Council outlines timeline for water-system negotiations with New Jersey American

Council members reported that the borough’s negotiations with New Jersey American — chosen in the earlier procurement process as the leading bidder to potentially acquire the town water system — are progressing and that a draft agreement is expected shortly.

The council said attorneys and the administrator hope to exchange a draft agreement "maybe beginning of next week," after which small-group briefings with attorneys will be arranged so each council member can review the document in detail. Council leaders said they plan to share a public-facing draft and outreach materials when the negotiation results are sufficiently developed.

Officials described a timeline that envisions sending any approved agreement to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and aiming to finalize a ballot question in early August for inclusion on the November general-election ballot so voters can decide the ultimate disposition of the system. Staff also said they are conducting data analysis of the borough’s historical rates and New Jersey American’s tariffs (they requested 15 years of tariff history from bidders) to inform comparisons about potential long-term rate trajectories.

Council members emphasized that much of the negotiation remains confidential until an agreement is finished but committed to robust public outreach once a draft contract can be released. The administration said outreach materials — including FAQs and slide decks with rate and fiscal-impact analyses — will be produced for upcoming public meetings.