The mayor and council voted unanimously at their April 15 meeting to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) from private developers. Under the procedure, the RFP will be advertised and any landowner that meets the request’s 14 criteria can submit a site, building design and bid for the project.

As it stands, the request will call for a two-story, 36,000 square foot facility with a minimum of 150 parking spaces—including 40-50 spots for police vehicles. Bidders must own the land on which they intend to build, as the town will either lease or pay market value for the building. The winning developer must begin construction within 90 days of approval by the borough planning and zoning boards, and to complete construction within 12 months of beginning.

For many years, the council focused on acquiring property for the complex through eminent domain laws that allow towns to requisition land for municipal use. Since 2006, attention focused on a Herman Street location between Paterson and Central avenues, which formerly housed Sequa Can Machinery Inc. But plans to build on the site sputtered when ground water contamination proved too costly to remedy. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which gave Sequa a "D" rating, required that all contaminants be removed before new construction could commence.

In the wake of the Sequa setback, the council decided on the new approach.

"We concluded that to acquire an available parcel of land and develop it would be economically infeasible," said Councilman Joel Brizzi.

The decision came not a moment too soon for the police department, many of whom attended last month’s meeting to urge action. Patrol Officer Felix Ragozzino, who is also a union representative, took the body to task for the long delays.

"This all started in 2000," said Ragozzino during public comments. "And eight years later, here we are. We’re very aggravated."

The police department faces a persistent space crunch at its present Grove Street location, including parking shortages and insufficient workspace within the building.

"Last week we had the victim of a domestic violence walk in on an officer changing clothes," said Ragozzino.

Ragozzino’s comments were followed by similar sentiments from several East Rutherford residents, who chastised the council for dragging its feet on the new building.

"I’m disappointed that you’re still talking about parking spaces, with all the time spent, all these things should have been solved," said resident Joe Morris.

Despite being put on the defensive, the council was upbeat about the progress made.

"This is the biggest step we’ve taken," Brizzi responded. "We had pie in the sky hopes for properties and we ran into all the obstacles."

Councilman Edward Ravettine shared Brizzi’s optimisim, even as he admitted that the process had put a strain on relations within the council.

"If you had heard the shouting and phone calls and name calling [among the council] over the weekend, you would have thought everybody was leaving town," Ravettine said. "Tonight it all came together."

Councilman Gary Viccaro added, "We want to make sure that wherever [patrol officer] Bobby Meyers changes, there will be a lock on the door."

 A Second Property

The council remains strongly divided on the fate of another pair of properties that at one time figured into the borough’s plans for a new police complex.

At the April 15 meeting, Councilman Joel Brizzi moved that the borough acquire two properties at 248 and 258 Summer Street for $1 million. The lots are currently occupied by multi-family homes that were appraised at $825,000 in 2006.

The motion failed.

In the at-times heated debate that followed, Councilman Edward Ravettine cited the Council’s misgivings about condemning the properties and relocating their tenants. Councilman Saverio Stallone saw the million-dollar price tag as too high given the state of the housing market and the age of the appraisal.

"I feel in a down market, that that cost is excessive," said Stallone.

Brizzi took exception to Stallone’s comments.

"If you want to vote no, that’s fine, but do it based on numbers and facts," said Brizzi. "We’re not buying homes, we’re buying a valuable piece of property that can only appreciate. We just paid $400,000 for a gas station we’re probably going to plant trees at."

Brizzi further added that the owners of the properties might file suit because of delays and inconsistencies in previous dealings with the borough.

"You let us know last month [in executive session] that you opened us up to a law suit," Ravettine bristled.

Though the motion did not carry, the mayor and council went into executive session to further discuss the matter.

The two properties, which abut borough-owned land close to the Riggins Field complex, were originally considered as part of a larger tract—totaling about 1.3 acres—that was to be purchased by the borough and used to build a new police station and municipal building.