Pompton Lakes council backs tee‑ball field base bid, removes playground and walking path to trim costs

Pompton Lakes Borough Council voted informally to advance a long‑delayed Willow Field Little League project while trimming optional items from the base bid to reduce immediate municipal cost. The council directed staff to proceed with the tee‑ball field work as the base bid and to treat the playground and walking path as alternates that can be added later if bids and leftover funds allow.

The decision followed more than an hour of public comment from Little League volunteers and parents and a presentation by the borough’s engineering team. Joe Kleinott, president of the Pompton Lakes Riverdale Little League, told the council, "We have $430,000 in grant money that is just sitting there that needs to be used by April," and urged officials not to let the funds lapse. Several other volunteers emphasized field safety, frequent flooding at the existing tee‑ball location and heavy year‑round usage by youth teams.

Alex Petreski of Donald Foskey Engineering, introduced as the borough engineer, described the scope and permit history: "It entails basically relocating the 2 t ball fields and constructing a new, little league field on the southern side of property." He said DEP permits were issued for the work and stressed that restoration of regulated areas and replacement plantings are required by the permit. Petreski also presented a conservative June cost estimate and identified possible savings by deferring accessories such as additional fencing and backstops and by removing the walking path.

Council members and the public debated scope and cost. Speakers cited different figures during the discussion: earlier project estimates near $947,000 were referenced in public comments, while engineers provided a construction estimate (gross) and enumerated soft costs. Council members noted roughly $430,000 in grant funding and about $150,000 in recommended open‑space funds were available; after trimming alternates, the council estimated the borough’s immediate share would be substantially smaller (participants discussed a figure near $120,000, depending on which alternates were removed and final bid results).

Concerns raised included long‑term flood vulnerability and whether newly planted restoration trees would provide an immediate flood buffer. Residents also questioned parking impacts; engineers said the current permit and design did not expand formal parking and that some informal parking has occurred on nearby conservation‑restricted (Blue Acre) lots.

In the meeting’s outcome, the council removed the walking path and postponed the playground as part of the base bid to reduce immediate costs, while making tee‑ball reconstruction a base bid item. The council discussed leaving the playground as an alternate bid so it could be added if competitive bids come in under budget. Council members also noted volunteers and local scout groups offered to assist with nonessential amenities if the council preferred to defer municipal spending.

Next steps: staff will pursue the bidding process consistent with the council’s direction, reconcile and circulate an updated cost estimate that shows the trimmed items, and return with formal contract/bid language. The council’s direction was recorded as a consensus/straw poll during the meeting rather than a final purchase contract; final funding commitments will follow the procurement and bonding steps required by borough procedures.