The mayor and borough council met Monday night for its monthly work session meeting. The council approved eight resolutions with different vendors for furnishing the new borough library under construction. The council had previously approved resolutions for shelving at the new building.

The council also approved a resolution rejecting bids for alterations to the police department as bids were way over the borough’s estimate for the project. The work will now be scaled down to a much smaller project.

According to the resolution, bids for the original project ranged from $157,000 to $243,000.

Borough Engineer Antonios Panagopoulos said the project was to have included improvements to the police department lobby and dispatch area. Eight contractors submitted bids, but all were substantially over the borough’s $80,000 estimate for the project; one was disqualified for not providing correct information. The engineer said the project will now be changed to installation of a police transaction window.

Police Director Michael Bramhall said the new transaction window will enable the public “to see and speak to the person on the other side of that glass.”

“We want to have that face of the building when they (public) walk in,” Bramhall said.

A resolution was also approved to enter into an agreement with Rich Tree Service, South Plainfield, for tree limb removal, stump grinding, and related services on borough streets.

Chief Financial Officer Patricia Celardo said sewer fee rates will not be increased this year.

“That’s good news,” Mayor Colleen Mahr said.

Council President Katherine Mitchell said April will be a busy month for borough events. She said Clean Communities Day will be celebrated on Saturday, April 20 at the Southside Train Station starting at 8:30 am.

She said the borough’s Arbor Day event will be held on Friday, April 26 at 4 pm at the Carriage House Park. The Performance Series will begin at the Carriage House on Saturday, April 13 at 7 pm. She added that to mark April as National Poetry Month, a special poetry reading by distinguished poet Ed Romond will be held on Tuesday, April 30 at 7:30 pm at the Carriage House.

“We are very lucky to have him come,” Mitchell said.

Councilwoman Erin McElroy Barker thanked everyone who turned out for Saturday’s Easter Egg Hunt at Forest Road Park. She said the Hunt, which had to be postponed due to rain a week prior, “went off without a hitch.”

“All children seemed to be quite happy. It’s a good nice event,” she said.

The mayor and council will hold its monthly regular meeting on Monday, April 15 at 7 pm.