Pascack Press 1.16.23

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

HEARING JAN. 24 ON 4 SEASONS PROPOSAL Critics

Studentʼs logo to star in year of celebration

HILLSDALE

Sessions planned toward referendum on middle school, which is March 14

BY MICHAELOLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

The Hillsdale public school district will receive $5.4 million in state aid — more than originally expected — if voters approve an $82.7 million school bond referendum to replace the centuryold George G. White Middle School on Tuesday, March 14.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” superintendent told Pascack Press on Jan. 11. He said the $5.4 million in state education aid was “more than we expected” and would reduce the local property tax impact.

BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS

borough and its unique characteristics.”

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

A ALLSSO O

• Council president cool on mayor’s call for ‘450’ purchase

A fourth hearing on a proposal to build a “4 Seasons Marketplace” strip mall at the corner of the newly improved PascackW ashington intersection comes before the Zoning Board on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m. The hearing will be held on Zoom and live at the township courtroom, 350 Hudson Ave.

HEARING on page 27

THECHALLENGE intrigued, its aims ambitious: “We are seeking help to create a logo that will be used for a variety of purposes, including the website, correspondence, social media platforms, signs, etc. Help us create a logo that reflects what we love about our

That was the call, a year ago, from the Borough of Hillsdale 125th Anniversary Celebration Committee, excited to announce a logo contest open to residents. The final design would stand proud, embellishing a year of special events, mementos, and signage, and it would enter a time capsule bound for

FOR THE TROOPS

50 years hence: 2073. Now we have a winner: Congratulations to Kaitlyn Zimmerman, a sixth-grader at George G. White Middle School, who produced what a panel of expert judges said by unanimous decision was the superior entry: an illustration, in warm, earthy tones and a golden

He said an average local homeownerʼs tax increase would be $95 monthly, or $1,140 yearly, on an average Hillsdale home valued at $474,172. Original estimates, before state aid reimbursement was determined by state officials, were closer to a $100 monthly tax increase.

In mid-December, Lombardy said he had anticipated “upward” of $2.5 million in state aid following fall discussions with state education officials. However, Lombardy said final numbers awaited a “preliminary eligible cost” (PEC) letter from the state

Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake

Via Legion Post 162, schools in Hillsdale, River Vale, and Emerson send their best holiday wishes to local men and women on active duty.

We’ve heard about “Toyota-thon” and “Happy Honda Days,” but for Pascack Valley residents 120 years ago, a wintertime deal on a new ride would have looked more like this…

GFWC/NJSFWC The Woman’s Club of Westwood honors longtime member Mary Cerrati.

speak to traffic impacts; board yet to seek independent study

HILLSDALE HAPPENINGS PHOTO

She’s making her mark: George G. White Middle School Principal Donald Bergamini, Hillsdale Education Foundation President Melissa Mazza-Chiong, Kaitlyn Zimmerman, Jenny Frantin, Liz Zimmerman, and Robert Zimmerman. Kaitlyn, a student at George G. White Middle School, is the unanimous winner of the Borough of Hillsdale’s 125th Anniversary Celebration Committee logo design contest.

John’s

PASCACK PRESS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

shipʼs residents, not only our children.

In the last council meeting, Jan. 3, I felt there was a sense that I donʼt have my finger on the pulse of the recreational needs of our community. That couldnʼt be further from the truth. I have created and implemented a very successful cheer camp for our youngest residents, and was instrumental in ensuring Gardner Field — the field our girls play on — had proper dugouts and a score board (has been ordered).

I have advocated strongly for equal opportunity for our female athletes and will continue to do so. I campaigned with Councilwoman Stacey Feeney in 2019. We were determined to improve Rec programs then, and I remain dedicated to seeing that through.

I do believe that we have v ery different perspectiv es on what that looks like and how to proceed. I look at the town globally, and take into consideration how ev ery decision we make

impacts residents throughout o ur community — not only those residents who have a vested interest due to location of t heir property, etc.

I stand firmly behind what I have said from Day 1: I do not take lightly my responsibilities to this town or the trust residents have placed in me. I have an obligation to our residents, my neighbors, to be fiscally responsible and just, with the decisions that impact them and Iʼm certainly not in support of high density housing.

We bought the swim club so that we could grow our Rec programs and finally have fields we are proud of: fields and f acilities that will allow our children to play various sports on and either introduce or expand recreational opportunities for adults to enjoy. This is the only reason I voted in favor of purchasing the swim club.

The idea that I do not support improving and expanding our fields is ludicrous. I have four children, all raised here. All played on the courts and ball fields. I ran the Townshipʼs cheer program of nearly 150 girls for several years — spending many, many days and nights on those fields.

I am very familiar with and aware that we need more space, better space. 450 Pascack Road is not going to give us that. Itʼs frustrating to me that a scare tactic is being employed in an effort to gain support to spend taxpayersʼ dollars to purchase

property that we just donʼt need. I think itʼs important to note that I have not been made aware of any high-density housing applications, there have been no m ention of multi-dwelling buildings going up at 450. There is nothing on the table, just a lot o f “what-ifs.”

If the property is large enough to build a few singlefamily homes on, and a developer has vetted it through our zoning board, and our zoning board approves, then by all means, letʼs do that! There has been no mention of condos and/ or apartment buildings on the table. I strongly believe this is all scare tactics.

Why is this property any different than any other residential home being sold — large piece of property and all — in Township? I understand residents living in very close proximity to 450 Pascack want to keep green space in their immediate area. That said, we have to look at this as it is: a resident is selling his home and we, the town, should not be strongarmed into buying it. It is not going to benefit the town as a whole for the minimal — stressing minimal — expansion to Memorial Field, if that is even possible.

I think it is unfair to ask us to force Township residents to purchase this private residence. Are we going to do that for every prime location that hits the market? We already own the swim club. Letʼs build that up before we go around purchasing other properties that we have no solid plan for That is irresponsible.

Desserie Morgan Council President

NOTE: Letter submission deadline is 11 a.m. Wednesday for the following Monday’s paper. Publication not guaranteed. Subject to editing. Email topascackpress@thepressgroup.net.

State league on Murphy’s priorities

To the editor:

GOV. P H IL M U RPHY ʼ S 2023

State of the State Address covered a wide variety of topics, including the Leagueʼs longsought reforms to the liquor license application process and the inability to offer new licenses. The New Jersey State League of Municipalities leadership issued the following statement on Governor Murphyʼs proposal to have New Jersey join the vast majority of states where obtaining a liquor license is a clear, open, and straightforward process:

“Society has drastically changed since Franklin Roosevelt was president and New Jerseyʼs ability to issue liquor licenses needs to join the long list of those positive changes,” stated League President and Millstone Borough Mayor Raymond S. Heck. “A relic of postprohibition reforms in the 1930s, New Jerseyʼs process to obtain a liquor license has been badly broken for many decades and we applaud Governor Murphyʼs proposal. The League, and our Liquor License Reform Task Force, is eager to vigorously participate in this process, including the development of new consumption licenses for the growing craft beer, wine, and spirits industry that creates jobs and economic activity in our communities while providing broader access to liquor

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

TOWNSHIPOFWASHINGTON

Desserie Morgan earned a council presidency for a second consecutive year, on Jan. 3 posting a 5–0 vote of members.

The annual reorganization meeting put Dr. Steven Cascio in the vice president slot, replacing 2022 veep Stacey Feeney, who also was nominated but not fast enough.

Tom Sears nominated Cascio. Daisy Velez nominated Feeney. The town attorney says the council is required to vote on the first nomination heard.

In addition to a wealth of housekeeping, including appointments of boards and professionals, the council heard Mayor Peter Calamariʼs recommendation: that he “respectfully asks the council to consider funding for the purchase” of 450 Pascack Road, adjacent to Memorial Field and Washington Elementary School.

Calamari made the appeal in his first report of the year. The purchase has been under renewed negotiation for nearly two years — snapping up the 3.2-acre mostly wooded property was a goal of Calamariʼs predecessor, the late mayor Janet Sobkowicz as well — and at least four residents at the meeting pressed the council to back a deal.

Calamari, who went on to make strong assertions about the need to act fast to acquire the 6.1acre former private swim club property on Ridgewood Boulevard North, lest it go to developers, said Jan. 3, “Over 3 acres of property adjacent to any townshipʼs flag-

ship field does not come available very often. Again, we have an opportunity that will come up only once. If we let this opportunity pass us by, the property will be developed at some point and gone forever.”

A few days later, Morgan suggested to Pascack Press that she did not appreciate the mayorʼs approach. (Also Letters, page 2.)

She said she voted to purchase the club property for $750,000 in April 2022 so that the townshipʼs recreational programs

and field space could expand for children and adults to enjoy.

“I am very familiar with and aware that we need more space — better space. 450 is not going to give us that. Itʼs frustrating to me that a scare tactic is being employed in an effort to gain support to spend taxpayers dollars to

purchase property that we just donʼt need,” Morgan said.

She said the township should improve the club property before “purchasing other properties that we have no solid plan for. [Otherwise] that is irresponsible.”

The swim club was shuttered amid the pandemic. Many members were owed bonds, and the township does not own that liability.

She said she was not aware of

any high-density housing plans for the 450 site, which today is occupied by a single-family home in evident disrepair. “There is nothing on the table, just complete scare tactics. If the property is big enough for a few singlefamily homes, then by all means letʼs do that. Why would that be any different than any other large piece of property we have in the

CALAMARI MORGAN

Bckintime... Bckintime...

Act fast on Horse-a-thon Deal Days!

BY KRISTIN BEUSCHER SPECIAL TO PASCACK PRESS

PASCACKVALLEY

WEʼVEALLHEARD about “Toyotathon” and “Happy Honda Days,” but for Pascack Valley residents 120 years ago, a wintertime deal on a new ride would have looked a little more like this.

