Sussex County Awarded Federal Grant of $500K to Replace Skylands Ride Minibuses, Other Projects Underway

Jennifer Jean Miller
862-273-5379
jenniferjeanmiller@gmail.com

(Newton, NJ) The County of Sussex recently received federal grant monies to upgrade its commuter minibuses, with other projects coming to life thanks to federal funding, including revival of the Lackawanna Cut-Off Passenger Rail Project, as well as county road improvements, through the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.

Tom Drabic, the principal transportation planner through the Sussex County Department of Engineering and Planning, credited Sussex County Freeholder Joshua Hertzberg, for his involvement and assistance in seeing these projects come to fruition. “He’s been very involved in the NJTPA,” Drabic said. He also mentioned the advocacy of State Sen. Steve Oroho, R-24th Dist. for his support of large-scale projects, with tax dollars from the State Transportation Trust Fund aiding in financing projects. “I just hope everyone understands the amount of advocating it takes to get this much work done for Sussex County,” said Hertzberg.

“I have been lucky enough to work with and learn from Tom Drabic at the county. He has been an amazing advocate of our county and continues to do a great job on all of our behalf. I’m very proud of the work we have done together, and am thankful that our District 24 Legislators, Steve Oroho, Hal Wirths and Parker Space, make sure that Sussex County isn’t left out in Trenton.”

Drabic said Sussex County’s minibus project, which was proposed and applied for by the Sussex County Department of Health and Human Services/Skylands Ride, was one of three chosen by the NJTPA for $500,000 grant funding, as part of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program for Local Mobility Initiatives.

Through that program, four of the Skylands Ride minibuses used for the Skylands Connect Route, which operates Monday through Friday to Newton, Sparta, Ogdensburg, Franklin, Hamburg and Sussex Borough, will likely be replaced, Drabic said. “This Route serves a number of employment locations within the county and is used by many people going to work,” Drabic said. The federal grant, Drabic said, should cover nearly the entire project, with little to no county funds required. The new minibuses, he said, will be handicap accessible with wheelchair lifts. They will also feature upgraded COVID protections, including plexiglass enclosures for bus drivers.

One of the other longtime projects that had been previously shelved, the Roseville Tunnel design and build project on the Lackawanna Cut-off, should be reality in the next few years, Drabic said. NJ Transit advertised for Request for Qualifications of firms capable of executing the design and construction phases of this complex project.

The historic and rocky Roseville Tunnel that served the Lackawanna Cut-Off from 1911 through 1979, will require excavation, waterproof lining, a pedestrian path within the tunnel, radio systems, cameras and other upgrades, to return it to current standards for passenger rail service, Drabic said. Firms that submit a RFQ will be short-listed, Drabic added, with those groups invited to submit a full proposal, chosen at NJ Transit’s board meeting in June.

In September, Drabic said the selected firm will be given the green light to move ahead with the project. Similar processes and schedules will follow for the Hudson Farm Culvert Replacement. Highway and bridge projects are additionally slated for Sussex County, Drabic said. One is the $12.8 million, federally funded Hardyston Route 23 Safety Improvement Project, with safety, drainage and operational improvements at the northern Laceytown Road, East Shore Road and Holland Mountain Road sections. Route 15 will also be upgraded, Drabic said, with replacement of the bridge in Lafayette over the Paulins Kill River, constructed in 1915.

This project, planned for completion by 2022 with $8.2 million in federal funds, will encompass sidewalk upgrades for pedestrian safety. A resurfacing project will be underway on Route 15 in Lafayette and Frankford, from Route 94 to Ross’ Corner by Route 206 and County Route 565, as part of the NJTPA Transportation Improvement Program for 2021. This project, expected to extend the life of the highway, will also be sourced from $7.3 million in federal funds. Drabic said Sussex County residents are welcome to offer their input for the NJTPA long range transportation plan, outlining goals through Plan 2050, by completing the survey at www.NJTPA.org.

Sussex County Adopts Ordinance Expected to Create $2.3 Million in Savings for County Taxpayers

Jennifer Jean Miller
862-273-5379
jenniferjeanmiller@gmail.com

(Newton, NJ) In a time when many New Jersey residents have felt crushed by the weight of overburdening Murphy Administration taxes, Sussex County’s Board of Chosen Freeholders have provided relief to county taxpayers through Refunding Bonds, expected to garner more than $2.3 million in tax savings. The measure for the Refunding Bonds was unanimously adopted at the Wednesday Freeholder meeting, to replace inherited debt in Lease Revenue Bonds as part of the “Guaranteed Renewable Energy Program,” approved by the 2011 Freeholder Board, none of the present freeholders having served on that board. Those $26,715,000 in Lease Revenue Bonds backed a solar energy program that went belly-up after the company folded, leaving Sussex County residents holding the bag. According to the ordinance, $11,070,000 remains outstanding from the 2011 bonds, which will be refunded and refinanced, “to achieve debt service savings and tax relief.”

After Freeholder Director Sylvia Petillo read the ordinance into the record, Bond Attorney John Cantalupo provided background about the initial bonds; and expected savings through the Refunding Bonds. “This was the original solar program, that I know you are all aware of, is those bonds were originally financed,” Cantalupo said. “And as you know, we are in an historically-low interest rate environment.”

He compared the bond refinancing process as a way to lower payments, much like a home mortgage, further recapping the Freeholders approved a resolution on Oct. 15, directing the Morris County Improvement Authority, the issuer of the bonds – with Sussex County not having its own Improvement Authority – to activate the process. Once underway, it triggered the working groups within the Improvement Authority and county, to start reviewing the underlying documents and refinancing process.

