Council repeals capital ordinance after DOT funds became unavailable

The Highland Park Borough Council adopted Ordinance 25-2099 on first reading to repeal Capital Ordinance 24-2081, which had appropriated $609,980 from the New Jersey Department of Transportation municipal aid program for improvements on North Fourth Avenue, Denson Street and Harper Street.

A council speaker explained that DOT municipal aid funds originally identified for the project are no longer available and the borough instead will use bond proceeds approved in February 2022 to finish outstanding work and pay the vendor. The speaker said most work is complete and that the contractor will be paid in full from the bond. The meeting record identifies the vendor as “Fisher, the company from Scotch Plains” in the council discussion.

The ordinance was introduced for passage on first reading; council members voted to adopt the repeal on a roll call vote. The clerk read the ordinance title into the record during the meeting’s business portion.

Council members said the action corrects prior budget language and aligns the funding source with bond proceeds. No new appropriation amount beyond the referenced $609,980 was stated at the meeting; the record notes that bond funding from a prior bond ordinance (adopted 02/2022) will be used to complete the contract. The council did not identify a timeline for final project closeout at the meeting.