Mahwah Votes to Fund Final Phase of DPW Facility, Bringing Total Project Cost to $45 Million
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Mahwah NJ, Mahwah Township officials have made a difficult, but necessary, decision.
At the October 20th meeting, the Mahwah Township Council approved three bond ordinances totaling $12.3 million in additional appropriations to complete the new Department of Public Works (DPW) facility on Micik Lane. This latest increase brings the project’s total estimated cost to a staggering $45 million.
Despite concerns over the sharply rising price—which has more than tripled since initial estimates—council members ultimately agreed that delaying the much-needed upgrade would only increase costs further.
What This Means for Mahwah Taxpayers
Council President Robert M. Ferguson III provided an estimate of the immediate financial impact on residents:
- Tax Impact: The project is estimated to cost taxpayers approximately $81 per year on a home assessed at the township average of $481,000.
- Utility Bills: Residents should also anticipate possible increases to their water and sewer bills, as two of the approved ordinances are dedicated sewer and water utility appropriations.
“We’ve talked about the cost going up tremendously, but we’ve needed this for a very long time,” Ferguson said, adding hope that “future revenue streams will offset some of this.”
Councilman David May conceded the difficulty of the vote: “The numbers are outrageous… But if we kick the can down the road, it will only cost more. We just have to deal with it.”
The three bond ordinances—$3.1 million in sewer utility, $3.1 million in water utility, and $6.2 million in township appropriations—all passed with a 6-1 vote. Councilwoman Janet Ariemma cast the lone dissenting vote, citing the lack of a “strict budget” and “strict schedule” at the project’s inception.
A Decade of Delay: The DPW Project History
The need for a new DPW facility has been discussed in Mahwah for a decade, tracing back to 2015.
| Year | Project Status & Cost Estimate | Key Changes |
| 2015 | Initial Proposal | Former Mayor proposed selling the old East Ramapo Road site to finance a new $5 million facility. |
| 2020 | Council Consideration | Cost estimate jumped to $24.4 million. Recycling operations were planned to remain at the old site. |
| 2021 | Phase One Approval | Council approved $6.4 million for the first phase of what was then a $32 million project. |
| 2022 | New Plans Ordered | Council ordered revised plans to cut costs in half and move the salt shed away from residential areas. |
| 2024 | Construction Begins | Phase One demolition and regrading started in February. |
| 2025 | Final Funding Approved | Total Cost: $45 million. Construction on the next phase is expected to begin in December and take a year. |
Despite the soaring costs and historical delays, the project is finally moving forward. Construction on the next, major phase of the DPW building is now anticipated to start in December and is expected to take approximately one year to complete.
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Government, over budget and behind schedule.