By Ron Leir
rleir@theobserver.com
LYNDHURST — No matter last week’s nor’easter, March 20 marked the first day of spring and, mindful of the warmer climes ahead, the Lyndhurst Board of Commissioners went with the flow.
For members of the Lyndhurst Community Pool, there was some good news as the BOC voted to introduce an ordinance reducing the prices for residents and non-residents alike.
With the recent opening of a pool by the neighboring Rutherford YMCA, township Rec Commissioner Tom DiMaggio said his department – whose swim club “is actually showing a nice profit” – wanted to “stay competitive with” other swim centers.
Assuming the ordinance is adopted at a public hearing April 10, township residents will see their fees for seasonal (4-month membership) lowered in these categories: adults, dropping from $135 to $95; children under 17, $100 to $75; seniors 60+, $75 to $60; and family of four, $325 to $280.
For non-residents, the comparable reductions are: adults, $160 to $120; children under 17, $110 to $95; seniors 60+, $90 to $75; and family of four, $350 to $310.
Rates for residents with 1-year memberships will also drop: adults, $365 to $250; kids under 17, $250 to $200; seniors 60+, $185 to $150; and family of four, $800 to $725.
And the reductions for non-resident 1-year memberships will be: adults, $410 to $325; kids under 17, $265 to $235; seniors 60+, $200 to $175; and family of four, $800 to $735.
In addition to the above fees, the township “may charge residents a pool membership fee of $50 per individual and $100 per family of four for any two-month period between March 1 and Oct. 31, of any year.”
At the same time, the Rec Department is looking to double the $1 daily fee to use the spray park at Town Hall to $2 per day, effective May 18, 2018, and to require “parties or groups of three or more persons” a $25 permit fee to reserve a table in Town Hall Park for four hours.
“We need to make the spray park cost-effective,” DiMaggio said. “I’ve got two people who work there, and we’ve got the concession stand.” As for the $25 table fee, the commissioner noted, “Don’t forget, the county charges a lot more at its park. Plus, it’s not fair someone parks their butt at a table all day when we have a limited number (12) of tables.”
The ordinances goes to say that the Rec Department continues to be authorized to set payments for food and beverages at the concession stand with menu prices to be “posted in a prominent area” near the stand and “posted on the bulletin board in Town Hall.”
In other business, the BOC authorized the granting of tax refunds following tax appeal settlements with these property owners:
- $265,914 to DDR-SAU Lew Andowski LLC of Beachwood, Ohio, covering tax years 2012-2017 for 411-451 Lewandowski St. and for 410-434 Lewandowski St.
- $196,562.92 to ACA Realty Co. of Lyndhurst for the tax years 2011-2017 for portions of Page and Schuyler avenues.
- $129,014 to JLM Lyndhurst of Warren, Mich., for tax years 2009-2014 for 1201 Valley Brook Ave.
- $87,663.61 to Clear Meadow Assoc. c/o Medieval Times USA of Lyndhurst for tax years 2013-2014 and to The Meadowlands Castle Inc. for tax years 2015-2017 for 149 Polito Ave.
- $31,332 to Midlantic Bank c/o PNC Realty Services for tax years 2011-2017 for 55 Park Ave.
Also, the BOC approved an ordinance prohibiting westbound traffic on Valley Brook Avenue to turn southbound on Newark Avenue, Monday to Friday from 4-6 p.m. and prohibiting westbound traffic on Valley Brook to go northbound on Van Buren Street, Monday to Friday, 4-6 p.m.
Two new members were accepted into the Lyndhurst Fire Department: Jorge Rodriguez, as a member of Engine Co. 3; and Dominick Tulipani, as a member of Engine Co. 1, both effective March 20. And Andrew Wagner, who served seven years as an active firefighter with Truck Co. 2, was permitted to file for his certificate of exemption.
