NB takes on MUA’s debt, pays other bills
The township agreed to assume up to $2,844,758 in debt from the North Bergen Municipal Authority at the Feb. 9 commissioner’s meeting.
According to Township Administrator Christopher Pianese, this includes cost overruns from a sewer pipeline that has allowed the township since October 2010 to move its waste water from North Bergen through Jersey City for treatment at the Passaic Valley Sewage Commission’s treatment plant. The $2.8 million also includes MUA cost projections on the cleanup of its former treatment site.
Through the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act for fiscal year 2011, North Bergen received $429,749 for various street improvements. They also received $15,000 from the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety for a Pedestrian Safety Education and Enforcement Grant for fiscal year 2011.
The commissioners approved bills equaling $56,585 to J. Fletcher Creamer Son, Inc., of Hackensack for emergency sewerage work that occurred between the time their last contract expired and their new one was approved.
The township will also pay Union City $2,500 so that they can use their Bruce D. Walter Community Pool for three hours, one evening a week, from March 1 to May 31 for the township’s swimming program.
Senators sponsor Port Authority transparency bill
State Senators Sandra Bolden Cunningham (D-Hudson) and Nicholas Sacco (D-Hudson/Bergen) have sponsored a bill that would strengthen transparency laws governing the Port Authority of NY & NJ by requiring the agency to conform to the “Open Public Meetings Act,” which was unanimously approved by the Senate Transportation Committee on Feb.7.
Bill S-550 would establish a state law requiring the authority to give adequate notice of meetings, and to follow the above N.J. Open Public Meetings law as well as New York’s “Open Meetings Law.” In the event the two laws conflict, the authority would be required to adopt the provisions that give the greatest right to the public and media.
“This bill will ensure that the authority meets strong transparency standards and that these standards are not only part of the bylaws, but established in state law and, therefore, cannot be changed by the board they were created to govern,” said Sacco.
The bill would only take affect after it is passed by the Senate and Assembly, before moving onto the State of New York for legislative approval.
Benefit concert at local church
The Gospel Tabernacle A/G Church, located at 5029 Kennedy Blvd., will host a benefit concert for Child Cry, a ministry program that feeds hungry children in 22 countries, on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.
The concert will feature music by Patrick Andy, a native of Madagascar who performs R&B, rock, pop, and jazz.
For more information visit www.childcrynyc.org and www.gospeltab.org.
PMC schedules upcoming health screening
Palisades Medical Center will conduct a free health screening in North Bergen on Feb. 20 from 12 noon to 4:30 p.m. at Temple Beth El, 300 75th St. Screenings will include blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, respiratory testing, Body Mass Index, and pulse oximetery.