NB receives $78K for new trees

Even though Gov. Christopher Christie has cancelled the Access to the Regions Core Tunnel, North Bergen has received $78,660 from NJ Transit to restore the trees that were removed during construction.
Township Administrator Christopher Pianese said that the trees had been removed along Tonnelle Avenue, where the underpass for the tunnel was being constructed. He said the number of trees removed was “somewhere in the hundred range.”
Commissioners accepted the grant through a resolution at their Nov. 10 meeting.
The state had a responsibility to plant two trees for every one they removed and provide the funds to take care of them for two years, said Pianese.

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“I believe we need to reserve an area of open space on the water front to guarantee it.” – Nicholas Sacco
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The town also accepted a New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety for the Emergency Assistance Funding (EMA) grant at $5,000; a New Jersey Department of Community Affairs State Local Cooperative Housing Inspection Program grant at $20,000; a Drunk Driving Enforcement Grant at $11,389; a New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety for the 2010 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program at $3,150; a New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety Body Armor Replacement Fund grant at $9,882; and a $5,000 grant from the State Homeland Security Grant Program, in which North Bergen will match with $5,000.

Preparing to purchase park land

While the Hudson County Board of Freeholders has recommended that North Bergen receive $1.8 million to purchase land from K. Hovnanian along the waterfront so that they can combine this land with property owned by Guttenberg and create a passive park, Pianese said that the freeholders are currently in a 45-day waiting period before they make their final decision.
K. Hovnanian has asked North Bergen to purchase the land prior to Dec. 31, so just in case the town does not receive grant money in time, the commissioners introduced a bond ordinance for $2 million to finance the cost of purchasing the property, which right now is being offered to them at $1.62 million.
The commissioners also passed an ordinance that will allow them to purchase this property, located at 7200 River Road.
“I believe we need to reserve an area of open space on the waterfront to guarantee it,” said Mayor Nicholas Sacco. “To purchase this land and work with Guttenberg and build a nice, passive park…it’s important to North Bergen and Guttenberg.”

Retired employee to receive $47.9K in sick time

John Mulholland, a retiring North Bergen employee, will be awarded $47,871.44 in unused sick days. The funds were approved in a resolution at the meeting.

Ambulance transport fees rising

An ordinance was introduced that will allow the North Bergen Emergency Medical Services to charge insurance providers $800 as a base fee for transport services, plus $10.50 per mile of trip. The fee for providing treatment without transport will be $500.
Pianese said that the former rate was $600 for transport and that raising the fees now brings the township to what other emergency medical services charge.
“We won’t bill our residents,” said Pianese. “If you have insurance, we take what we can get. If you have Medicare, we get whatever they will give us.”
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.