Van Buskirkʼs carriage shop was at the corner of Broadway and Irvington Street in Westwood from the 1890s through 1910s. Back when horses and carriages (or sleighs in the winter) were the primary modes of transportation, Van Buskirkʼs was an important business—the dealership as well as the parts and services department of its day

riage shop became a silent movie theater. A classified advertisement from 1909 shows a variety of “slightly used” automobiles from 1907 and 1908 for sale at the V. Van Buskirk Auto Exchange in Westwood.

The corner of Broadway and Irvington was

later Karstenʼs Ford dealership in the 1930s, Rauberʼs Plymouth/Dodge in the 1940s and 1950s, followed by a furniture store, and in the 1990s it was the Medicare Supply Co. and RPM Auto Body.

Nowadays there is a bank on that corner.

Pascack Mental Health Center,“the best-kept secret in Park Ridge,”celebrates 50 years of vital service.

Mental health center on its 50th

PARKRIDGE

Fifty years ago, Pascack Mental Health Center opened for business at 114 Kinderkamack Road, Park Ridge. Its door was unadorned metal, calling no attention to itself on the side of the building, which now houses Wells Fargo &Co.

To those who entered, the place was a comfort in times of turmoil and anxiety.

Diane M. Dougherty, vice president of the centerʼs board of trustees,

This circa-1900 photo shows off some of Van Buskirkʼs wares. The horse visible on the porch is a life-size mannequin made out of mahogany, used to advertise equipment like harnesses and other tack. The model horse still exists, though it is no longer painted white. It is on display at the Pascack Historical Societyʼs museum in Park Ridge and is a favorite among visitors.

Shop owner Vernanda Van Buskirk had lived in Westwood since he was a young boy in the 1870s, and thus he knew just about everybody in the small town. He was a charter member of the Westwood Volunteer Fire Department and an antique dealer for close to 40 years.

In 1899 Van Buskirk made a phonograph recording that described Westwood as it was then. Westwood was “one of the largest and most important towns on the line of the New Jersey and New York Railroad, 21 miles from New York City,” he says in the recording. The town of approximately 700 people had two churches (Dutch Reformed and Catholic), a fire

company, three meeting halls, and one schoolhouse (through grade eight), overseen by a principal and three teachers. There was one public telephone.

By way of merchants, there were three grocery stores, two sweets shops, two meat markets, a hardware store, a fish and vegetable market, two bakeries, a clothing store, a shoemaker, a cigar manufacturer, two bicycle dealers, and the carriage shop. There were two different hotels and a livery stable near them for renting and boarding horses. Local services included a Chinese laundry, three doctors, a barbershop, three blacksmiths, and two plumbers.

Within a few decades of the arrival of the railroad, in 1870, Westwood had gone from an isolated rural village to a bona fide suburb

In the 1910s, changing times saw horsedrawn wagons replaced by automobiles. Van Buskirk started selling cars, while his old car-

Via the Park Ridge Local ,January 1901.

Van Buskirk’s carriage and harness shop,corner of Broadway and Irvington Street in Westwood, circa 1900. Still standing! Van Buskirk’s life-size model horse can be found at the Pascack Historical Society’s museum at 19 Ridge Ave.in Park Ridge.

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

HILLSDALE

An incumbent Republican councilwoman and a Republican newcomer were sworn in Jan. 4 to the Borough Council while the mayor and a few council members showed they still have disagreements that divided the governing body over the past year.

Councilwoman Janetta Trochimiuk and newcomer Justin Fox ran unopposed in the Nov. 8 General Election. Fox replaces longtime councilman Frank Pizzella, who did not run for reelection.

(See “Pizzella lauded for service, key role in redevelopment,” Pascack Press, Dec. 26, 2022.)

Joseph DʼUrso and Nicholas Ponzini, both attorneys, swore in Trochimiuk and Fox, respectively. Both membersʼterms end Dec. 31, 2025.

Also in the annual reorganization meeting, council voted with an enthusiastic 6-0 to seat Anthony DeRosa as council president, replacing Trochimiuk in the role.

Previous borough attorney Mark Madaio was reappointed as the municipal counsel for 2023.

Mayor John Ruocco used his state of the borough address to criticize the existing council by-laws that exclude the mayor as an exofficio member of standing committees and made the mayor speak first, rather than last, during closing council commentaries.

Large portions of the meeting highlighted the mayor-council divide. Ruocco and Councilman Zoltán Horváth criticized some appointments allegedly made without their input, criticized the councilʼs alleged lack of transparency with residents, and questioned why the mayor was allegedly “excluded” from special committees he had previously served on.

Commenting on the display was visiting Montvale Mayor Michael Ghassali.

At one point, DeRosa asked the mayor why he thought there were “five evil councilmembers” who were out to exclude the mayor Ruocco said he did not use those words.

Trochimiuk said that the early 2022 bylaw changes were not

meant as “punishment” but rather were enacted so that a voting council member could attend standing committee meetings and vote, which Ruocco could not as an exofficio member.

Ruocco presented a threepage, single-spaced “State of the Borough Address – Part 1.” He said heʼll likely provide a part two after the 2023 budget is revealed and more details are known about projects proposed by council.

Report part 1 lays out complaints against the council majority who, as Ruocco alleges, changed its bylaws to “restrict” his access to municipal information. He also noted local changes and positive efforts.

He thanked “all our borough employees, volunteers and professionals who ensured that the essential services of local government were delivered to our residents last year. This was done despite the challenges that arose from management resignations at the Borough Administrator job (Christ Tietjen) and at the DPW Superintendent (Billy Haffler) position during the first quarter of last year (2022).”

He also thanked the Hillsdale Free Public Library staff and their director, “who have continued to provide an attractive range of services and programs to the broad community despite living with budgetary restrictions that the council imposed on them and which still exist.”

And he said “I also want to

acknowledge the efforts made by the Stonybrook Pool Commission to increase its membership and other sources of revenue.”

Ruocco cited six events in 2022 that will continue to have “significant impact on the residents.”

• A redevelopment agreement signed to eliminate a waste transfer station and allow 255 market-rate and affordable units, including a PILOT agreement;

•Council moving to install artificial turf on Centennial Field for approximately $4 million;

•Council plans to build a “second community center” at Stonybrook Swim Club for $3 million;

•Increased flooding along Pascack Brook, which recently badly damaged the DPW headquarters;

•“Extensive, disruptive road dig-ups by Veolia and PSEG”; and •The upcoming $82.5 million school referendum vote that could increase school taxes.

Ruocco also telegraphed a number of concerns he was likely to air for his “part two” report.

Business administrator David Troast resigned Dec. 16 citing a great divide between the mayor and council. (See “Latest borough

admin quits,” Dec. 26, 2002, Pascack Press.) He agreed to remain on the job until the mayor and council replaced him, notwithstanding a scheduled vacation.

During an exchange Jan. 4, DeRosa spoke to the bylaw changes, noting that Ruocco revealed information after being on committees. He said, “Itʼs what you intimated, what you said to the papers.What would cause that to

occur? You have to ask yourself that.”

Ruocco has alleged that after he revealed a $16 million cost estimate on a proposed community center and turf field heard at a committee meeting in late 2021, the council changed its bylaws to exclude him from committees. Councilmembers then alleged

RUOCCO DEROSA

Schools superintendent Gatens leaving June 30

Longtime schools superintendent Brian P. Gatens wrote the community on Jan. 4 to announce — with gratitude for opportunities heʼs had to help guide the districtʼs growth — that heʼs stepping down to start a new job in Leonia on July 1. He said a replacement search would be under way.

The Emerson School District consists of some 1,200 students at three schools and held its annual reorganization meeting Jan. 2.

According to 2022 data from the New Jersey Department of Education, Gatens ranked 99th for

pay among school administrators, at some $224,161.

Gatens says on his superintendent page that “Our work begins with our pre-kindergarten program and continues 14 years later to our graduating 12th graders. As one of the smallest PK-12 districts in the state, the opportunities for our students only exist in a close-knit community of caring parents, supportive citizens, and dedicated civic leadership.”

Here is his letter on his departure and next steps:

HAPPY NEW YEAR to our entire school community and I hope that this email finds everyone well as we move through the first week of the new year.

At their regular public meeting last night, the Leonia Board of Education appointed me as their next Superintendent of Schools effective July 1, 2023. As a result, my final day as the Superintendent of Schools for Emerson will be June 30, 2023. Since December 2013, it has been my honor to serve the children of Emerson and work alongside supportive families, and dedicated and hardworking faculty and staff.

I will remain forever grateful for the opportunity to have played my role in the success and growth of the district over the past nine+plus years. Whether it be the suc-

cessful 2018 school referendum, the completion of the 2015-2020 District Strategic Plan, the creation of the 2021-2026 District Strategic Plan, or our successful navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire school community should take rightful pride in the collective progress and growth of the district and the strong foundation that has been built for future students and their families.

The Board of Education will manage the selection process for the next Superintendent of Schools. Please know that I will be fully available to assist and will participate in the transition when a new superintendent is appointed. I have every confidence that the district will continue to thrive due to the dedicated faculty, staff, and administrators who make Emerson the wonderful place that it is.

One final, and perhaps most important, point is that my caring for the teachers, staff, children, and families of Emerson will extend far beyond my tenure as superintendent. All should know that I will always be prepared to assist in any way.

Please reach out in the future if I can ever be of help. I consider myself beyond fortunate to have worked for so long in a place as wonderful as Emerson and my gratitude and availability will extend far beyond June 30, 2023.

