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Sayreville finance chief flags $800,000 sewer revenue shortfall; council will consider rate fixes
Summary
Councilwoman Novak told the June 15 meeting the borough faces an $800,000 sewer revenue shortfall driven by billing and usage changes; staff and the finance committee are exploring rate adjustments and budget options before year end to avoid rollover into next fiscal year.
Councilwoman Danielle Novak told the Sayreville Borough Council on June 15 that the borough is contending with an $800,000 shortfall in sewer revenue for the current budget year. Novak said the gap is the result of higher usage and billing collection issues, and she described ongoing work with the business administrator and CFO to identify remedies.
Novak said staff reduced a proposed tax‑rate adjustment from an earlier higher figure to a lower amount in preliminary calculations but cautioned that more deliberation is needed. She said the finance committee and administration plan additional workshops and that, if the budget is not adopted, residents could receive temporary tax bills in August.
The council discussed options that include revising sewer rates, targeted ordinances to change fee structures, and convening the finance committee for further review. Novak said the borough will pursue measures before the end of the year to prevent the shortfall from repeating.
The consent agenda later approved routine contract awards and authorizations related to pumps, library furniture and software maintenance; the council also authorized disabled‑veteran tax exemptions and other standard administrative actions.
Next steps: borough finance staff will report to the council with specific rate or ordinance proposals and a timetable for adopting corrective measures.
