Sussex introduces $1.2M bond ordinance

SUSSEX BOROUGH — The Sussex Borough Council unanimously introduced a bond ordinance for $1,200,000.00.

Councilwoman Annette Stendor was absent. Final reading and a public hearing will be on July 21.

Mayor Jonathan Rose explained said the ordinance was a book-keeping entry to cover a list of 12 water/sewer capital projects in 2015.

Bigger ticket items are: $400,00 for repairs to three places on the sewer force main; $300,00 for water meter replacement; and $150,000 for the water line at the Double S Diner Bridge.

Related to the water line, the council also unanimously passed a resolution to pay $8,500 to Houser Engineering. Houser will design the water pipe crossing under the Wallkill River along with the Route 23 Bridge replacement, which will begin in 2016. Currently gas, water, and sewer pipes go under the bridge, but not under the river.

Rose said the state no longer allows utilities to hang off the bridge. The state will pay for pushing the sewer main 150 feet under the river through a jacking process in the wet lands. However, the water main is considered a “betterment,” and Sussex Borough is required to pay for the water line.

If the Borough would like to provide water someday further down Route 23, the $150,000 is probably the cheapest way, while the contractor is on-site to push the sewer and gas mains under the river, Rose said.

Grants and loans
During a special meeting on June 9, Bruno Associates gave the council a list of possible grants and loans for which the borough may apply.

The borough hopes that some grants will offset the $1.2 million in capital improvements, and they will not need to bond the entire amount.

As of April 8, the Council hired Bruno Associates to be their grant writer.