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(Note: The photos in this article may not be the exact items being purchased by the Borough of Middlesex. They were the photos retrieved when the purchase items were the topic of online searches and appear to be representative.)

If you’re a Middlesex property owner, you might be wondering why you just paid 10% more in third quarter real estate taxes. The Borough Council’s Aug. 27 meeting agenda lists some of the things being bought with your tax money.

The agenda’s resolutions call for the purchase of a prefabricated Mountain View Park restroom (lead photo), fire department command vehicle, Office of Emergency Management pagers and other equipment.

The council’s 2024 tax levy increased 7.5% from last year. The Board of Education’s levy rose 4%. When Middlesex County taxes get factored in, the total rate this year is rising 5% from 2023.

Third and fourth quarter payments typically are higher than the two earlier quarters. When everything was factored in, Middlesex Borough taxpayers paid 10% more in taxes this month than they did just three months ago.

Below are purchases that will be authorized via resolutions on 8/27. Collectively, they total more than $660,000 in spending. Listed items are being funded from the council’s 2024 capital budget unless noted.

• $209,599 – prefabricated restroom for Mountain View Park from
  Green Flush Restrooms under the Bergen County Cooperative Pricing System. The funds are available in the 2023 Mountain View Park upgrades account.

• $121,300 – 2024 Chevy Tahoe command vehicle for the Middlesex Fire Department. Also, related $27,023 purchase of radio equipment and accessories for the vehicle. The vehicle is being purchased from the HGAC co-op. The radio equipment will be purchased from Motorola Solutions.

• $104,075 – replacement Cook Field playground equipment from Marturano Recreation Co. Equipment will be purchased through the Educational Services Commission (ESCNJ) Cooperative Pricing System. The purchase is being funded from the following sources: Local Recreation Grant ($65,000), 2023 Recreation capital budget ($31,856), 2022 Recreation capital budget ($7,419).

• $67,182 – 2024 Ford 250 pickup truck for the Department of Public Works under a state contract.

• $38,494 – new mower from Storr Tractor Co. through the Educational Services Commission (ESCNJ) Cooperative Pricing System.

• $28,597 – two mobile license plate readers from Gold Type Business Machines. The machines are used by police to identify stolen vehicles. They are being purchased through the Bergen County co-operative pricing system.

• $24,235 – 2024 Chevrolet Malibu for the Middlesex Police Department through the Educational Services Commission (ESCNJ) Cooperative Pricing System.

• $19,483 – four Taser 7 basic bundles for the police department from Axon Industries under a state contract.

• $14,730 – Rugby 9-foot 2-3 year Eliminator LP Dump Body. The existing dump body on DPW’s truck #8 is deemed unsafe and needs replacement. It will be purchased from DeJana Truck and Utility Equipment, which was the lower of two bidders.

• $12,042 – Fifteen dual band voice pagers and accessories for the Office of Emergency Management from Motorola Solutions.

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