Phillipsburg Passes First Reading of $2.5M Bond Ordinance for Capital Improvements

PHILLIPSBURG, NJ - The Town of Phillipsburg adopted a first reading for a bond ordinance on June 26, 2024 for capital improvements unanimously.

Bond Ordinance Number O2024-15 is to “provide various capital improvements by and for the Town of Phillipsburg, Warren County, and the State of New Jersey, including the town’s public safety, redevelopment, and storm sewer system rehabilitation.”

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The financing meets part of the $2,508,500 appropriated for general improvements in the 2024 adopted budget.  The aggregated estimated maximum amount of bonds is $2,383,075. A down payment of $125,425 is required by Local Bond Law. The average period of usefulness for the improvements is 14.91 years, according to the Local Bond Law’s reasonable life.

Breaking Down the Expenditures
A breakdown shows an appropriation of $125,000 to Phillipsburg’s Administration Department, including the purchase of phones, servers, networks, and computers for various municipal departments, as well as updating paper records to digitize permanent records. Public safety has $130,000 appropriated for the purchase of various safety equipment such as tasers, computers, and safety cameras.

The Phillipsburg Fire Department has $165,000 appropriated to replace various equipment like radios and protective gear as well as upgrades to the fire station. The fire department’s vehicles had $125,000 appropriated for the replacement or refurbishment of fire engines.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) has $150,000 appropriated for various equipment and street lighting. Vehicles for the DPW have an appropriated total of $500,000 for a garbage truck, mechanics service, pick-up trucks, a mason dump truck, and a 'big dump truck'.

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Various capital improvements of $123,500 are appropriated for recreation in Walters Park including bathroom renovations, construction of a pavilion, and the purchase of a pool pump.

The amount of $150,000 is appropriated for redevelopment purposes including the demolition of buildings, as necessary.

The largest appropriated cost is $840,000 for rehabilitating the town’s sewer systems , which have a 20-year useful life.

The improvements and purposes also include surveying, construction planning, engineering and design work, preparation of plans and specifications, permits, bid documents, construction inspection and contract administration, environmental testing and remediation, and also all work, materials, equipment, labor, and appurtenances, if applicable.

A second and final reading still needs to take place, at which the public hearing will take place.

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