Ridgewood manager reports freeze on two federal public-health grants; multiple capital purchases for water plant proposed

The Village of Ridgewood was notified last Friday that two federal public-health grants the village had relied on were suspended, Village Manager Keith told the council on April 2, putting roughly $170,000 in expected funding on hold and affecting two full‑time health department employees and more than 34 health programs.

Manager Keith said the suspension is tied to broader federal spending freezes. He referenced ongoing legal actions at the state level: New Jersey announced it would join a multistate lawsuit challenging the suspension of nearly $11 billion in public-health grants; the outcome of that litigation may determine whether the village regains the funds. "We are currently, in a holding pattern. We are not spending any of these dollars that have been allocated," Keith said, and he said the administration is coordinating with health‑department staff and the municipal civil‑service office about staffing implications.

The manager also highlighted the village's broader grant portfolio: Millennium Strategies, the village’s grant writer, reported $4.6 million in pending grant applications and $823,000 in grant applications submitted so far this year. Keith said the administration is pursuing other funding sources to offset lost federal dollars and noted the council will consider a Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund recreation-grant application next week for Citizens Park improvements. That application requests a matching grant of $99,352.24 for fencing, field improvements and sun shelters; the manager said the council must hold a public hearing before submitting the grant application.

Under budget and capital items, Keith reviewed several planned purchases and contract renewals that were listed on the workshop agenda for council consideration. He described an award-of-contract low bid for tree irrigation services (Bill's Landscaping Service and Design) not to exceed $79,295; a contract renewal for the Spatial Data Logic software platform at a not-to-exceed $58,500; and multiple water pollution control facility (WPCF) purchases under cooperative Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission contracts. Those WPCF items included a 4‑inch submersible trash pump (not to exceed $63,125), two gas sediment traps for digester-gas safety ($109,635), two digester roof gas swivel connections ($45,530) and three Penn Valley sludge pumps ($224,442). Keith said the equipment purchases are funded from prior capital accounts and stressed the WPCF requires continuing investment because it operates continuously and some equipment is worn out.

Council members asked operational questions. One sought clarification on whether replacing the digester‑gas equipment would reduce odors; Keith said ordering and installing the equipment is urgent and should improve conditions. A councilmember questioned the pedestrian-tunnel grant description that lists an address; Keith said staff would verify the correct address before submission of a Historic Preservation Trust Fund application seeking a $599,335 matching grant for tunnel improvements at the Ridgewood train station.

Manager Keith also reported a working house fire in the village on April 1; one resident was transported to Valley Hospital and the site was cleared by 6 p.m.; mutual aid agencies assisted in the response. He thanked the Ridgewood Fire Department and other mutual aid partners for their work. Keith closed by listing upcoming community events, a municipal schedule for irrigation rules, and a reminder that the municipal budget is scheduled to be introduced at the council’s April 9 public meeting.

Ending

The council did not record final votes on the procurement items during the workshop; several items were presented for consideration and will be included on future resolutions. The manager said staff will follow up on grant applications, confirm addresses on grant paperwork and continue coordinating with department heads about operational impacts of the frozen public-health grants.