HUDSON COUNTY — The Hudson County Freeholders aren’t looking a gift horse in the mouth, but they raised some serious concerns at their meeting on Dec. 6 about the future of a program that could possibly reduce energy costs to the county and some municipalities, saying that participation in a 15-year contract could force the taxpayers to repay a $5.7 million redevelompent loan if things go badly.
The Hudson County Improvement Authority is asking the county to approve the $5.7 loan for what is expected to be a $13 million to $15 million project.
Presented the plan only weeks before a critical deadline that would lock the county into a reduced cost for energy, the freeholders also raised concerns about why some towns were left out or chose not to participate in the program.
With the clock ticking, county officials are scrambling to find a way to include municipalities such as Hoboken, West New York and Kearny into the program in order to avoid an increased cost if included after Dec. 31.