Ordinance 2506 is set to increase the fee for a dog license and official registration tag from $16.20 to $17 for each spayed or neutered dog and from $19.20 to $20 for each unaltered dog.
The increase – according to Borough Clerk Andrew Casais – is to facilitate payment for members of the public who pay in-person and with cash. Currently, a payment of 20¢ which is remitted to the New Jersey Department of Health for the Pilot Clinic Fund as required by NJSA 4:19-15.1 et seq, results in the uneven dollar amount. The amount from the state cannot be adjusted by the municipality.
“It’s that 20 cents that really throws everything off, ” said Mr. Casais at the September 21st meeting during a workshop discussion to propose the ordinance. “I’m very grateful that the governing body authorized a change fund for the clerk’s office shortly after I was hired. That’s made things a lot easier because we couldn’t issue change before so I’m not really sure how they did it.”
The borough clerk added that he conducted research on other municipalities – Kenilworth, Cranford, and Garwood – as examples and found that other than Kenilworth, Roselle Park’s fees for dog licenses were lower than other comparable towns.
Some residents at meetings and in conversations with members of the governing body have suggested rounding down and reduce the fee by 20¢ instead of increasing it by 80¢.
If passed, the fee increase would take effect January 1st, 2018.
The public hearing and vote on the ordinance are set for tonight during the 7 p.m. Mayor & Council meeting at the Roselle Park Municipal Complex located at 110 East Westfield Avenue.
A copy of the ordinance is included below:
Download RP Ordinance 2506