AS EVERY NEW YEAR approaches, we try to look back at the top stories of last year and look ahead to see whatʼs likely to be on our front pages throughout 2023.

Delivered free weekly, Pascack Press brims with timely letters; municipal coverage; positive Page One profiles and features; community updates and milestones; Kristin Beuscherʼs highly popular “Back in Time” column; school board news; student success stories; team achievements; free local obituaries; business news; ads, of course; and so much more.

Hereʼs a look back —and ahead —at stories dominating coverage.

2022 kicked off with Pascack Press revealing the Township of Washington was quietly negotiating to purchase a 1.45-acre triangular 95 Linwood Ave. site housing the former Charlie Brownʼs restaurant for use as its new DPW headquarters.

By late May-early June, opposition from neighbors, residents and Paramus officials and residents — along with findings of former gas pump piping buried underground — caused township officials to vote against purchasing the property, after initially threatening condemnation should it not be allowed to purchase the property.

However, In an odd twist, the former private school that was involved in talks to purchase the property, Apple Montessori Schools, is now moving ahead to purchase the property should its proposal for a preschool for up to 154 infants and toddlers get future Zoning Board approval.

A spokeswoman told Pascack Press that the company had no concerns about environmental contaminants, based on their environmental consultantʼs study. The Township is planning a new $4.5 million DPW facility at the site of its for mer DPW facility at town hall.

Flooding throughout Pascack Valley towns was a major issue in 2022 as small storms caused severe local flooding on Memorial Day and for weeks and months after.

Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo, and other mayors, urged the areaʼ water utility, Veolia North America, to lower its reservoir water levels to 91 feet (above sea level) versus the normal 95 feet reservoir height so that the water utility would not need to discharge water during or after storms. The mayors alleged these water releases can exacerbate downstream flood conditions.

Moreover, area legislators have proposed a new state law to mandate that reservoir owners provide flood control — supported by the Pascack Valley Mayors Association — but the state Department of Environmental Protection has opposed the bipartisan legislation, stressing that water utilities have a responsibility to manage and provide water supply, not to lower reservoirs levels or to help mitigate potential downstream flooding.

In local and regional school districts, much of 2022 was focused on developing lesson plans to implement the state education departmentʼs new Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Standards, which include new updated sex education guidelines for grammar, middle and high school students. Generally, the updated elementary and middle school standards appeared to cause the most opposition and anguish among parents.

Moreover, 2022 started off with two mayors calling for unified action by our eight towns to come

up with alternatives to court-mediated affordable housing mandates in the next round of Mount Laurel housing after July 2025.

However, the year ended with only one Pascack Valley town, Montvale, joining a statewide lawsuit with 15 more towns that called on Gov. Phil Murphy to reappoint the Council on Affordable Housing, which was disbanded in 2015 by the state Supreme Court after years of inaction and legal challenges.

How the mayorsʼlawsuit turns out and whether any legislative efforts offer alternatives to courtmediated affordable housing agreements remains an ongoing issue in 2023.

We try to cover the big, and little, stories that occur weekly in our towns and our readersʼtips, ideas and suggestions are always welcome.

Every town had issues topping Page One.

Emerson

No surprises here: the longstalled and litigation-plagued “Emerson Station” project, approved in late 2018 and still barely one-third completed in late 2022,

remains an ongoing story weʼve covered.

A pending lawsuit by the borough over up to $500,000 in construction services that the redeveloper did not pay citing Emersonʼs alleged breach of contract heads to Superior Court this year, said the boroughʼs attorney.

Hillsdale

A proposal to place a four story, 255-unit luxury apartment complex in the new Patterson Street Redevelopment Area, formerly home to Waste Managementʼs transfer station, including a 5,000square-foot community center, easily tops the list for Hillsdale.

Recently, council has considered eliminating the Patterson Street Community Center provided free by the redeveloper in exchange for a $750,000 payment. Moreover, a separate or “second” community center had been proposed by council for $3 million at the Stonybrook Swim Club, despite a mixed public reaction to the proposal.

We continue to cover the upcoming school referendum. Voters will go to the polls on March 14 to decide the fate of an $82.5 mil-

lion referendum to replace the century-old George G. White Middle School.

Montvale

In July Mayor Mike Ghassali announced that a committee would be formed and an engineer hired to design a $15-$20 million new community center and pool, on the site of the current senior center. He said residents have continually asked for a new pool since the former town pool closed in 2017.

Moreover, in August, the mayor announced the town was interested in purchasing a 28.4-

Staff writer Michael Olohan

A Class-III officer for Memorial, Villano schools

Superintendent Brian P. Gatens wrote families on Jan. 5 to say that the district has “secured a SLEO-III officer to be shared between our two elementary schools.”

Gatens said the district has been working with the Emerson Police Department to hire SLEO-III Officers for Memorial and Villano schools and found the candidate pool small.

He said that in addition to hiring the SLEO-III — who is authorized to carry a firearm — “The EPD will remain open to hiring additional staff and will be reposting the advertisement over the next several

months. The ultimate goal is to have dedicated SLEO-IIIs for each elementary school.”

Gatens said “We are happy to welcome Michael Murphy to his new role. Officer Murphy is a retired Dumont police detective and currently serves as a SLEO-III for the Saddle Brook Public School District. He was instrumental in helping Saddle Brook begin their SLEO-III program and we are grateful to have him join us in Emerson.”

Gatens said Murphyʼs candidacy “only grew stronger through each successive interview and he has already met with Mrs. Gagliano

and Mrs. Espinoza. The building principals will facilitate his introduction to the respective students and staff of each building.”

Gatens added thanks to the Emerson Police Department for helping to bring Murphy on board and helping to manage the administrative requirements for his hire. “Our continued partnership with them in many areas speaks to how well they continue to support our schools.”

The officer is on the job for Emerson. Gatens said, “For security reasons, his daily schedule will not be published, but all are welcome to offer him a typical hearty

Emerson greeting when he is outside with the students.”

The New Jersey School Boards Association says the ClassIII SLEO concept “was originally developed by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP), which envisioned the position as an SLEO who would receive additional, specialized training and be assigned to schools.”

It said “NJSACOP presented the idea to the New Jersey School Board Associationʼs School Security Task Force and later to the New Jersey School Security Task Force.

“Making clear their belief that the employment of an SRO is the

RIVER VALE

ideal choice if a local board of education decides to institute an armed law enforcement presence in a school, both task forces ultimately endorsed the Class III SLEO proposal.

“The Class III SLEO will also be someone who has gone through the extensive training required of any full-time police officer, and since they will be retired officers, they will have accumulated years of real-life experience enforcing the law. And as they will operate under the authority of the local police unit, they will have full police powers, something typical retired officers and private security guards lack.”

Junior police academy registration open

The River Vale Police Department is proud to announce that registration for the 2023 River Vale Junior Police Academy is now underway through Jan. 10.

The River Vale JPA is open to all River Vale residents in the 8th grade. Classes

take place on Monday evenings at Holdrum Middle School. The program begins on Monday, Jan. 23 and will run through March. For more information visit rivervalenj.org

Republican mayor Rendo gets all-Democratic council

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

WOODCLIFFLAKE

Two new council members, Benjamin Pollack and Nicole Marsh, were sworn in Jan. 5 to create an all-Democratic Borough Council to work along with twoterm Republican Mayor Carlos Rendo.

Jennifer Margolis, whose term expires in 2024, was unanimously elected as council president. Nominating her was Jacqueline Gadaleta. Richard Schnoll seconded.

Pollack and Marsh, replace

two-term Democratic councilwoman Angela Hayes and oneterm councilman Stephen Falanga, both of whom declined to seek reelection.

The newcomers narrowly topped their Republican challengers, Joshua Stern and Brian DiStefano, in the Nov. 8 General Election. Pollack and Marsh pulled in 1,419 votes and 1,411 votes, respectively, while Stern grabbed 1,289 votes and DiStefano totaled 1,271 votes.

Mayor takes stock, sets priorities Rendoʼs second four-year term expires Dec. 31. He has not declared whether he will run for reelection. He won reelection in November 2019, besting Democratic councilwoman Jacqueline Gadaleta, 1,150 votes to 914.

In his State of the Municipality address on Jan. 5, Rendo talked about 2022 milestones and whatʼs ahead in 2023.

He said, “Woodcliff Lake is

known as a small town in a bucolic and charming setting. We will continue to protect this vision through our policies. In 2022, we saw our [Centennial] Causeway improved with new sidewalks and fencing. In the springtime, we will finish our project with improved lighting and new landscaping. This improvement will connect our project to the anticipated walking trails around our reservoir.”

Recently, Veolia officials and representatives from Woodcliff Lake, Park Ridge and Hillsdale announced that they anticipate a proposed 1.5-mile-long nature trail around the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir, owned by Veolia, to be completed on April 22, celebrated as Earth Day since 1970.

Rendo said, “It is imperative that we resist overdevelopment and promote open space. Under my watch, we have tripled our investment in our Shade Tree committee, we invested in our tree planting program, we have purchased property removing an envi-

ronmentally impacted area with the intent of converting it to a beautiful park [the former Galaxy Gardens site] in the center of our community.”

He noted, “Looking back to 2020 and 2021, we were faced with the pressures of Covid and our corporate sector was stressed with financial uncertainty. We took action and now we see our corporate sector with a 95% occupancy rate, and new businesses like Party City, Whole Foods, Sephora, Nike, and Mixology call Woodcliff Lake their home.”

He said 2023 presents many challenges, including what he alleged was a spike in crime related to Trenton policies such as “catch and release and bail reform…The criminal element has become more brazen knowing that they will be arrested and in less than 24 hours, will be released to commit more crime.”

