Clark Township introduces 2025 municipal budget; public hearing set for May 19

The Township of Clark council introduced its 2025 municipal budget at the April 21 meeting, with officials saying the plan keeps the average household tax increase to about $48 a year and schedules a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. May 19 at the Public Safety Building, 315 Westfield Ave.

Mayor Sal Albanese said the municipal budget — which officials said accounts for roughly 30% of a homeowner’s final tax bill — covers public safety, parks and recreation, roads, senior services, recycling, planning and the public library. “The total municipal increase, including funding for the library, is under 2% this year. The average increase amounts to $48 per year for each household,” Albanese said during the meeting.

Town staff and council members told residents that the total budget increased from about $30.8 million in 2024 to $33.6 million in 2025. Officials said roughly $1.7 million of the $2.75 million variance relates to grant-funded items, including a $1.5 million line item tied to a new ladder truck for the fire department and a grant for rehabilitation work at the historic Robinson House.

Business Administrator James (Jim) Ulrich and Council member James O'Connor summarized line-item changes, saying uncontrollable fixed costs — primarily contractual salary increases, pensions and health-care premiums — accounted for a large share of the rise. Ulrich noted a $491,000 increase in health-care costs and a $203,000 rise in communications spending for on-site desktop support and cybersecurity monitoring.

Council member O'Connor provided a department-by-department recount of the budget changes, saying $570,000 of the overall variance represented “controllable expenses” such as temporary summer help and a deputy clerk hire, while roughly $765,000 reflected fixed costs tied to labor agreements and insurance. “Overall, the 2025 budget reflects proactive planning in both discretionary and nondiscretionary areas,” O'Connor said.

The council voted to introduce the budget and to publish the required notice; the official statement presented at the meeting lists general appropriations within caps of $23,513,749.22 and appropriations excluded from caps of $9,012,023. The budget statement lists anticipated non-tax revenues of $11,456,152.75 and a local tax for municipal purposes of $20,868,495.47.

A public hearing on the budget and tax resolution is scheduled for May 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Public Safety Building; taxpayers and other interested persons will be able to present objections at that time.