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Hillside council approves temporary 2025 appropriations, software and service contracts and authorizes tax-sale procedures
Summary
The Township Council approved temporary 2025 budget appropriations totaling $12,743,824.54, adopted a cash-management plan, awarded a software maintenance contract, contracted animal-control services, authorized sole-source stretcher purchases and approved tax-sale authorizations while rejecting two sewer repair bids for re-bid.
The Township of Hillside approved a set of fiscal and procurement actions at its Jan. 8, 2025 reorganization meeting that set short-term budget authority and authorized several contracts and purchasing mechanisms for the year.
The council adopted Resolution R-25-001, authorizing temporary 2025 budget appropriations with a total sum listed as $12,743,824.54. The resolution presents $9,637,078.50 in appropriations within the municipal “cap” and $3,106,746.04 in appropriations excluded from the cap. The motion was made by Council Member Daryl Joyner, seconded by Council Member Lisa Bonanno, and passed unanimously.
Council also adopted a Cash Management Plan (R-25-002) directing the Chief Financial Officer to manage permitted investments and to report monthly, and designated Wells Fargo, State of New Jersey Cash Management Fund, Valley National Bank and Citizens Bank as official depositories (R-25-004). The council authorized two cooperative purchasing agreements (TIPS and the New Jersey Cooperative Purchasing Alliance) to allow use of competitively bid vendor contracts.
On procurement and contracts, the council:
- Awarded a one-year software maintenance contract to Munidex LLC for $12,513 (R-25-011). The contract runs Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025.
- Approved a contract with Associated Humane Societies, Inc. for animal-control services at $90,000 for 2025, payable in monthly installments of $7,500 (R-25-012). A public commenter raised whether the township needs that level of spending on humane-society services; the minutes record the question but do not show a council response.
- Approved a sole-source purchase of two Stryker power stretcher units for township ambulances at a total cost of $109,836.82 (R-25-015). The CFO attested that funds were available for the purchase.
- Rejected two bids for emergency sanitary and storm sewer repairs because both bids exceeded the township's estimated budget; the Township Engineer was authorized to re-bid the project (R-25-010).
On tax-collection measures, the council authorized holding electronic tax sales (R-25-008) and approved an accelerated tax-lien sale for 2025 under N.J.S.A. 54:5-19 (R-25-009). The accelerated sale motion carried with Council Member David Feuerstein recorded as abstaining and Council Member Andrea Hyatt voting Nay.
Votes at a glance (selected items): - R-25-001 Temporary appropriations — approved unanimously (mover: D. Joyner; seconder: L. Bonanno). - R-25-008 Authorize electronic tax sale — approved unanimously (mover: D. Feuerstein; seconder: L. Bonanno). - R-25-009 Accelerated tax lien sale — approved (mover: R. Rios; seconder: D. Joyner); Feuerstein abstained; Hyatt Nay. - R-25-010 Reject sewer repair bids — approved unanimously (mover: R. Rios). - R-25-011 Munidex maintenance contract ($12,513) — approved unanimously. - R-25-012 Associated Humane Societies contract ($90,000) — approved unanimously. - R-25-015 Two Stryker power stretchers ($109,836.82) — approved unanimously.
The meeting minutes record motions, seconders and roll-call outcomes for the above items. Where residents asked procedural questions (for example, how to register for online tax sales), the minutes note the questions but do not record staff answers or next steps.