Cantalupo said when analyzed, it was discovered the 2011 ordinance never included a refinancing mechanism. In order to create that component within the original ordinance, Cantalupo said the 2011 document required amending, “to allow the bonds to be refinanced.” “You’re not increasing your debt, you’re going to be lowering your debt,” Cantalupo reiterated. He explained more about this savings opportunity for Sussex County residents, saying that to refinance debt in New Jersey, a 3% debt services savings must already exist. “In this instance, what’s currently on the table based on market from the Monday before when it was looked at [Nov. 30], the savings are over 10%,” Cantalupo said, because the county has already paid a shortfall.

He said that equates to $1.15 million saved, which, “goes directly to the county and the taxpayers, under that program.” However, he said taxpayers will actually save $2,309,000, calling it a “fairly significant opportunity” for Freeholders to approve taxpayer relief and debt services. Freeholder Deputy Director Dawn Fantasia thanked Cantalupo for his presentation and for the consistent communications with his office on the topic, stating, “As you know, the current Freeholder Board came in and inherited some of these decisions, and some of this debt, and all of our residents have had to carry this burden.”

“The fact that we are able to save over $2 million, by amending this, is definitely excellent news for us as a board and us as a county,” Fantasia added. In other business: Each of the Freeholders offered their condolences for those who knew Hamburg Police Patrolman Jason Franco, who died accidently on Tuesday while deer hunting. At the start of the meeting, Petillo led the group in a moment of silence in his memory.

“Patrolman Franco was sworn into the Hamburg Police Department on April 16, 2018,” Petillo stated before their moment of silence. “He also served as a volunteer firefighter in Montague. The passing of Patrolman Jason Franco is a terrible tragedy for his family and our entire county. Tonight, our thoughts and our prayers are with his family.” “I want to echo the statements made at the beginning of the meeting and offer my prayers and deepest sympathy to the family of Patrolman Jason Franco,” said Freeholder Anthony Fasano.

“That is just an incredibly sad situation and my heart goes out to his family and to his friends, during this difficult time.” Page 4 December 11, 2020 Freeholder Joshua Hertzberg offered similar sentiments about Franco, saying, “When I first heard what had happened yesterday evening, I couldn’t help but feel that sense of just a terrible feeling what his family must be going through right now. I just want to extend my thoughts and prayers to them and his colleagues. I know he’ll be greatly missed - I’ve heard nothing but good things about him.”

“My heart goes out to Jason Franco’s family,” said Freeholder Herbert Yardley. “It’s a tragedy and there’s not much you can say other than God bless him and his family; and my heart goes out to them.” “In speaking to the tragic loss of Jason Franco, not only was he a police officer, but he was a firefighter,” Fantasia said. “He’s a true gentleman that exemplified public service here in the county and he was loved by so many. Our prayers go to him and his family.” Fantasia recapped figures in the county’s battle against COVID-19, reporting from Dec. 9, 66,415 of the 140,000 residents “have received and reported a test for COVID-19.” Fantasia broke that down, explaining over 47% of the county’s residents have been tested, with only 3,618 or 5.45% positive. Of those cases, 2,481 or 68.6% “recovered.” She defined “recovered” as one “not currently hospitalized with COVID, nor have they passed from COVID.”

She clarified the recovery rate is in process, due to the number of cases still under investigation; and is anticipated to be much higher. There were 937 or close to 26% still under investigation, she added. With the 200 or 5.5% death rate overall – one in October and two in November - the majority occurred at nursing homes, with 115 of the 200 county’s total, or 57.5%. Hospitalizations, updated each Friday on the county’s website, tallied 14 in October, 19 in November and seven to date in December – with all of December’s at Newton Medical Center.

During COVID’s first wave, Fantasia explained, it mainly impacted older adults and those with underlying health conditions, as well as long term care facilities ill-prepared for the pandemic, while mandated by the Murphy Administration to admit and readmit COVID positive to those facilities. The second wave, she said, is considered “community-wide,” with 70% sourced to young and asymptomatic individuals, typically contracting it at congregate activities based events; and passing it to household members between the ages of 19 and 49.

The state is presently not recommending non-essential travel out-of-state, she added, with those visiting from neighboring states asked to quarantine for 14 days. Fasano reminded they can request free tests from the county’s website through LabCorp at: www.sussex.nj.us. Fantasia said residents ordering kits should not enter credit card information, but insurance information; and those whose insurance does not cover it, should check off they do not have insurance, to receive it at no cost.

The county has been working with New Jersey’s Department of Health to develop a COVID-19 vaccine program, Fasano said, and will provide information in the near future about the public health clinics, similar to county flu clinics, for “fair access for all who live, work or are educated in Sussex County.” He called it a “big step in defeating this virus and getting back to normal,” with more information forthcoming on the county’s website. Yardley reminded county veterans in need of food, clothing, household items or toiletries, as well as help with temporary housing and heating bills, can find assistance in Franklin at the veterans’ center, through Catholic Charities; and via the county’s Senior Services. Page 6 December 11, 2020 Petillo thanked the Mohawk House for meal donations to Hopatcong seniors, with the establishment making a similar offer for Franklin seniors, Fantasia said. Hertzberg, who will be leaving the Freeholder Board for the Sparta Township Council in January, complimented the efforts of county employees including Administrator Greg Poff and CFO Elke Yetter, for their debt reduction efforts, as well as Tom Drabic, for public transportation planning programs.

He called it an “unbelievable honor,” to have served the county and to have worked with the other Freeholders, during his tenure. For the full meeting audio, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrEzzrlAiaY.