The road resurfacing proposal, which was the most substantial financial item on the agenda, included construction, engineering, and police traffic recommendations. The Department of Public Works (DPW) superintendent identified the roads requiring attention based on their current condition and the impact of previous work by Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSNG). The council expressed the necessity for negotiations with PSNG regarding the resurfacing of certain streets affected by their operations. After a discussion, the council voted in favor of the resurfacing project.

In another development, the council deliberated on a request from the River Edge Swim Club to utilize Nixel, the borough’s emergency messaging system, to announce their opening and solicit new members. Several council members raised concerns about the appropriateness of promoting a private or semi-private entity through a platform typically reserved for emergency communications. After a thorough debate, it was decided to send out two announcements for the swim club, with the stipulation that the language concerning emergency messages be removed. The motion was amended to ensure that the announcement language would be approved by a designated individual and potentially discussed by the Council President if necessary.

The council also considered a request to remove the permanent pitcher’s mound at a local field and replace it with an artificial, movable mound, as proposed by an individual connected to the Little League board. This proposal, which garnered partial unanimous approval from the board, promised that the Little League would oversee the removal of the current mound and the installation of the new one. The council’s approval was contingent upon receiving the nod from the risk manager and ensuring that the DPW would provide oversight during the construction process.

A resident, Margaret Burns, brought forth concerns about the status of a proposed dispensary on Route 4, questioning the impact of potential future dispensaries on the community. The council addressed these concerns, detailing the current status of the proposed dispensary, the requirement for a letter of support from the council, and the regulatory steps remaining before the dispensary could become operational. It was emphasized that River Edge would only host one licensed dispensary and that tattoo parlors would not be permitted in the designated area.

The River Edge Volunteer Ambulance Service sought the council’s approval to have their services advertised on the borough’s website and to use Nixel for broadcasting community messages. The council agreed to the request, thus approving the use of Nixel for the ambulance service’s community messages.

Additionally, the health officer for the Mid Bergen Regional Health Commission presented a request to remove the requirement for a food handler’s license from the land use board’s regulations. The mayor suggested that a memo be sent to the land use board to consider this request.

Other business included the approval of salary increases for employees in the Department of Public Works and the approval of an annual request for a softball plant sale at a designated location. Moreover, the council discussed and approved a proposed amendment to the Borough code regarding left turns and traffic division. The police department’s request to increase the hourly fee for outside duty work and to introduce a car fee was also approved, with a $25 car fee to be added and an increase in the hourly fee scheduled for the following year.

The meeting concluded with the council going into a closed session to discuss matters under attorney-client privilege before adjourning the public meeting. A special closed session was scheduled for a future date to address additional issues not disclosed to the public.