Franklin Park Council approves deeds, equipment purchase, veteran fire funding and surplus auction; tables library budget

The Franklin Park Borough Council on Oct. 15, 2025 approved a series of routine municipal actions including acceptance of deeds of dedication for new streets, authorization of payments to the volunteer fire company, purchase of grounds equipment and authorization to sell surplus borough vehicles, while tabling a proposed library budget.

Council actions addressed property dedications in a new subdivision, an easement and storm-pipe dedication, the release of developer security after completion of sidewalk/curb work, and routine municipal purchases and contract extensions. Council also directed an electronic auction of identified surplus vehicles and extended a consultant agreement by six months.

Council approved minutes for prior meetings and accepted monthly reports from borough officials. The treasurer reported year-to-date revenues and that the borough was at 57.97% of its annual budget at the reporting date. The police department reported 457 service calls in September with 10 arrests, 164 warnings and 69 citations. The fire company reported 33 calls in September and 259 year-to-date; the building department reported 25 permits issued in September with a total construction value of $2,959,748 and fees collected of $34,068 for the month.

On formal items, the council adopted Resolution No. 1396 of 2025 accepting deeds of dedication for streets in the Hartman Farms subdivision identified in the meeting as Chadwick Court, Mula Drive and Grand Court. The council adopted Resolution No. 1397 of 2025 approving a storm sewer easement agreement and accepting dedication of the storm sewer pipe at the property identified as 1730 Sturbridge Drive.

The council authorized the treasurer to prepare a check in the amount of $149,000 payable to the borough volunteer fire company as the borough’s annual contribution. The council also authorized preparation of a check for $94,468.25 payable to the Northern (referred to in the meeting also as Northland) library for the fourth-quarter payment of 2025. Separately, the council moved but then tabled consideration of adopting the proposed 2026 Northland library budget until the November meeting.

Council reauthorized purchase of a GreenMaster eDrivelex 3360 mower from E.H. Griffith, Inc., through The Tornow Company under an existing contract at a cost recorded in the meeting as $71,949.39.

The council voted to terminate the maintenance agreement for the Pointe River Ridge (recorded in the meeting as Place Pointe River Ridge) Apartments and to authorize the full release of Dollar Bank letter of credit number 03449 in the amount of $32,020 and the cash bond in the amount of $4,400 for the sidewalk/curb-cut ramp, based on a letter from LSMP Civil Engineers & Surveyors dated Oct. 6, 2025 and revised Oct. 9, 2025.

The council declared specified vehicles surplus and authorized their disposition by electronic auction starting Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, using the online auction platform indicated in the meeting (visibid.com). The items listed in the meeting as surplus included vehicles identified by the meeting as a 2006 Sterling truck (VIN last four digits 6735) and a 1991 Chevrolet 3500 (VIN last four digits 0135); the council directed the borough secretary to advertise the sale.

The council also authorized Amendment 1 to a consulting agreement to extend the contract period by an additional six months (to April 2026 as recorded in the meeting) without increasing the contract amount. That amendment was approved by voice vote.

After completing business, council members closed with a reminder about Halloween safety and no further public comments were recorded.

Votes at a glance: all recorded motions in the meeting were carried by voice vote; no recorded roll-call tallies with member-by-member votes were provided in the transcript.

(Article based on council meeting statements and motions as recorded in the meeting transcript.)