why was this building purchased if it had so many problems?

Great question. Also, shouldn't a "government" have to put forth a detailed plan BEFORE they buy it...WITH 1 time costs and ONGOING costs projected...if they are to purchase a building, upgrade it, then maintain it? Not do all this after a purchase.

Hi Dick,

When the town bought the building it was purchased "as is" so no study was done at the time to determine the status and what if any work would be needed to make it usable.

NJDelta those are all excellent points. I just want to be clear, the Council members who voted to purchase the building are no longer on the Council. No one presently on the Council was a member of the Council at the time the building was purchased.

It was purchased because clueless people made a clueless decision,

It's unfortunate how poorly run the River Edge council makes decisions, how about some good news for the residents maybe .... Lowering tax rate and stop spending our tax payer dollars....

Are we sure it was clueless decison by the clueless people? Any capital investment in the future has to be scrutinized with public eyes more than 10 in RE. There could be some economic interest behind those past senseless decision(s). We are so much indebted now as a borough because of those incredible desicions in the past. We need enhanced level of scrutiny.

JR/NoTaxhike: Clueless decisions by clueless elected officials coupled with massive referendums voted for by clueless residents, cheered on in many instances by clueless elected officials, have RE in the sad financial condition it is in today.

Understood Alphonse comment. Absolutely know that past Democratic controlled councils voted that purchase. NO TO TAX HIKE...I agree. Look at how much our debt our town has...as well as our county (who we pay a lot of tax too). I think on a county level our debt service...to pay the loans...is $50-75million a year. Debt total is well north of $500,000,000. Insane.

Sell the Legion property; sell the little useless park next to Ideal (hard to get to, and once you walk three paces into it you cannot go any further; sell the vacant lot next to Cherry Hill School. This is not needed, there is another park 200 feet away, next to the ball field. This parcel should never have been purchased..

Hey Dick: When you are spending other people's money as in the tax payers money, you should not be buying property in "as is condition". If you want to be reckless with your own money fine, but you should not be advocating recklessness with other peoples money.

Dick: I wont get up on my soap box. But something is wrong when you go form one of the lowest taxed towns in the county to one of the highest, and that is a fact. No, no soap box, just waiting another another year until my last child graduates from RD, and then I am out of here. The town is rapidly on the way down. And that Dick, is another fact.

Sounds like Dick is part of the problem. He doesn't want any professional or responsible thinking to go into town decisions. Interesting he doesn't answer or address the important question being put forth here.

Just curious. What's the plan after tearing it down? Do they have any vision? I suggest we don't sell the land when the market is not favorable. On debt, have they ever pursued to lower the interest payment. Does anybody know if it can be re-financed or any swap arrangement possible.

Guys, I heard some schools rent the buildings and facilities out to expats schools on Weekends and earn some money for that. Can they do that at RD? RE must earn money and stop the senseless spending.

The biggest problem, I see, is the competency of the RE leadership in the past. Don't know very well the current leadership, yet.

Dick: Well at least I can go. But you see there are too many clueless residents in town, like yourself. Furthermore you are clueless, and ignorant; a very bad combination.

No need for the "comma" after clueless, improper usage. Will be a sad day in RE when a "super brain" such as yourself heads south. At least the people on the North Carolina Patch will have your rage and fury to keep them amused. Let us know when the garage sale is, will be happy to contribute.

It was done for effect nothing more. And I am not hedaing south. You shoudl nto be ignorant, or make assumptions. I am not retiring, Simply leaving a town, that has seen better days. Those of us who choose to be informed, can clearly see that is the case.

I agree that something has to be done with the Legion Building. How we're going to pay for it's demolition or re-conditioning is another topic. For those on this blog that cry about the taxes in River Edge, well perhaps you should move out of NE NJ, or all of NJ for that matter. This years Borough budget is probably one of the tighest budgets ever completed. All Borough departments are at their minimum for spending and the capital improvement/purchases were approved only after careful consideration by the council and the citizens budget committee.

EVERY town has debt and it will never stop. As long as the debt is controlled, then we should all be happy. The bonding rates are at an all time low. As stated in previous bolgs, you want to scream about spending - then attend a BOE meeting.

I attended some of the budget meetings that begin in November and continue through at least March. The attendence was pitiful. The public attendance at council meetings is also pretty sad. If you want to cry, then start coming to these PUBLIC budget meetings and council meetings. Make a difference! Get involved! Become part of the solution! Otherwise zip it!

Good points, GC. The real story is why these numbskulls paid $2400 for an entirely useless study. Now they are going to pay the borough engineer God Knows What for another "study" and he doesn't come cheap. Wasteful and unnecessary, spending our hard earned tax payer dollars!!

GC: You must be somebody who have enough spare time to attend those BOE and other meetings. That's luxury in these days. Well, I wish I could, too, but I am a hard-working man having little time, yet, contributing a lot of tax money to RE, and get very little out of it. Don't tell anybody to shut up, as the people's freedom of speech is guaranteed in this country, and people select the leaders through voting in election; yet, I am saying they are not doing their jobs right. Let me tell you what can make a difference. Guys working in public sector only think about spending. Earn money! People need to think about how RE infrastructures can contribute to produce income, That's one. Also, think out of the box. Perhaps RE is too small as a local governmental unit. WHy not merge with Oradell and stop the useless discussion about who pays how much for the RD. if we merge, we need only one fire Chief, police Chief, one Mayor and fewer council people, fewer office staff and perhaps convert one of the libraries to internet Cafe! Be creative and don't tell others to shut up!

I log in to see some interesting discourse and instead I am greeted with, sorry, total bullshit. Dick who? South Carolina what? $2,400 study? Public sector only spends? Numbskulls? One must attend BOE meetings to be relevant? Zip it? .....

Gregg: It is obnoxious and arrogan to tell people to zip it. Plus it is also ignorant to tell people if they do not like it they should move.River Edge had one of the lowest propoerty taxes in Bergen CO and now has one of the highest. We are well aware that taxes are high in this part of the country especially so in NJ. The fact is that even within NJ there are better run towns with good schools that have substanially lower taxes than River Edge. The fact also is that a big factor in the large tax burden in town is because of massive referendum spending, that was voter approved. This with the assumption that the pie in the sky redevelopment would pay for it all. This was encouraged by past elected officials including BOE members of course. Now many of the same residents who wanted to spend, spend spend, are now crying about high taxes, and blaming current elected officials. Don't lecture about atttending meetings. There was a small minority of us who attended many meetings over the years and urged caution. only to be shouted down by residents who cheerleaded the massive spending, suppported in most cases by elected officials at the time. We gave up in t and now stay home. Current elected council members especially Mr. Bartellonni at least have the courage to admit the town has serious problems, and takes the time to post here with honest comments. Mr. Carriddi save your lectures for your children.

It just sounds like the town and the council just wants the building down for some reason. Maybe for town offices to be built there or a shopping center, anything to get more in taxes.

Paul: Yet another dumb comment. To rehabilitate the building would cost anywhere from 500k to one million dollars. Money the town simply does not have. Secondly the piece of property where the building sits is not big enough for a shopping center!! Think about it a shopping center!!! We cannot fill all the vacant commercial space in town now, who is going to build a shopping center!!! And town offices? What exactly is that. And again the property is not big enough. The current council is simply trying to correct a stupid mistake made by the past council.