Rendo said, “I want to make

RENDO MARGOLIS POLLACK MARSH HIGGINS SCHNOLL

Hillsdale: Governing body reorganizes for 2023

FROM PAGE 5 Ruocco had agreed not to publicly reveal the estimate; Ruocco replied then that he never agreed to not disclose the estimate.

Reactions from the public

During public comment, John Klein said from what he observed at the Jan. 4 meeting, it appeared that “five people [the council majority] are trying to hide stuff from the mayor and residents of the borough. Either you want the mayor in the mix or you donʼt want the mayor in the mix.”

Montvale Mayor Michael Ghassali, an audience member, congratulated Trochimiuk and Fox on their swearings-in.

After observing the meetingʼs tense exchanges, Ghassali said Montvale and Hillsdale both have a “weak mayor, strong council” form of government, and that the mayor

as chief executive of town, “is really a weak position [that] must have mutual trust between the mayor and council members.”

Ghassali noted it was “a very interesting meeting for me to hear here.”

Citizens step up

In addition to other resolutions and board and committee appointments, the mayor and council had the pleasure to introduce the names of 2023 public safety officers:

•2023 Board of Fire Officers: Chief Dan Schuster, Deputy Chief William Farrell, Senior Capt. Christopher Kelley, Junior Capt. Joseph Solda III, 1Lt. George Lucia Jr., 2Lt. Joseph Solda II, 3Lt. Raymond DeGroat, 4Lt. Thomas Dunn.

•2023 Association Officers: President Peter Hard, Vice President Paul Muller, Secretary Keith I. Durie, Treasurer Patrick Doody, assistant secretary/treasurer William

THEIR STAMP ON PATRIOTISM

Becker.

• Police Department. Mayor Ruocco presented for council confirmation the following appointments to the Police Department Special Officers, Auxiliary Officers and Police Matrons for the year 2023 as recommended by Police

WESTWOOD

Chief Francaviglia: #53 Chief Robert Francaviglia, #59 Capt. Sean Smith, #75 Lt. Mike Camporeale, #62 Sgt. Chris Donaldson, #64 D/Sgt. Adam Hampton, #73 Sgt. Alex Kaplan, #76 Sgt. Matt Buesser, #77 Sgt. Travis Woods, #66 P.O. Dave Sayers, #79 P.O. Brian Consi-

dine, #80 Det. Corey Rooney, #82 P.O. Matt Soltes, #84 P.O. Joe Messner, #85 P.O. Amanda Turrin, #86 P.O. Ryan Cottrell, #88 P.O. Joe Roma, #89 P.O. Sean Marro, #91 P.O. Kevin Gadomski, and #92 P.O. Jordan Bruce.

Claim your bench in Veterans Park

If you visited Veteran Memorial Park in recent months you might have noticed eight new concrete bases along several pathways. These are the last available locations for eight memorial benches in the park before the borough reaches program site capacity.

The first of the eight memorial benches has just been placed near the bandstand.

Westwoodʼs Municipal Bench Donation Program began in 2011 as a way to honor loved ones in lieu of memorial trees. The benches relay a positive message, are sustainable, and are a benefit to the many who frequent the park and are looking

for a place to relax and take in the view and sounds of the town. And unlike memorial trees, benches are not affected by climate, disease, or a renegade saw.

The Municipal Bench Program also offers memorial and commemorative benches that can be placed in any of the parks in town. There are 53 benches in seven parks and locations.

Bench program manager Peter Grefrath, and Lisa Bontemps, program manager of Westwood for All Ages, tell Pascack Press theyʼre working together to install several benches as part of the age-friendly initiative funded by the Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation through Meals on

Wheels North Jersey.

Grefrath and Bontemps are considering various locations older residents may need to stop on a walk into town, as well as in McKinley Park, where many activities for older residents such as pickle ball are held. A brochure describing the bench program is available in the clerkʼs office in the Municipal Center, at the Recreation Department in the Community Center, and at the Westwood website.

Organizers said, “Letʼs maintain the positive momentum regarding this program. We thank everyone for their continued support.”

HILLSDALE

A

MERICAN LEGION Post 162 of Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake, and Old Tappan completed their 2022 holiday program of cards and letters for the troops.

Schools in Hillsdale, River Vale, Old Tappan and Emerson participated in sending their best

Above: Pascack Valley High School students Sabrina Schmoyer,Maura O’Flynn,Izzie Velez,Caitlin Slasinsk show the letters that were collected at their school in support of the program. Right: letter sorters and packers,left to right:Pam Prusha, whose son Jake is serving in the U.S. Coast Guard;Eleanor Frank,post commander Doug Frank,past commander Phil Langner,and Senior Vice Commander Mike Gela.

holiday wishes to the local men and women serving on active duty.

The post said it collected thousands of letters, cards and drawings for more than 50 military service members.

Project coordinator and past

American Legion Post 162 commander Zoltá n Horv á th sent thanks to all who contributed to this annual support-the-troops project, “especially and including Pascack Valley High School teacher Leah Jerome, Hillsdale Police Chief Robert Francaviglia, Hillsdale Police Captain Sean Smith, and legion members Joe Sgroi, Al Foti, and Dick Smith.”

Hillsdale Happenings

eats Dining & Cooking Guide

Giulioʼs

Giulioʼs will be delighted to host your holiday business of family parties. Seating is available for up to 100. Catering is also offered and the restaurant has a full bar, including over 100 wines.

Enjoy making our Signature Dish at Home!

Salmon Giulio stuffed with crabmeat

What youʼll need:

• 10 oz. Salmon Filet

• 3 tbs Colossal Crabmeat

SPECIALEVENTSAT HILLSDALELIBRARY

• Chair Yoga in January and February: New chair yoga instructor Cherlyn teaches Fridays at 10:30 a.m. Registration required; space limited in bad weather.

•2023 New Yearʼs Resolution: Make a Will: Thursday, Jan. 19 at 10:30 a.m. Carolyn J. Strassberg LLC on writing a last will and testament. Help with related legal questions. Registration is requested.

• Family Bingo: Monday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Chocolate prizes, registration required, spaces fill fast.

• Valentineʼs Day program at the library, Monday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. An evening of games, giveaways and fun to get a head start on the sweetest holiday of the year. Registration required. Appropriate for teens and up, this program features a repeat of Kevin Woyceʼs lecture on the history of Valentineʼs Day that the library

hosted in 2022.

• Mardi Gras with the Florian Schantz Jazz Combo, Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. We bring the Big Easy to you as Florian Schantz and his band follow up their Oktoberfest concert with this musical tribute to Fat Tuesday. Beads will be thrown! (You can bring your own but we will have some too). Drop in — bring your friends!

• Family Bingo, Monday, Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Chocolate prizes, registration required, spaces fill fast.

Coming soon

• Bob Dylan Revisited, Monday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Led by music historian Vincent Bruno, this program travels on the road with Bob Dylan as he navigates the turbulent 1960s. From Minnesota to folk Greenwich Village to his groundbreaking albums en route to becoming the rock/poet enigma of his time.

• 1 tsp. honey mustard

• Dash of honey & balsamic vinegar

• 1 pepper diced

• Stalk celery diced

• Salt & pepper to taste

What to do:

Slice Salmon down center (lengthwise). Dice up peppers & celery add salt and pepper to taste.

Add honey mustard mix together w/crabmeat. Stuff in center of salmon. Cook 10 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Drizzle with a dash of honey & balsamic vinegar dressing

•Buon Appetito!

Giulioʼs Restaurant is located at 154 Washington Street, Tappan

Pull up a chair at Giulio’s Restaurant, where elegance meets affordable -and delicious -Italian cuisine.

NY. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner Visit Giulioʼs website for its menu:

www.giuliosrestaurant.com For reservations, takeout, catering, and more, call (845) 359-3657

P Paassccaacck k P Prreesss s welcomes press releases, birth announcements, wedding announcements and event photographs from all towns in the Pascack Valley. Send all news to pascackpress@thepressgroup.net

PASCACK VALLEY

Salmon Giulio stuffed with crabmeat

Breakfast With the Mayors Jan. 18

Interested in how your town works? Where your taxes go? What our mayors see as priorities for 2023? Do you have a question or two for your mayor?

Tickets are on sale for the Greater Pascack Valley Area Chamber of Commerceʼs annual Breakfast with the Mayors, Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at The Iron Horse restaurant, 20 Washington Ave., Westwood.

During the all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast, each mayor (or their representative) briefly sets out their plans for the coming year in their town. The mayors also will field questions submitted by chamber members.

The Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce (GPVCOC) is non-profit organization dedicated to improving our community,

Tickets are on sale for the Greater Pascack Valley Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Breakfast with the Mayors.

specifically in the greater Pascack Valley. The mission of the organization is to build a better place to live and work.

For tickets to the breakfast and for more information, visit pas-

cackchamber.org. For Pascack Press coverage of past annual breakfasts with the mayors, search Pascack Press online.

Staff report

Party for coach Stan Woods Jan. 26

Legendary Emerson–Park Ridge wrestling coach Stan Woods is retiring. All are invited to join in celebration of his incredible career.

The event is Thursday, Jan. 26 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Seasons Catering.

Any proceeds will be donated to the Eric Ayala Memorial Foundation, Washington Township.

Woods, the stateʼs all-time leader in wrestling victories, with 802, announced his retirement in May at the annual Emerson Eric

Ayala scholarship dinner. Emerson named its school gym for him in 2015.

He was the Cavosʼhead wrestling coach for 55 years, and

it was under his tenure that the program merged in a co-op with Park Ridge.

