Roselle Council Approves UEZ Application, Co-op Purchasing of Police Vehicle with Cranford

The Roselle Borough Council convened on Wednesday evening, July 24, for a regular meeting where the body unanimously approved several items while voting down a proposed engineering contract for the Staten Island Railway Bikeway project. Union County Life reports on the council's decisions.

Approved Initiatives

The council unanimously approved authorization of an application to the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) Authority. The UEZ application was approved to help offset costs the borough has already incurred for municipal employees in the annual administrative budget. Roselle has used UEZs in the past for specific projects such as the mobile stage and has relied on the program to benefit economic growth in the community.

The council also approved the purchase of a police vehicle through a cooperative pricing system with Cranford. Cooperative purchasing allows local governments to pool their buying power and secure bulk discounts for costly items. The legislation codifies a partnership with Cranford for the purchasing of law enforcement vehicles for 2026.

"You are always looking for the most efficient way of purchasing anything, especially when it is something as big as police vehicles or other types of vehicles," 2nd Ward Councilman Brandon Bernier told TAPinto Roselle. "You are not talking about $10 or $20 items. You are talking about $80,000 cop cars. It adds up quick."

The council also voted to refund summer camp fees and the deposit for a rental of the Anthony Amalfe Community Center.

Bikeway Contract Rejected

The body voted down a proposal to award a professional services contract to the company Artheon for the Roselle Staten Island Railway Bikeway project. The borough received a $1.25 million grant from the state in 2024 to transform the abandoned Staten Island Rapid Transit Bikeway into a functioning bike trail for cyclists and pedestrians. The rejected contract would have awarded $269,300 for professional engineering services.

The vote was 3-2 against the measure. Councilman Bernier joined 3rd Ward Councilwoman Ethelyne Grimsley and Councilwoman-At-Large Cynthia Johnson in voting the measure down.

"I am concerned that the cost on this thing is ballooning," Councilman Bernier said. "We were originally awarded $1.25 million at the end of 2024. I do not know what has gone on in the last year and a half. I have gotten concept renderings that Artheon, our engineers, have put together, and there are extra things—solar lights throughout the path, wood fencing in areas, fitness stations—all things that are increasing the costs."

Councilwoman Grimsley also expressed frustration that the council had not been provided with enough information about the grant, including its requirements, timeline, and necessary steps to move the project forward.

Administration Response

Borough Business Administrator Denise Wilkerson explained that the project's scope has been affected by the railroad's removal of tracks and required environmental work. "They need to do environmental work. There is also a safety concern that needs to be addressed, and that is why lights and basic amenities like seating are necessary before entering the trail," she said.

Wilkerson clarified that the $269,300 request is not for final design or construction, but for foundational engineering work. "The $269,300 is for the surveys, the basemap, the geo-tech phase design, and construction management."

She emphasized the urgency of the project due to grant funding deadlines. "The timeline to keep the grant is close, so we need to be able to go out to bid soon. This is time sensitive. All environmental reviews and preliminary engineering must be completed in order to have construction documents ready by December."

Wilkerson acknowledged council concerns about communication and committed to improving the process for future grant-funded projects.

Next Steps

With Councilwoman Rosetta McCamery absent from the meeting, the bikeway contract measure will likely be brought before the council again and may pass with Mayor Donald Shaw's tie-breaking vote if the council splits 3-3.

Councilman Bernier expressed hope that if the measure returns, additional documentation will be provided to clarify how contract funds will be used.

Stay informed about Roselle government, council actions, and community news on Union County Life.

FAQ

Q: What did Roselle Borough Council approve on July 24?
A: The council unanimously approved a UEZ application to help offset municipal employee costs and authorized a cooperative purchasing agreement with Cranford for police vehicles. The council also approved refunds for summer camp fees and a community center rental deposit.

Q: What is the Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ)?
A: The UEZ is a program that helps municipalities offset costs and promote economic growth. Roselle has used it in the past for projects like the mobile stage.

Q: What is cooperative purchasing?
A: Cooperative purchasing allows local governments to pool their buying power and secure bulk discounts for expensive items like police vehicles, which can cost around $80,000.

Q: What happened with the bikeway project contract?
A: The council voted 3-2 to reject a $269,300 engineering contract for the Staten Island Railway Bikeway project. The measure may return to council for a tie-breaking vote.

Q: Why did council members vote against the bikeway contract?
A: Council members expressed concern that project costs were ballooning and that they had not received enough information about the grant requirements, timeline, and scope. Some felt the addition of solar lights, wood fencing, and fitness stations was unnecessarily increasing costs.

Q: What is the Staten Island Railway Bikeway project?
A: The borough received a $1.25 million state grant in 2024 to transform an abandoned Staten Island Rapid Transit railroad line into a bike trail and pedestrian path.

Q: What is the $269,300 contract for?
A: The rejected contract would have paid for foundational engineering work including surveys, basemaps, geo-tech phase design, and construction management—not final design or construction.

Q: What is the timeline for the project?
A: Environmental reviews and preliminary engineering must be completed by December 2026 to have construction documents ready and preserve grant funding.

Q: Will the council vote on the bikeway contract again?
A: Likely yes. With Councilwoman McCamery absent, the measure may return with a potential tie-breaking vote from Mayor Donald Shaw if council splits 3-3.