Colts Neck adopts roughly $20.62 million 2025 municipal budget; committee schedules bond hearing for fire truck

The Colts Neck Township Committee unanimously adopted the township'9s 2025 municipal budget on April 30, approving a spending plan township finance staff said totals about $20.62 million and reflects a modest increase in municipal operations.

Finance officer John Antonities presented the budget to the committee and public, saying the plan balances revenues and appropriations and relies on multiple sources, including property taxes, state aid, grants and a drawdown of surplus. "The main source of revenues for the township are property tax $12.5 million, open space property tax $543,000, federal and state grants $56,000, state aid $2 million, surplus $3 million," Antonities said during his presentation.

Antonities told the committee the township is using $3 million from its surplus and has a capital-improvement fund of roughly $3 million to support pay-as-you-go projects. He said the surplus at the end of 2024 was $5.6 million, leaving about $2.6 million after the planned use. "That means we've used 53% of the surplus over the last four years," he said, adding the town generally maintains a surplus proportion near prior years.

Key capital items called out in the presentation include about $2 million in road improvements (partly grant-funded), a $2.5 million fire-truck purchase (partially funded from current year resources and proposed bonding), roughly $284,000 for Department of Public Works equipment and vehicles, and about $334,000 in police and fire vehicles and equipment. Antonities said two new police officers are included in the operating budget for 2025 to support population growth.

Committee members opened the statutorily required public hearing on the budget and answered questions from residents on recycling cost increases, use of surplus, and why school taxes were not reduced despite higher overall assessed values. Resident Robert Scales, a school-board member, asked where increased tax revenue had gone; Antonities explained how capital funding and restrictions on various funds differ from operating appropriations. The committee also reiterated that state law mandates municipal recycling service and noted recycling costs have risen substantially in recent years.

After public comment closed, the governing body voted on the adoption resolution by roll call; Deputy Mayor Viola, Committeeman Busetta, Committeewoman Fitzpatrick, Committeeman Rudo and Mayor Terara Shabbus recorded affirmative votes.

The committee also approved Resolution 2025-91 to set salaries and wages for non-union township positions, consistent with items included in the adopted budget.

Separately, the governing body introduced a bond ordinance (first reading) that would finance part of the cost of a ladder truck and scheduled public hearings for ordinances related to capital appropriations and the proposed fire truck for May 14. The bond ordinance was introduced by title only; final approval and any bonding will follow public hearings and formal adoption procedures.

The committee said the budget keeps current services largely intact while preserving reserve capacity for future capital needs and noted that some large items may be financed through a mix of pay-as-you-go funds and bonding to limit the near-term tax impact.

Action taken: the township adopted the municipal budget on April 30, 2025; related bond and appropriation ordinances were introduced and scheduled for public hearing on May 14, 2025.