For more information write borntobewild2023@gmail.com

Dental benefits are not similar to your medical insurance because it is not held responsible for covering your justified dental needs. In a dental benefits plan, you have a set amount of benefits which is usually $1000$1500/year, for a private PPO plan. This can include two cleanings and annual X-rays a year, generally

speaking, which will amount to about 30% of the value of the benefit package itself, approx. $300400 value.

If you were to need more work then two cleanings, then you must match the payment of the dental insurance in co-pays in order to use the remaining benefits. Therefore, in essence, it is only worth $1000 to $1500 if you pay $300-700 in co-pays.

If these plans are self funded, their general cost is $60/month.

Therefore, for a $1500/year plan, the net benefit after paying

$720/year in fees is $780 of benefits, again to only be utilized if you match in co-pays. Keep in mind the high costs of dental treatments and how fast you are going to hit the ceiling with these plans.

Its public knowledge that 90% of time, people only need routine cleanings from their dentist. Therefore the need for dental insurance seems quite ineffective because when a dental problem does occur, the maximum of the plan is reached prior to even addressing the problem.

Dental coverage seems like a

really expensive means for very little coverage therefore, dental benefits does not drastically improve your access to dental care.

On the clinical or dentist side, dental benefits works against the patient as well. Even though preventive care (cleanings & X-rays) have 80-100% coverage for the patient, for an in-network dentist, these services have the lowest reimbursements. The largest insurers in Bergen County expect dentists to work "at cost" for preventive care services like cleanings. That business model lowers the standard of care for the public. It fosters an environment that compromises time, products and attention to the patient. This is the main reason I stay out of network with these companies and the same reason you should not allow them to decide who your dentist is.

When you have a PPO dental

plan, you can see an out of network dentist and still utilize your benefits, but you will have a slightly higher percentage OUT of pocket expense.

It is much more importance to see the dentist that provides the best service vs. one who is in your plan because when you have a problem, your dental insurance has no responsibility to cover your dental needs anyway.

On behalf of my team at Westwood Periodontics, I welcome you to my office for a cleaning with one of highly trained and experienced hygienists who will take the time to address your needs and concerns.

For more information, call (201) 664-3023 or visit their office at 354 Old Hook Road #201 or WestwoodPeriodontics.com.

Announcements?

Let us help announce your achievements. Send all news to pascackpress@thepressgroup.net

PRIYU GUPTA, DDS, WESTWOOD PERIODONTICS

Photo via Madeleine Ciocco

Two Republicans join council, say ‘Now real work begins’

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

PARKRIDGE

The boroughʼs annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 3 saw two new council members, Republicans Bruce Goldsmith and Gregory Hoffman, sworn in before nearly 50 residents, including family, friends, and well-wishers.

Bruce Goldsmith was sworn

PARK RIDGE

in by Republican Sen. Holly Schepisi (39th District). Gregory Hoffman was sworn in by Republican Assemblyman Robert Auth (39th District).

Council president is William Fenwick.

GOLDSMITH HOFFMAN

Hoffman contacted Pascack Press Jan. 5 with a joint statement from himself and Goldsmith.

“Thank you to all those who supported our campaign, and

Luring, sex crime alleged at local store

A store employee reportedly admitted to having fondled and kissed the breasts of an underage girl in the back of Krauszerʼs Food Store on Park Avenue after giving her THC pens on Jan. 6.

Police Chief Joseph Madden announced Sharath K. Reddyʼs arrest, saying the suspect, age 27 from New Milford, was charged with luring a minor, criminal sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child.

Arrest reports indicate Reddy didnʼt know the girl or her female friend whoʼd entered the Park Avenue convenience store around 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6.

After locking the front door, Reddy led them to “an isolated area” in the back of the store, an investigator wrote in a criminal

complaint on file in Superior Court in Hackensack.

“A subsequent interview was conducted with the defendant where he admitted to fondling and kissing the breasts of the underage victim,” the investigator said.

Reddy also “tried to solicit both juvenile victims to perform sexual acts,”Park Ridge Police Capt. Joseph Rampolla said.

An alert patron called in a suspicious occurrence after finding the door to the store locked during open hours, and being waved off by the clerk.

Park Ridge Police officers arrived on scene and met two juveniles who had just exited. The Park Ridge Police Detective Bureau was alerted and took over the investigation.

Reddy was transported to the Bergen County Jail. As the investigation continues, police say, more charges might be filed.

Madden asks any members of the public with additional information to please contact Detective Sergeant Gerald Powers at (201) 391-5401 ext. 5235 or gpowers@ParkRidgePolice.com

Madden emphasizes that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

especially to the voters who placed their confidence in both of us. We thank Rob Metzdorf and Kelly Epstein for their service to the town, their warm greeting, and their offering of help in transition as we take our seats as new council members,” said Hoffman.

He said, “It has been an exciting few months meeting with the community and hearing some of the concerns of our neighbors. Now the real work begins. We are excited to work with Mayor Keith Misciagna and the rest of the council, as well as with all town employees and volunteers. It requires a great collective effort to make Park Ridge the great town that it is. We promise to do our part to always fight for the town's best interests and to put Park Ridge first.”

Misciagna delivered his 2023 address then administered oaths to officers in the volunteer fire department, police reserves, and borough officials, including borough historian.

We have asked Misciagna for details about his address and are waiting to hear back.

Other mayoral appointments made included school traffic guards, Board of Health, Board

of Public Works, Library Board, Local Assistance Board, Municipal Swim Pool Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, and Planning Board.

N umerous mayoral appointments were made to volu nteer committees such as PKRG cable TV, DARE, Municipal Alliance, Historical Advisory, Train Station Preservation, Recreation & Cultural, Diversity and Inclusion, Shade Tree/Garden Club, Open Space, Technology, Green Team, Economic Development, Mayorʼs Wellness, Hall Of Fame, and Mayorʼs Housing Task Force.

The mayor announced appointments to nine standing committees and 29 council liaisons to local boards and committees.

I n the Nov. 8 election, incumbent Democrats narrowly lost in Park Ridge, as the winn ing Republicans topped incumbent Democrats Robert Metzdorf and Kelly Epstein.

Hoffmanʼs 1,995 votes (25.95%) and Goldsmithʼs 1,944 votes (25.24%) beat back Metzdorfʼs 1,919 votes (24.91%) and Epsteinʼs 1,840 votes (23.89%).

REDDY

Health,Wellness &FitnessGuide

THE SAVVY SENIOR: Simple home safety solutions for aging in place

Dear Savvy Senior, Falls and fires are the two things I worry most about for my elderly father who lives alone. Do you have any suggestions on what we can do to help keep him safe, and keep an eye on him from afar?

your dadʼs throw rugs which are common tripping hazards or use carpet tacks or double-sided tape to secure them. You may also need to adjust your dadʼs furniture so there are clear pathways to walk through and position any electrical or phone cords along walls and out of the way.

the bathroom and in the hallways that light up when the sun goes down. And mount some motion sensor lights outside the front and back doors and in the driveway that automatically come on when he comes and goes after dark.

BY JIMMILLER

Concerned Daughter

Dear Concerned,

Of course! There are a number of small adjustments and modifications you can make to your dadʼs home to help protect him from falls and fires, both of which cause thousands of injuries and deaths each year. Here are some tips to get you started.

• Eliminate trip hazards: Since falls are the leading cause of home injury among seniors, a good place to start is to pack away

For hardwood steps, consider attaching a nonslip tread to each one to provide traction and help him see the edge. And for added protection in the bathroom buy some nonskid rugs for the floors and use adhesive nonslip treads or a mat with rubber suction inside his tub or shower stall.

• Improve the lighting: Good lighting is essential for safe aging-in-place, so check the wattage ratings on your dadʼs lamps and light fixtures, and install the brightest bulbs allowed, and add supplementary lighting if necessary.

You should also purchase some dusk to dawn nightlights for

Club News?

Let us help promote your club or organization. Send all news to pascackpress@thepressgroup.net or mail to: Pascack Press, P.O. Box 335, Westwood, NJ 07675

• Get grab bars: These can significantly reduce his risk of bathroom falls. Install them where he enters the shower or tub and on a wall inside the stall, but donʼt use grab bars that attach with suction. Instead, have wall-mounted bars put in by someone who can affix them to the wall studs. Itʼs also best to choose bars whose surfaces are slightly textured and easier to grip.

• Ensure railings are stable: Wherever he has steps – stairways, entryways or basements – he needs sturdy railings. Ideally, they should be on both sides of the steps.

• Prevent cooking fires:

WESTWOOD

There are several affordable products you can purchase to help your dad prevent home cooking fires like BurnerAlert discs that attach to a stoveʼs knob and will continuously blink or beep after the stove has been in use for a preset amount of time, and Ome smart knobs that can control a stoveʼs heating settings from an app. Or you can invest in a more expensive iGuardStove sensor that shuts the stove off when it doesnʼt detect motion for five minutes.

• Install smoke alarms: Install a smart smoke alarm in your dadʼs house (buy one for each floor) that will alert him when smoke or carbon monoxide is detected. These smart devices will also send alerts to your phone to let you know when a problem is detected. Google Nest and First Alert both smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

• Add fire extinguishers: Get

portable multipurpose fire extinguishers for each level of your dadʼs house and in the garage.

• Consider a medical alert: To ensure your dadʼs safety and provide you some peace of mind, consider getting him a medical alert device that comes with a wearable SOS button that would allow him to call for help if he were to fall or need assistance.

For more tips, get a copy of AARPʼs “HomeFit Guide” (see AARP.org/HomeFit), which has more than 100 aging-in-place suggestions that can help make your dadʼs home safer and easier to live in.

Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior,P.O.Box 5443, Norman,OK 73070,or visit SavvySenior.org.Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior”book.

