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Commissioners approve school and college capital bonds; O'Dea presses to waive bus‑rental fees for County trips
Summary
The Board adopted bond ordinances for the Hudson County Schools of Technology and Hudson County Community College and passed a bus‑stop ordinance; Commissioner William O'Dea pressed administrators to stop charging rental fees for County trips when the County owns the buses and requested superintendent follow‑up at the next caucus.
At the Sept. 25, 2025 Hudson County Board meeting commissioners adopted multiple ordinances authorizing capital spending and a County traffic regulation, while one commissioner pressed administration to change internal transportation billing practices.
The Board opened and closed public hearings and adopted a bond ordinance providing $1,500,000 for Hudson County Schools of Technology capital improvements (I‑1) and a bond ordinance appropriating $6,634,062 for Hudson County Community College capital projects (A‑2). The clerk also read an amendment to the Administrative Code to regulate bus stops on Bergen Turnpike (A‑3); all were adopted by roll‑call vote.
Commissioner William O'Dea raised a separate fiscal and policy question during the Schools of Technology hearing. He asked why County‑related trips should incur a separate $250 bus‑rental fee and argued that when the County purchases buses for public service it is illogical for County departments or County‑funded programs to be charged a usage fee on top of driver and fuel costs. "Why should County-related bus trips pay per bus rental fee? When the County buys the buses... it doesn't seem fair and reasonable to charge that fee to the government which purchased the vehicle," O'Dea said.
O'Dea asked that the superintendent be present at the next caucus to explain the practice and urged the County Administrator to convene a meeting with One New Jersey and related providers to expand legal and immigration‑related supports after recent enforcement incidents. Administration staff said they would relay the question and have the superintendent follow up.
Votes and next steps: Roll calls on the ordinances were recorded in the affirmative. Administration was asked to report back on the bus‑rental policy by the next caucus and to provide additional detail about the reimbursed charges for driver time and fuel when County vehicles are used for official trips.
The meeting adjourned at 5:33 p.m.
