Cereste to Review Using Open Space Funds for DPW Salaries

While the River Edge Council had a goal last night of discussing and deciding on how to best divide up the available $163,000  funds, the matter was instead tabled. Councilman Sandy Moscaritolo called into question the legality of using funding that is set aside for the preservation and maintenance of borough open space to cover the salary costs associated with DPW employees.

"I would like the borough attorney [Sam Cereste] to come back and give us his opinion on the proprietary of using dedicated Open Space Trust fund money for a portion of salary and wages of the DPW," Moscaritolo said. "I have an opinion that it's right on the border of being illegitimate, but I don't have any citations to give you."

In January, borough administrator Alan Negreann requested that approximately $150,000 from Open Space be used toward the DPW's salaries and wages and other expenses which relates to the work employees do maintain the borough's parks.

According to Negreann, the borough set aside money from the Open Space fund last year to cover the DPW salary costs associated with the borough's parks such as maintaining the ball field clay and laying down grass seed.

"My review, which is a laymen's review of the law for regulations received and the referendum question before the public, does allow for maintenance of lands acquired for recreation and conservation purposes," Negreann said. "I've never seen a definition of what constituted maintenance. Maintenance means different things to different people, from recreation and park property upgrades to the day-to-day upkeep."

The Council received approximately $251,000 in requests from Shade Tree, , Recreation, 9/11 and Cherry Blossom Park for the year. The majority of the requests relate to plantings or upkeep of the the current parks. The borough, which has applied for a matching grant from the County will need to set aside $46,000 for Cherry Blossom Park if the grant is received.

While Cereste reviews the legality of using Open Space funds for the DPW salaries, the discussion on dividing up the trust funds has been tabled.