St. Andrew’s 50+Club meets Feb. 1

St. Andrewʼs 50+ Club invites you to join for a presentation on elder law and estate planning at its next meeting, Wednes-

day, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. in the gym. Dues for the new year — $13 — will be collected. New members are always welcome. Cake and

coffee will be served. Please bring an item/donation for the food pantry. For more information call Elaine at (201) 664-7037.

DR. KAPLAN: Boost Your Brain Power Seminar Series

and the recording will also be available to purchase, as well.

The other seminars are on Feb. 22, March 22, April 26, May 24, June 28, and July 26. Clear your calendar because there will be a lot of information covered in all of the seminars.

does not get stimulated enough when you are a creature of habit. You need to switch it up and perform novel exercises that you have never done before.

DR. ERIC KAPLAN, KAPLAN BRAIN & BODY

I am very excited to announce that I will be leading a Boost Your Brain Power Seminar Series. The series consists of seven modules. The first module of the Boost Your Brain Power Seminar Series is titled Memory and Focus. This will cover natural and holistic ways to improve memory and focus. My passion is to help people improve their health and well-being without the use of medications or risky surgeries.

The good news is that your memory can improve as you get older. I will review the 17 most important ways to improve memory and focus. This will include the proper foods to eat, the appropriate exercises to do, how much water to drink, which chemicals to avoid, which heavy metals you may be exposed to, the effects of a past history of trauma, stress, which breathing exercises to perform, and many other easy and simple life changes you can make to improve your memory and focus.

Do not wait until your memory gets bad to start working on it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you or your child have difficulty with focus, you do not necessarily need to take medications, but you can use a process called neuroplasticity to rewire the brain, make it stronger, reduce distractions, help with keeping attention, and improve memory as well. If you put in the effort, you can get the results.

If you attend this seminar series, you will learn all the appropriate things to do to function better, feel better, and live better.

The first seminar is on Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at 770 Kinderkamack Road in River Edge. If you are not local, or are unavailable at that time, you can choose to take the seminar series via Zoom (virtual seminar)

The second module is about depression and anxiety. I will review all the best natural ways to reduce stress, get out of a depression, eliminate anxiety, and improve mood. For example, drawing the infinity symbol with your arm for 30 seconds three times a day will actually help reduce anxiety.

The third module covers sleep and energy. These are directly related. If you sleep better, your energy will improve. If you wake up groggy and need a cup of coffee to get you going, this is the seminar for you. I will teach you about circadian rhythms and how to naturally boost melatonin at nighttime. We will talk about how to decrease cortisol, the stress hormone, so you can get a deep sleep and will wake up feeling well rested and rejuvenated.

The fourth module is about reducing inflammation. Inflammation not only causes brain problems, but causes gut problems, skin problems, and has even been linked to heart disease and cancer, as well.

During this seminar you will learn all the stuff that causes inflammation and how to avoid them. In addition, you will learn how to increase all the things that reduce inflammation so you can feel and function better.

For example, I will teach you about resveratrol, the best natural anti-inflammatory. This can be found in Japanese knotweed and the skin of the red grapes. Not only is resveratrol an anti-inflammatory, but it is also anti-aging.

The fifth module is called Mastering Nutrition. You will finally learn how to eat healthy. This is not a specific diet, but a lifestyle change that gets you to function at optimal levels. Eating the most valuable and nutritious food is an important health category to master.

For example, draw a clockwise circle with your leg and draw the number 6 with your hand at the same time. Your leg might want to start going counterclockwise so make sure you keep going clockwise.

The last seminar is the Boost Your Brain Power Boot Camp. During this module, we will review the previous six modules, plus come up with strategies to continue to improve your brain function and your quality of life.

This is the seminar that will put everything together so you can continue to improve your brain function and overall health.

I am not the doctor that prescribes medicine to cover up symptoms. I am the doctor that teaches you how to help yourself.

If you help yourself, you will improve your health and wellbeing, and you will not need to take medicine with side effects or be pressured to have dangerous surgeries.

Do not wait until you suffer from symptoms or until you get a diagnosis to start working on your health. The time is now.

This Boost Your Brain Power Seminar Series will give you the kick in the butt and the motivation to finally start taking control of your health. Each of the modules costs $100. This includes the seminar, the question and answer session, a copy of my book “Boost Your Brain Power: A guide to improving your memory and focus,” a variety of healthy food and drinks, a therapeutic massage, an infrared laser treatment, and many more giveaways.

You can also participate in the seminar series via Zoom if you are not local or not able to make it live

in person. Lastly, you can purchase the recording of the seminar if you participate live or over Zoom. If this sounds interesting to you, you can sign up for all seven modules of the Boost Your Brain Power Seminar Series.

As a gift to my loyal readers of this column, you can attend all seven modules (a total cost of $700) for only $49. That works out to only $7 a module and includes all of those free bonuses, as well!

This offer is only valid to the first 17 people that sign up. All you have to do is text or call 646221-6738, or email info@kaplanbrainandbody.com and say that you read my article and you want to sign up for the complete seminar series for only $49.

You can only get the discount if you sign up before January 21st so contact us immediately.

fun Jan. 18

The River Vale Seniors will meet on Jan. 18. Fun gettingacquainted social games are planned, with small prizes to be given out to the winning tables. Yearly membership dues of $15 are payable at this time. New members are also welcomed. The club meets every third Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. For more information, call Hilda at (201) 265-5257.

If you improve your diet and nutrition, you will improve your brain function, your digestion, your mood, your immune system, and your energy, as well as reducing risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or obesity.

We are going to review how to avoid, prevent, and reverse diabetes through the proper nutrition protocol, in addition to explaining the specific daily habits that have been proven with research to bring those diabetes numbers down.

The sixth module is about practicing new brain exercises. One of the top three ways to avoid dementia and Alzheimerʼs disease is to do new activities. The brain

COMMUNITY CALENDAR : ATTHELIBRARY

HEREʼS AROUNDUP of some of what our libraries are offering patrons in the next days and weeks. Thanks to Pascack Press interns Ashley and Christian for the web research! Visit your library online or in person to get all the facts —and have fun getting involved!

E EMMEERRSSOON N

20 Palisade Ave. (201) 261-5604

emersonlibrary.org

• Mondays in January at 1 and 3 p.m.: Knitters Circle afternoons. All levels of experience are welcome. Basic materials will be provided, or you can bring your own. Registration recommended, drop-in welcome.

• Tuesdays in January at 11 a.m.: Join us for an introduction to songs, dance and finger plays with stuffed animals and rhymes. Newborn to age 2. Open to all families. Registration required for each child per date. Join the waiting list if weʼre booked. Throughout January at 2 p.m.: Switch Club. Local grades 2–4 are welcome to play our Switch on the flatscreen television set or on their personal device. Registration required for each child per date. For ages 7–8, a parent/guardian is required to remain in the building for the duration of the game.

•Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 1 p.m.: Wednesday Movie Matinee, “The Good House.”

• Thursday, Jan. 19 at 3:30 p.m.: Afterschool Movie, “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.” Chill after school with a movie on the big screen. Individually packed snacks and refreshments provided. Open to all families. Registration recommended. Under 9, a parent/guardian is required to remain in the building for the duration of the film.

•Friday, Jan. 20 at 10:30 a.m.: Join Miss Shelley in this musical element from Every Little Thing Yoga. Songs both old and new, moving our bodies, and trying our hands at instruments like shaker eggs and jingle bells, all while exploring musicʼs elements and creativity. This is an active class, wonderful for kids 1–4. All abilities and capabilities are welcome. Open to all families. Registration is required for each child. Join the waiting list if weʼre booked.

• Saturday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m.: Join us as we Celebrate Winter with bagels, pastries and hot beverages served. Families of Emerson only. Registration required for each person attending. Join the waiting

list if weʼre booked.

H HIILLLLSSDDAALLE E 509 Hillsdale Ave. (201) 358-5072 hfpl.org

• Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m.: Knitting with Ellen. Bring your own materials

• Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m.: Think It, Make It, Share It Balloon Sculpture: Weʼve got a supply of balloons, an air compressor, and vague instructions. What can you make? Makers under 9 must be accompanied by a guardian or older responsible sibling.

• Thursday, Jan. 19 at 10:30 a.m.: Estate Planning, Elder Issues: Park Ridge-based Carolyn J. Strassberg helps you with estate planning and other legal issues.

Attorney Strassberg grew up in River Vale.

M MOONNTTVVAALLE E

12 Mercedes Drive, Suite 100 (201) 391-5090 montvalelibrarynj.org

• Adult Book Club meets the first Monday of the month at 10:30 a.m. or the second Monday of the month at noon. Call George Galuschak at (201) 391-5090 or write george.galuschak@montvale.bccls.org and provide your name, telephone number, and BCCLS Library barcode number.

•Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m.: Come join us for a half-hour Virtual Chair Yoga class taught by certified instructor Shelley Sontag. A Zoom link will be emailed to all participants the day before the event.

• Thursday, Jan. 19 & 26 at 10:30 a.m.: Interactive Yoga! Bozza Yoga is back to guide children 18 months to 4 years — and their grown-ups — through creative yoga poses and movements that help little onesʼhand-eye coordination and motor skills. A second class will be held on Jan. 26. Registration required for both classes.

• Thursdays in January at 6:30 p.m.: ChessWired teaches chess basics and strategies. Come to one or all, but register for each. At 7 p.m.: Get Organized (Zoom): Keep that New Yearʼs resolution. Join organizing guru Jamie Novak as she shares her January Jumpstart 10-day challenge. Get your 10 tiny tidy-up assignments and sheʼll guide you, live, through your first mini-task. A Zoom link will be sent on the day of the program.

P PAARRK K R RIIDDGGE E 51 Park Ave. (201) 391-5151 parkridge.bccls.org

• Mondays in January at 11:30 a.m.: Yoga. All levels welcome. Please register with payment at the library.

• Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m.: Story Time with Miss Renee.

• Thursday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m.: Story Time with Miss Renee.

•Friday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m.: Virtual Crafts with Miss Renee. Pick up a craft bag at the library. Fridays in January at 10:30 a.m.: Mahjong: All are welcome, no registration required.

•Saturday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m.: Virtual Story Time with Miss Eileen

R RIIVVEER R V VAALLE E

412 Rivervale Road (201) 391-2323 rivervalelibrary.org

• Wednesdays in January at 10 a.m.: Winter Storytime: For ages 2–5. Great stories with fun songs and coloring. Wednesdays at 1 p.m.: Alphabet Storytime: For ages 3–5. Hear great stories and enjoy fun songs while learning about a letter of the alphabet. Includes a themed craft. Wednesday, Jan.18 at 4 p.m.: Lego Challenge Club: New Yearʼs Resolution: What do you want to do in 2023? Build a scene of yourself doing that.

•January Thursdays at 1:30 p.m.: Chair Yoga: Seats are first come, first served. Doors open 15 minutes prior to scheduled class time. River Vale residents receive priority.

•Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 5 p.m.: Mah Jongg Club: Bring friends or come alone and find new partners. Experienced adult players only. Drop in with your 2022 Mah Jongg card and your own Mah Jongg tiles if possible.

• Thursday, Jan. 19 at 4 p.m.: Lunar New Year Party: Lunar New Year marks the start of a new year on the Lunisolar and solar calendar. Jan. 22 starts the celebrated Year of the Rabbit. Weʼll read a Lunar New Year story, play a game, and tackle a related fun

PASCACK VALLEY

craft.

144 Woodfield Road (201) 664-4586 twpofwashingtonpl.org

• Annual Bookmark Contest Monday, Jan. 16 to Monday, Feb. 13. Pick up an entry form at the library or print one at home. A winning entry will be chosen from each grade and made into a bookmark and made available at the Library. There will also be a prize for winning entries. Winners will be invited to bring friends and family to a special ceremony on March 1 at 6:30 p.m.

• Winter Story Times begin. Please register. Tuesdays: Story Time ages 2–3 at 10 a.m. Song, m ovement, stories. Thursdays: Pre-K Story Time at 3:45 p.m. Ages 3–5. Music, movement, stories, social growth, and early literacy. Fridays: Infant through 2 years at 10 a.m. Stories, song, and rhymes plus social playtime.

• Tuesday, Jan. 17: Mat Yoga at 5:30 p.m. Open to all levels of practice. Bring your own mat and any props you may need, such as blocks, straps, and bolster blankets. $5 per class. Drop in.

•Wednesday, Jan. 18: Wholesome Hearts Nature Class at 4 p.m. Hands-on, natural learning in a beautiful, fun and developmentally appropriate way. This first session will be about winter. Dress for some outdoor time. Please register.

•Thursday, Jan. 19: Bath Salt Craft. Virtual, grades K–5. Pick up a kit ahead of time and Miss Marie will show you how to make a relaxing bathtime surprise. Please register.

•Wednesday, Jan. 18: Zoom Lessons 2 to 4 p.m. In preparation for virtual meetings throughout the winter, learn how to use Zoom to attend lectures, programs, and virtual Township committee meetings. Call or visit our website to register

•Thursday, Jan. 19: Chair Yoga at 11 a.m. and noon. Please register. Monthly Teen Craft Pick-Up: Registered participants

will receive an email to pick up their bookmark kits. Anyone can watch along with the craft video, which is conveniently available on our website and social media.

• Friday, Jan. 20: Coloring & Crafting at 1 p.m. Calling all coloring fans, stitche rs, knitters, crocheters, and m ore: Craft and chat with friends! Refreshments and coloring supplies will be provided, or you can bring your own project to work on.

•Saturday, Jan. 21: Afternoon Tea Bingo at 2. Celebrate National Tea Month this January. Enjoy tea and snacks while playing bingo for prizes! Please register.

W WEESSTTWWOOOOD D

49 Park Ave. (201) 664-0583

westwoodpubliclibrary.org

• Wednesdays in January, 10:30 to 11 a.m.: Peek-a-Book Story Time helps your child get to know sounds, words and language and develop early literacy skills.

•Fridays in January at 11 a.m. Knitting & Crocheting Club: Gather with friends old and new to work on knitting and crocheting projects. Bring your own supplies. All skill levels are welcome. Light refreshments served.

•Thursday, Jan. 19 at 1 p.m. Movie Matinee: “The Banshees of Inisherin.”

•Friday, Jan. 20 & 27 at 10:30 a.m.: Sensory Story Time: Toddlers enjoy this interactive and stimulating class with experienced educator and theater performer Michele Traina.

•Mondays, Jan. 23–Feb. 23 from 4:05 to 4:25 p.m.: Book Buddies: Practice reading Easy Reader books with a Junior Library Council teen volunteer.

•Wednesdays in January at 10:30 a.m. Peek-a-Book: Story Time. Sounds, words, and language, and those all-important early literacy skills.

Historian on Yiddish theater in America

Entertainment

John Kenrick

to JCCNNJʼs Active Seniors

Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. to lecture on “Yiddish Theater in America: Laden with Happiness and Tears.”

Jews took no part in world theatre until the Yiddish movement (born in Eastern Europe) caught fire among immigrants in the United States. With rare photos, performance videos and fascinating backstage stories, historian

Kenrick returns to the JCC to offer a warm and entertaining celebration of a rich legacy that

still reverberates in every corner of show business today. All are welcome. A suggested donation of $5 includes catered kosher lunch. To register, call (201) 666-6610 ext. 2.

Active Seniors at the JCC of Northern NJ are looking forward to a full calendar of events this year. Now settled in their home at Temple Avodat Shalom, 385 Howland Ave. River Edge, the program continues to grow, wel-

coming both new participants and new programming. Attracting adults aged 60+ from many area towns including Mahwah, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Hackensack and more, the Active Seniors are a vibrant, vital part of the JCCNNJ.

The core of all programming centers around creating opportunities for connection — with staff, volunteers, and especially each other Through the consistency and variety of activities offered each Tuesday and Thursday these valued members of our community continue to grow in camaraderie, spirit and participation.

T TOOWWNNSSHHIIP P O OF F W WAASSHHIINNGGTTOON N

KENRICK

Page turns: Michael Olohan looks to the future

FROM PAGE 7

acre tract at 127 Summit Avenue for $4.5 million, previously proposed for up to 170 units of “active-adult” senior housing by Waypoint Residential Services.

Another story that briefly dominated headlines in February/March 2022 involved the mayorʼs cancellation of an appearance by award-winning filmmaker, Timothy Ware-Hill, who was scheduled to read a childrenʼs book as part of Black History Month festivities.

Park Ridge

In May, we reported that some residents at The James, a 240-unit luxury mixed-use apartment complex on Kinderkamack Road, had received new rental leases with up to 24% annual increases, approximately $7,000 to $9,000 annually.

The James was named in honor of Park Ridge native and actor James Gandolfini.

Mayor Keith Misciagna went to bat for the beleaguered renters, whose one- and two-year leases were up for renewal, urging the owners and management company to reconsider the increases in light of the tenantsʼ commitment to living in Park Ridge. In January, Misciagna told us that The James had full occupancy of its 240 units.

The complex is named for Park Ridge native James Gandolfini, late award-winning star of “The Sopranos.” The landlord, Claremont Development, is also part of the team developing the proposed 255-unit Hillsdale luxury apartment complex in the Patterson Street redevelopment zone.

River Vale

In July the council hired a consultant, Epic Management Inc. of Piscataway, to handle construction management services on a $378,000, 20-month contract for the long-awaited $13.3 million Public Safety Complex. Bid specs for the new complex were due out in fall 2022, with construction estimated to take 18–20 months, possibly finishing by late 2024. Based on recent reports, it appears bid specs will go out in early 2023.

We reported in June how deer–vehicle collisions were up 20% in 2021 from 2020. Most deerand animal-control experts advise residents to co-exist with deer, to drive defensively, and use deer exclusion devices (such as 8-foothigh fencing), and controlled hunting, where permissible.

While Pascack Valley mayors advocate for a regional approach, no agency is focused on regional deer population control. (See “Hot spots on deer strikes as numbers up,” Pascack Press, June 6, 2022.)

Township of Washington

The townshipʼs purchase of a 6.1-acre former swim club for recreation; an unsuccessful effort to site a new DPW facility near residential homes at 95 Linwood Ave. (the former Charlie Brownʼs property); and the start of long-needed improvements to the Pascack-

Washington intersection all filled Page One stories in 2022.

Moreover, efforts continue (since summer 2021) to purchase 450 Pascack Road, a 3.2-acre mostly wooded property via negotiation or condemnation for possible uses as a parking lot, space for field or school expansion, affordable housing, or possible preservation.

Recently, a proposed 17,000square-foot retail complex, 4 Seasons Marketplace, comprising two buildings and up to 11 retail stores, has dominated township news.

Westwood

Headlines have been made by Mayor Ray Arroyo who has advocated for flood mitigation and urged fellow mayors and residents to speak up on proposed state legislation to lower Woodcliff Lake Reservoir levels to 91 feet (above sea level) versus the current 95 feet. Arroyo wrote several articles and continues to press for legislative passage.

Other big stories included the opening of Pascack Valleyʼs first brewpub, Five Dimes Brewery in late April by Chris Alepa in the former L.N. Grand five and dime.

In late August, we reported the reassignment of St. Andrew Parish former pastor Rev. Andrew Weiner, accused of sexual misconduct two decades ago, to a Catholic resource ministry in Newark where personnel also deal with pregnant, postabortion and sexual abuse victims.

