Spring Lake Heights council adopts 2025 municipal budget; public hearing set for June 16

The Spring Lake Heights Borough Council adopted the 2025 municipal budget during its May 5 regular meeting, approving Resolution R2025-101 by unanimous roll call.

Councilman John Casagrande, who introduced the budget, said it is "very similar to the 2024 budget" but noted specific changes including healthcare, pension and LOSAP (Length of Service Award Program) costs, debt service payments and planned open-space and park improvements. He told the council the budget process will continue with a budget workshop on June 4, 2025 and a public budget hearing scheduled for June 16, 2025.

Mayor Christopher Campion thanked borough staff and Administrator John Barrett for work to contain spending and focus on what the borough needs to operate. Administrator Barrett was present and participated in meetings during the budget process, according to the record.

The adoption on May 5 establishes the borough’s spending plan for further review at the scheduled hearing; the resolution on the council agenda was recorded as R2025-101 and passed with the following recorded ayes: Councilmen Leonard Capristo, John Casagrande, William Graetz, Christopher Willms and Councilwomen Michele Degnan-Spang and Sara King.

The minutes do not list a total budget dollar figure or the resulting tax-rate change; those figures were not specified in the meeting record. The council set the formal public hearing for June 16, 2025 and a budget workshop for June 4, 2025 to allow additional review before final adoption steps.