Waterworks Funding Goes to Freeholders in June

The Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders will make their final decision on the allocation of at its June 20 meeting following Monday evenings public hearing.

"I listened very hard to the residents of Oradell and members from historic preservation for the Waterworks property to restore full funding," Freeholder John Felice said. "On June 20 each Freeholder will have the opportunity to vote on the allocations."

Felice had previously proposed  it to Saddle River so as to reimburse the borough for the purchase of the Marker property near Rindlaub Park for a parking lot and street access to East Allendale Road. He in March and recommended returning the allocation to the Waterworks. Felice had originally stated that he did not want to use taxpayers money for a flood-prone property.

The $500,000 is slated to be used towards stabilization of the chimney smokestacks, repairing the fence around the property and closing the building to the public. Even though the Waterworks is not open to residents, access is still available to the interior of each building.

The building's basements and underground cisterns flooded with water from the Hackensack River following Hurricane Irene due to a lack of power to the buildings causing the sump pumps to be turned off.  Both the Waterworks and Van Buskirk Island are owned by Bergen County following a 1990 sale by United Water. 

The $500,000 Open Space Trust Funds is part of a matching grant from the state. The project already received a $750,000 historic preservation grant from the state to stabilize the property and is in line to get another .

Additional allocations have been recommended as follows:

• $360,000 to Haworth for the White Beeches Golf Club Development Rights
• $450,000 to Ramsey for the Rockland Electric Trail
• $450,000 to the Bergen County Dept. of Parks for the Hackensack River Pathway
• $1,115,303 to Saddle River for the Marker property
• $1,225,000 to River Vale for the River Vale Country Club
• $1,375,000 to Wyckoff for the Maple Lake property

The Freeholders June 20 meeting will be held in the 5th Floor meeting room at 1 Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack at 8pm.