Three projects in county part of House bill

Three Sussex County projects have been approved in legislation that will be considered by the full House of Representatives Appropriations committee.

The measure includes $750,000 for renovations at the Newton Medical Center Behavioral Health Dept., $100,000 for Sussex Borough’s Water Utility Improvement Project, and $500,000 for the Sussex County Elderly Veteran and Employment Services Transportation Services.

“By working closely with North Jersey’s local counties, towns, and municipalities, I’m fighting in Congress to secure federal investment to move critical projects forward that help our communities. With all ten Fifth District community projects included in legislation to be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee, we’re one step closer to clawing back more federal dollars to North Jersey,” U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) said. “If fully signed into law, this federal investment will improve our local transit systems, infrastructure, and transportation, and help lower the property tax burden on our residents.”

The Newton project would include five private rooms in a secure area, with an adjacent overflow area to accommodate surges. The rooms will be designed to meet the increasing volume and lengths of stay in the ED. The rooms are designed to reduce ligature risks and other methods for individuals to harm themselves or others. In-room toilets and sinks need to meet strict safety standards.

The entire behavioral zone will be secured with a sally port that has double locked doors to prevent patients from eloping or mixing with the Main ED. This zone will also have sound attenuation, helping maintain a quiet environment. The clinical teams will have better visualization of each room through workstations with glass dividers for direct visibility to rooms, and satellite sitter stations outside rooms for direct suicide prevention. This project will also improve safety for staff by providing a safe zone within the nurse station.

The Sussex Borough request is to repair an Acoustic Leak Detection system. The system the borough maintains is over 100 years old and routinely suffers leaks, some detected and others unnoticed until there is a broken pipe.

The borough has no way to detect them until they become leaks.

“The Congressman has been a great ally of Sussex Borough over the years,” Sussex Borough Mayor Edward Meyer said. “He has reached out to us to gain understanding of our needs, find the resources available and make certain we received what resources were available. Being selected by the Congressman as a project for direct funding will greatly improve our chances of addressing our sewer and water needs without drastically increasing our rates.”

The county elderly transportation services will allow for the replacement of vehicles within the Sussex County Office of Transit.