Tenafly council debates how to close funding gap after turf field bids exceed available money

At its April 22 meeting, the Tenafly Mayor and Council discussed next steps after bids for a proposed turf project for a municipal baseball/softball field came in higher than the borough's available funds, with staff and councilors weighing a rebid, fundraising with Little League and the use of open-space funds.

The discussion matters because the project affects recreational facilities used by local youth and involves existing open-space revenue the borough has set aside for parks and recreation. Staff described grant awards and existing balances while council members debated who should cover the shortfall.

Borough Administrator David (Administrator) told the council the borough had applied for several grants: one grant was for $70,000 that required a $100,000 match, and a Bergen County open-space grant was about $119,000 with a roughly $140,000 local match requirement. David said the borough currently had about $553,000 available for the project and that the lowest bid returned was “about $610,000 or $620,000,” leaving a funding gap that he did not state precisely in dollar terms. He told the council the bids were competitive and that 10 firms submitted offers.

"So the course of action is to reject all those bids, rebid it, but then concurrently to have some conversations with the Little League about fundraising," David said, summarizing his recommended approach.

Councilwoman Dayton objected to asking families to raise a large sum. "I'm very uncomfortable asking our families that are in baseball and softball to raise a hundred thousand dollars above what their tax is paid for," she said, calling it "not appropriate for this type of project." She noted that the borough has dedicated open-space funds earmarked for recreation.

Another councilor identified in the discussion as Adam said Little League leaders had been part of planning and were prepared to fundraise and pursue corporate sponsorships rather than rely solely on families. "They understand they're here every step of the way," Adam said, adding that the Little League had discussed fencing, PA systems and other amenities and had indicated willingness to raise additional money.

Councilors explored immediate options including rejecting the bids and rebidding in hopes of lower prices, pursuing fundraising through the Little League and evaluating how much of the open-space balance could be applied. David reported an open-space balance discussed during the meeting of about $1,003,000 (as stated during the meeting).

No formal motion was recorded during the excerpt to commit open-space funds or to accept or reject bids; the record shows councilors favoring a two-track approach of rebidding while engaging the Little League and other fundraising options. Several members urged staff to return with firmer figures.

Next steps the council discussed included: rebidding the project, consulting with Little League about an acceptable fundraising commitment, and, if necessary, phasing the project or seeking additional funding sources. Council members said they did not intend to interrupt the current playing season with construction.

Clarifying details raised in the discussion included the grant sizes and match requirements, the borough's available balance for the project and the approximate low bid range; councilors emphasized the need for exact dollar math before any formal vote.