Ridgewood council introduces 2025 budget, funds PFAS treatment and Schedler remediation

The Village Council of Ridgewood on April 9 introduced the 2025 municipal budget and approved multiple bond and water ordinances to fund infrastructure and public-safety projects, including continued work on PFAS treatment across the Ridgewood Water service area and a $1.5 million soil remediation allocation for the Schedler property. The council set a public hearing on the budget for May 14.

The municipal budget packet presented by Village Manager Keith Kazmark and Finance Director Bob Bruney showed total general appropriations of $64,770,957 and an amount to be raised by taxation of $45,189,633. The manager said the proposal is “affordable” and asked the council to set May 14 as the final public hearing and adoption date. The proposal would raise the municipal portion of property taxes by 3.14%; the presentation showed the average Ridgewood home would pay about $149.63 more annually (about $12.47 per month) under the proposed numbers.

Why it matters: the budget funds a multi-year capital program and several large water-treatment projects. Ridgewood Water is mid-buildout on a PFAS removal program that the council and utility described as a multi-million-dollar investment. The administration said the village will continue to fund road paving, tree plantings, police and fire equipment replacements, and library and park upgrades while meeting debt service targets that helped preserve the village’s Standard & Poor’s rating.

Key numbers and projects highlighted by staff include: - Total general appropriations: $64,770,957; amount to be raised by taxation: $45,189,633. - The village plans continued construction of PFAS treatment facilities for Ridgewood Water; staff said additional PFAS facilities and connection work remain on the schedule and that six more treatment contracts are expected to be active by the end of 2025. - A $1,500,000 line in the bond package for soil remediation at the Schedler property, described by staff as an engineering estimate tied to removal of the berm and grid-sampling–determined contaminated soils. - Capital allocations for road paving, a firefighter equipment rotation program, sinking-fund contributions for a new fire engine ($350,000 set aside this year), library ADA restroom upgrades, pedestrian-tunnel work, and additional pedestrian-activated crosswalks.

Rich Kalbi, director of Ridgewood Water, summarized the utility work during the presentation: “We secured construction contracts for another 6 PFAS treatment facilities, and they'll be active by the end of 2025.” Kalbi and manager Kazmark also outlined lead-service-line replacement plans and said the utility is pursuing principal forgiveness and other loan subsidies for treatment work.

On financing, Finance Director Bob Bruney explained the budget accounts for union contract increases, higher pension and health-benefit bills from the state, and a modest debt-service reduction tied to recent debt management. Bruney told the council the proposed 2025 budget was under the municipal tax levy cap by approximately $1,200,000 and under the appropriation cap by $5,000.

Council action and ordinances: the council took multiple votes at the meeting, including second-reading adoptions and initial readings tied to the budget package and water projects. Notable actions that passed included: - Introduction/first reading of Ordinance 4046 (calendar year 2025 budget cap bank / NJSA 40A:4-45.14); hearing set for May 14, 2025 (motion adopted by roll call). - Adoption on second reading of Ordinance 4039, a bond ordinance for water utility improvements (appropriation $4,992,000; bonds/notes $4,742,000) (motion adopted by roll call). - Adoption on second reading of Ordinances 4037 and 4038 (fees/code and water piping system compliance/right of access) (motions adopted by roll call). - Adoption on second reading of the main capital bond ordinance (Ordinance 4045) funding general capital items including paving, equipment and smaller projects (motion adopted by roll call). - Several resolutions awarding contracts for water-utility emergency work, SCADA updates at the water pollution control facility, and other capital procurements were adopted by consent vote.

Votes at a glance (council roll-call recorded votes at the meeting): - Ordinance 4046 (budget introduction / NJSA 40A:4-45.14): introduced and hearing set for 05/14/2025. Roll-call: Mortimer, Perrin, Weitz, Winograd, Vazianos — all recorded “Yes.” - Ordinance 4039 (water bond ordinance): adopted on second reading. Roll-call: Mortimer, Perrin, Weitz, Winograd, Vazianos — all recorded “Yes.” - Ordinance 4045 (general capital bond ordinance): adopted on second reading. Roll-call: Mortimer, Perrin, Weitz, Winograd, Vazianos — all recorded “Yes.” (Additional ordinances and resolutions listed in the meeting record were adopted by similar roll-call votes; full minutes and ordinance text will be posted with the official meeting record.)

Administration notes and next steps: Kazmark said the budget and supporting materials will be posted the day after introduction and that staff will return May 14 for the formal hearing and adoption. Ridgewood Water said it will continue lead service-line outreach and expects to bid the first homeowner replacement contracts in 2025. The manager and directors also flagged several grant applications that could supplement the capital program, including state and federal grants for the pedestrian tunnel and train-station improvements.

Ending: Council members praised staff and volunteers for the work that produced the budget and for maintaining core services while advancing long-term projects. The public hearing on the budget will be held May 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall; the administration said the full draft budget and the presentation slide deck will be posted online for public review before that date.