BY STACI WILSON

New Milford Borough Council gave its blessing Thursday night to a concert happening this Sunday at the Blue Ridge Park.

The borough Recreation Board is sponsoring the event – which will be used to help raise funds for needed pool repairs.

The concert, “Rock in the Park 2014” will be held, 1-6:30 p.m., and feature the bands: Amongst the Monks, Kortney, Brady Goldsmith, RevelationNow, Ashley Lux, and Sad Sorry. Donations at the door are $5.

No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the park; the park is also a smoke-free area.

Council member Teri Gulick said, “A couple of the bands are working on record deals. It should be a lot of fun.”

Council President Ken Carey said pool repairs are estimated to cost about $22,000.

The first step in minimizing more damage to the pool is the purchase of a pool cover. Council approved the purchase – to be paid out of recreation board funds.

Council is not just focused on the maintaining the pool, they are also preparing for the upcoming winter.
The purchase of a snowblower attachment was approved.

Council also discussed maintenance needs for the borough truck and its plans to replace the truck next year.

The truck in use now is 12 years old, according to council members.

Councilman Larry White has started to price out new trucks that would meet the borough’s work needs.

Several codes issues were discussed by council, some as ongoing matters and a few additional complaints that were reported to council members.

Council members noted the borough’s Zoning Hearing Board had held a hearing but that they had not yet received official notice of a decision that had been reached in the matter by the board.

Mayor Scott Smith noted that the playground area in Midtown Park had weeds in it.

“We’re making sure people clean up their properties and letting ours look like that,” the mayor admonished.

He suggested setting up a “work day” and enlisting the help of scouts or other groups looking for community service projects.

An unexpected increase in the revenue to the borough allowed for council to increase the budget lines in areas where – with over three months left in the year – there was already a shortfall without making cuts in other budgeted areas.

The budget for heating fuel, zoning hearing board, repairs and maintenance were increased.