$19.2 million to shore up county’s bridges, security system
Newton. The Sussex County commissioners agreed to use borrowed money and grants to buy public works vehicles, improve roads and bridges, upgrade the county security system, and make repairs at the technical school.
| 23 Apr 2021 | 04:08
The bridge carrying County Route 565 over the Papakating Creek in Wantage reopened in June 2019, after it was closed for reconstruction for nearly a year (Photo by Vera Olinski)
The Sussex County Commissioners on March 14 introduced three ordinances, totaling about $19.2 million, to make improvements throughout the county and at Sussex County Technical School.
The largest is a $15.2 million ordinance that the county chief financial officer, Elke Yetter, said will be used to purchase vehicles, including a single-axle dump truck, and to improve bridges throughout the county.
The ordinance calls for about $7.5 million of the funds to be bonded, with about $7.3 million to come from grants.
Yetter said the grants will be used primarily for road resurfacing projects and for bridge work.
The commissioners also introduced a $900,000 bond for upgrades at Sussex County Technical School. Yetter said most of the money is earmarked for HVAC repairs and to replace a salt shed.
The commissioners also introduced a $3.1 capital ordinance that Yetter said is “fully funded” and will not result in the county taking on more debt.
She said this ordinance will pay for technology upgrades in the county’s security system, radio system upgrades for the Department of Public Works, and traffic safety vehicles.
It will also be used for site remediation projects; vehicles, including an additional bus for the transit system; and crack-sealing for county roads.
All three ordinances were passed by a 4-0 vote. Sylvia Petillo, the commissioners’ director, was absent.