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West Milford introduces 2026 budget, proposes cap increase and outlines $4.53M in capital spending
Summary
At its April 8 meeting the West Milford Governing Body introduced the 2026 municipal and solid-waste budgets, moved Ordinance 2026-012 to allow a 3.5% cap increase (1.0% exception cited) and reviewed a proposed $4,529,104 capital budget while CFO presented multi-year debt concerns and options to shift recurring road work into the operating budget.
West Milford’s Governing Body on April 8 introduced the township’s 2026 municipal and solid-waste budgets, moved an ordinance to exceed the Local Government Cap Law limits and reviewed the proposed 2026 capital plan.
Administrator William Senande reviewed departmental capital requests and said departments had requested $10,910,628 while the proposed capital budget for 2026 is $4,529,104. He outlined funded and unfunded road projects: Lincoln Avenue and Warwick Turnpike are grant-funded; Westbrook Road has funding but is slated for 2027; Clinton Road ($1.25 million) and Longhouse Drive ($800,000) remain unfunded pending grant awards. Senande described other capital items: $1.3 million for regular road resurfacing, $200,000 budgeted to digitize tax maps, $145,859 for park security cameras to be funded through Open Space, and various equipment and facility projects where some items are not funded (for example, replacement salt sheds, municipal parking lot, DPW roller and a rescue boat).
CFO Ellen Mageean outlined the township’s debt picture, including bond anticipation notes: with required down payments included the township would carry approximately $36,866,990 in total debt and estimated 2026 debt service (principal and interest) of $3,536,827, not including the library’s share. Mageean told the council that because BAN payments are lower than bond payments, the township is “adding debt faster than we are paying it off” and offered to run multi-year scenarios showing the fiscal impact of shifting recurring road spending from capital borrowing into the operating budget.
Mayor Michele Dale and members of the council discussed the trade-offs. Mayor Dale said placing recurring road funding into the operating budget would require short-term tax increases but would reduce long-term borrowing costs. Councilman David Marsden said he wanted to see the multi-year numbers; Mageean agreed to prepare projections for three to 10-year scenarios to show effects on debt and taxes.
On a related procedural step, the council introduced Ordinance 2026-012, which would authorize increasing the CY2026 budget up to 3.5% over the prior year’s final appropriations under N.J.S.A. 40A:4-45.14 and establish a cap bank; the ordinance text cites a 1.00% exception amounting to $311,687.60 and a total 3.5% increase amounting to $1,090,906.60. Councilmember Ada Erik moved to advance the ordinance and Councilmember Michael Chazukow seconded; the motion carried with Erik, Chazukow, Marilyn Lichtenberg, Kevin Goodsir, Rudolf Hass and David Marsden voting aye. The budget introduction resolution was posted to the township website and a public hearing and final adoption of the budget and tax resolution was scheduled for May 20, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.
Why this matters: CFO Mageean warned the council that continuing to rely on debt for recurring road work increases long-term costs. The council directed staff to return with specific multi-year budget scenarios to show the fiscal trade-offs of moving more road funding into the operating budget versus continued reliance on bonds and BANs.
Next steps: the municipal and solid-waste budgets were introduced and posted online; taxpayers and interested persons may present objections at the May 20, 2026 public hearing when the council will consider final adoption.
