A resolution to authorize the upgrade of a water main on Mathias Avenue failed this week when assembly members Tom Morphet and Brenda Josephson said they didn’t agree with the terms.

In January, borough manager Debra Schnabel proposed a deal with property owners Yuri Baykov and Norm and Suzanne Smith to buy into a water main upgrade that would cost the borough $62,050. The current water main is undersized and does not comply with code for fire safety.

The borough would recoup an estimated $24,000 divided between property owners for hookup extensions.

The Smiths said they would only accept the deal if they received credit on what they claim was an inaccurate land assessment.

In 2016, the value of Norm and Suzanne Smith’s empty lot on Mathias Avenue jumped from $40,000 to $64,000. The increase was a reflection of the borough’s installation of an easement and a sewer line to the Smith’s property, according to borough land assessor Dean Olsen.

The Smith’s said they were wrongly assessed for water service they didn’t have.

“If we have fifty percent of the property owners not in agreement with this, I won’t vote for this,” Josephson said. The resolution failed 2-3, with assembly member Heather Lende recused for conflict of interest.

“What about the guy that wants to build the house?” assembly member Will Prisciandaro asked, “Where do we go with this?”

Public facilities director Brad Ryan said that Baykov may access a nearby water main from the street above Mathias, which would not help the borough address the code upgrades on the street.

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