings.

Why it matters: the revisions aim to reduce ambiguity about what must be placed in covered receptacles and how many bulk items constitute a household entitlement, issues that council members said had produced confusion during high‑volume pickup periods (for example, after holidays) and for multi‑family units.

What changed: the council instructed staff to amend the ordinance language so that references to ‘bagged garbage’ explicitly point to the defined municipal term (capitalizing the term and adding “as defined”) and to strike language that would have required “bundled curbside” handling in a way members said would incorrectly apply to non‑decomposing refuse. The council also ordered insertion of the word “unit” after “household” in the bulk‑pickup provision so that a two‑family house is treated as two household units for the purpose of the allowed number of bulk items.

Implementation details: under the ordinance and the accompanying DPW schedule discussed earlier in the meeting, the borough will run six monthly bulk pickup days in 2025, coordinated with regular trash routes. Staff earlier identified that residents on certain routes may place up to five bulk items on their scheduled bulk day; residents were reminded to check the borough website for dates and accepted items.

Public process and next steps: the ordinance was introduced as amended; a public hearing and adoption are scheduled for the council’s June 4 meeting at 6 p.m. Council members said they would publish the amended text and that the clerk will include the attorney’s handwritten markup in the minutes and publication materials.

Ending: staff and the municipal attorney will finalize the ordinance text for publication and bring the measure back to the council for public comment and formal adoption on June 4.

","Council introduced ordinance 2025‑05 to amend Chapter 106 (Garbage, Refuse and Recycling). Amendments add defined wording to receptacle requirements and insert ‘unit’ after household to clarify bulk pickup allowances for multi‑unit dwellings; ordinance scheduled for public hearing June 4.",{"_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},6060937,"Kenilworth council backs continued pursuit of federal and USDA grants for aging OEM building",1161,1185000,2346000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3287676-20cf512973de5a1c74b9710a1138e584&start=1185&end=2346","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3287676-20cf512973de5a1c74b9710a1138e584/thumbnail_1185000.jpg","/articles/6060937/New-Jersey/Kenilworth-council-backs-continued-pursuit-of-federal-and-USDA-grants-for-aging-OEM-building","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060937-c437974b1ae9469ea63c6911c2867492/orig.mp4?Expires=1776763380&Signature=hqiWWmqKkwhSEkMyyjzBu6n3BxhRo3YF0mrs8dPu3HldcmSLKbD6BZ4NL3XUmMDFTYiqNNHmzbO7uyCumA3iA~JttLqs574HofSkRk7Q42N672vaam0e7nzMOj1a9LMgDZHQrWX8AdQyX~-IkgBq85FbUnmtdTXSXPiQhYbF6sTjg04ub8gGQcD2RrXdMWXRQBc-a1EXu-Lig-bvvMd29rzB11qJDQbTESj91SeiTDSNWQq5IvAJ1R579G6TYS4uRuLXCrmXA63GAJmkSScV5A-DXlPEv~2p92fGBDNvKtQgy8zViV5-zOQbnA5SNnh6o-gpKr1jZrNEXkly1N4AwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kenilworth council members on May 6 heard detailed staff briefings about the deteriorating emergency operations (OEM) building and agreed that borough staff should continue pursuing outside grant funding to replace or rebuild the facility.

The discussion focused on a previously submitted Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request and on a staff recommendation to reclassify the application into the U.S. Department of Agriculture Community Facilities program. Staff said the CDS application—originally pitched as a $1.2 million, no‑match request—did not meet a Homeland Security subcommittee’s technical definition of an emergency operations center. Reclassifying the application would allow consideration under the USDA program but would require the borough to provide approximately a 45% local match, staff said.

Why it matters: the OEM building stores generators and emergency equipment and serves as a backup operations site in storms. Staff said the structure is worn and that repairs done over the years have not resolved longstanding problems. Council members raised the building’s operational needs—heated space, plumbing, a kitchenette and additional bathroom capacity—because the site must support multi‑agency operations when deployed.

Most important facts: staff said the original CDS packet requested roughly $1.2 million. After trimming scope, staff estimated the project could be reduced to about $550,000–$600,000; a 45% match on a $600,000 project would be about $270,000. Staff reported that $104,000 already is budgeted to the OEM project, leaving an approximate remaining local gap of $166,000 if the trimmed estimate holds. Staff cautioned estimates are preliminary and that construction costs can change once work is bid.

Council members described a multi‑year effort to win federal support. Staff said the application has been routed through a senator’s office and to a Washington subcommittee; the borough was informed last year its submission did not meet the DHS emergency‑operations criteria. Borough staff told the council that under the USDA Community Facilities route the application would clear an initial state‑level review more readily but still require final selection in Washington. Staff also said the award timeline would put construction later in the funding cycle; they told the council the earliest realistic start date—if awarded and fully funded—would be in February 2027.

On building condition and scope, borough staff and the fire chief described visible deterioration: rusted conduit, failing exterior materials, frozen plumbing and a building envelope that has worsened since earlier estimates. Past in‑house estimates for full repairs ranged widely; one earlier estimate cited in the meeting was $135,000, while later assessments put full rehabilitation and upgrades much higher. Staff said demolition and new construction could yield some savings if foundations or utilities are reusable, but they told the council the finance plan must assume worst‑case costs until bids confirm otherwise.

Funding and next steps: staff asked whether the council wanted them to proceed with transferring the application to the USDA Community Facilities program and to prepare a trimmed, match‑aware budget for council consideration. Council members signaled informal support for continuing the grant effort and for returning with firmer cost estimates and funding options. No formal vote or appropriation was taken at the meeting; staff said they would continue pursuing grant options, identify possible additional local or county match sources, and come back to the council with a recommended funding plan.

The council also noted competing capital priorities—parking, roads and other facility upgrades—and asked staff to present the OEM project within the context of the borough’s capital program before any final commitment of local match funds.

Ending: staff said they would continue to pursue available grant streams, refine the project scope and cost estimates, and report options including how other grants might be layered or used to reduce the local match.

","Council members heard several years of planning and estimates for the borough’s emergency operations (OEM) building and agreed to continue seeking grant funding after staff proposed moving a Congressionally Directed Spending request into the USDA Community Facilities program, which would require a local match.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kenilworth council adopts 2025 municipal budget; CFO says no services cut

Kenilworth council introduces amended garbage ordinance to formalize monthly bulk pickup and clarify receptacle rules

Kenilworth council backs continued pursuit of federal and USDA grants for aging OEM building