Woodcliff Lake

A long-awaited Galaxy Gardens Park — the site was purchased for $1.65 million in early 2018 and required nearly $400,000 to remediate contaminated soil — was unveiled in June by council and DMR Architects and likely goes out to bid soon, The passive recreation park will be built at the corner of Werimus Road and Woodcliff Avenue.

In October, we reported the new parkʼs cost had dropped to $2.9 million from $3.5 million. Residents approved a public question Nov. 8 that also allows local Open Space funds to pay down bond interest payments and reduce local tax impacts.

Another front-page news story in December was agreements between the borough and 188 Broadway LP, the borough and Fair Share Housing Center and the borough and Bergen County United Way to settle litigation over the Zoning Boardʼs denial of two prior applications by 188 Broadway LP to build rental apartment complexes of 60- and 53-rental units, respectively.

The borough agreed to allow 37 rental apartments in the building at 188 Broadway, which will be renovated, and nine townhouses behind it. The borough also agreed to build eight affordable units originally required at 188 Broadway at a borough-owned site on North Broadway, going from 16 to 24 affordable units.

A Personal Note

In September 2022 I marked

five years of reporting for Pascack Press/Northern Valley Press Prior, I worked at Suburban News, a NorthJersey media publication, for four years.

In 2017 I started full-time for Northern Valley Press, our sister newspaper that covers 14 towns, now monthly.

In March 2020, when that newspaper suspended operations amid the pandemic, I moved fulltime to Pascack Press

Local news coverage is the lifeblood of a community, and Pascack Valley residents are blessed to have a weekly newspaper (and Pascack Press online) covering the eight Pascack Valley towns for the last 25 years. Pascack Press cele-

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

brated its anniversary (1997–2022) on April 11, 2022.

All across America, local weeklies are disappearing due to economic shifts as readers and advertisers go online, news coverage shrinks, and those communities donʼt know whatʼs happening in local governments, schools, and their own backyards.

We appreciate our readers and advertisers in Pascack Valley and look forward to serving you for many years to come. Please keep on reading, advertising, and letting us know your opinions. This is your newspaper, and we hope you look forward to seeing it every week.

Editorʼs note: These were Michael Olohanʼs highlights, gath-

ered by a reporter almost singlehandedly covering the Pascack Valley, official meeting to official meeting, to inform and empower you. But weʼve covered so much more, from the milestones and news tips you sent in to the items that we found in the wild and were so excited to bring our families, friends, and neighbors.

Which Pascack Press news stories and features surprised and moved you in 2022? Which areas of life, work, and play in the Pascack Valley do you believe are underreported? Whatʼs new?

We accept signed letters to the editor on local timely topics at pascackpress@thepressgroup.net Please keep in touch.

SCOUTS GET IT DONE

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

CUB SCOUT PACK 228 in Washington Township organized a collection to decorate the New Jersey Veterans Home at Paramus with festive poinsettias. Thanks to the generosity of all

who pitched in, the scouts were able to deliver 208 plants Saturday, Dec. 11, 2022.

The homeʼs mission statement is “To honor and serve the military veteran, their spouses, and Gold Star Parents by consistently providing the highest quali-

ty of resident directed long term care by maintaining excellence in personal services and treatment through professional collaboration, innovation and dedication in a setting that promotes dignity and independence.”

Via Julie Rivera

l icenses.”

“This has been a longsought reform, and we have been anticipating details since Governor Murphy discussed the need for reform at the DelegatesʼLuncheon at the League Conference this past November” said League Executive Director Michael F. Cerra. “The initial proposal, with the phasing out of the population cap and the ability for municipal-

ities to generate needed revenue, are steps in the right direction.”

The League applauds the Governorʼs remarks to combat the opioid epidemic and municipalities across the state, along with the Leagueʼs Opioid Task Force, looks forward to partnering with the state to help eliminate the epidemic.

Lastly, as most of New Jerseyʼs municipalities are in the middle of crafting their 2023 budget, those that participate in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) still have no

agreement on additional state revenue to reduce the crushing 22% i ncrease facing municipalities that participate in the SHBP. While conversations are ongoing, this issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible to minimize budgetary and revenue issues.

Follow the League on Twitter and Facebook at twitter.com/NJ_League and facebook.com/njleague Michael F. Cerra Executive Director

New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Trenton

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

We are honored, truly

To the editor: THE BOARDOF DIRECTORS of Helping Hand Food Pantry thanks the Pascack Press for the support and promotion of the food pantry.

The articles that appear in the Pascack Press during and after our annual turkey drive are the driving force that makes the event a huge

success year after year.

It is so important to inform your readers that there is assistance in our community if they are in need. Your articles that give the history and background of the food pantry make it easier for the residents to come and receive the help they surely need. We truly appreciate our partnership.

Have a great 2023!

Warm regards,

The Woodcliff Lake Public School District is accepting applications for the Integrated Preschool for September 2023. The preschool will be conducted for 2 1⁄ 2 hours daily, five days a week, with both morning and afternoon sessions.

The Integrated Preschool program incorporates the education of special education children with that of general education children offering a quality early childhood program.

Typical peers will be selected into the program through a lottery.

Letters of request will be accepted until Feb. 10, 2023. Send letters of request to the Special Services office at 100 Dorchester Road, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677, or fax to (201) 391-0508.

To be eligible, children must be 3 years of age on or before Oct. 1, 2023. A lottery will be held the week of Feb. 20, 2023. You will be notified following the lottery if your child was selected for the program.

For more information call Jessica Ballester at (201) 9305600 ext. 113 .

K of C wine-taste fundraiser Feb. 4

Knights of Columbus Mother Seton Council #5427 is hosting its 12th Annual Wine Tasting Fundraiser at Seasons Catering, Pascack Road and Washington Avenue on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 7 to 11:30 p.m., to celebrate Valentineʼs Day.

The evening features a cocktail hour from 7 to 8 with butlerpassed hors dʼoeuvres, buffet dinner from 8 to 10 featuring carving and pasta stations, and hot specialties and unique wines. The full open bar is for the entire evening. There will also be a DJ providing dance music.

This yearʼs charity focus is on:

•The Picinic family;

• (ALS) - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and veteran suicide prevention;

• New Hope Home for Unwed Mothers, Township of Washington;

• Knights of Columbus Charities, Mother Seton Council #5427; and

• Our Lady of Good Counsel Church.

Tickets are $140 per person and can be purchased at the Knights of Columbus, Township of Washington. Tricky Tray packets are $40 for 25 tickets and one grand prize ticket. Additional 25ticket packets are $20 each. These may be purchased at Council.

The committee is asking for donations of gifts that can be used in the various auctions that will be held that night. For cash donations, make checks payable to the Knights of Columbus and mail to

79 Pascack Road, Township of Washington, NJ 07676.

Gifts can be left at the Council from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekdays and all day Saturdays. For more information, call John Pimpinella at (973) 670-9482.

Applications for membership in the Knights of Columbus are welcome from qualified individuals. For more information call (201) 664-0422 or visit kofc5427.com

Helping Hand Food Pantry Board of Directors Hillsdale

District: State would pay more toward middle school

FROM PAGE 1

Department of Education, which was received in late December.

Lombardy said the districtʼs R oad To Referendum website was updated on its frequently asked questions (FAQ) page and “Process” page to offer residents comprehensive information on the bond vote.

He said residents who have questions on the referendum can a lso email them to r eferendum@hillsdaleschools.com for answers.

Lombardy said the district had plans to send out a referendum mailing piece to approximately 3,500 residences next week to highlight the upcoming middle school replacement ballot.

He noted the process leading up to the vote has occurred over a four-year timeline, with public input and evaluation of options including renovation.

While lower cost renovation options were available and considered, the Board of Education voted unanimously last June to move ahead with a full middle school replacement.

Trustees noted replacement was needed due to the school being 100 years old and having major structural and physical deterioration and defects.

Moreover, trustees noted any renovation option would need to

relocate middle school students into trailers for up to two years, at a cost of nearly $4 million.

In a note to Hillsdale families, Lombardy wrote, “2023 will be significant as the Hillsdale Public Schools embark upon a b ond proposal to replace the aging middle school with a new, state-of-the-art learning complex. That leap forward would include appropriately sized classrooms, dedicated space for the arts and STEM instruction, a properly sized gymnasium, a new synthetic turf field, and plenty of space for student and community use. Importantly, a new school would have efficient and reliable building systems and it would meet modern security standards,” said the superintendent.

If voters approve the bond referendum, a new middle school would be constructed across the street from the existing middle school, with plans to open in September 2026.

Moreover, a new synthetic multi-use turf field would be built on the site of the old school, likely to open a year later, said school officials.

Lombardy said residents can ask questions and get more information about the referendum by visiting the Road To Referendum website and at two upcoming public information sessions.

On Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. a virtual forum on the refer-

endum will be held to answer public questions.

On Saturday, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. the public is invited to walk through George G. White, hear about the replacement plans and ask questions.

The Road To Referendum i ncludes a section on voting information with details on regis-

PASCACK VALLEY

tering, deadlines, and requesting a mail-in ballot.

Tuesday, Feb. 21 is the voter registration deadline. March 7 is the deadline for Bergen County Clerkʼs Office to receive your mailed request for a mail-in ballot; March 13, 3 p.m. is the late date for an in-person request to the County Clerk for a vote-by-

mail ballot.

Election officials note mailin ballots cannot be turned in at polling places. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, March 14, or if submitted inperson, hand-delivered to the County Clerkʼs Office, 1 Bergen C ounty Plaza, Hackensack, before 8 p.m. on March 14.

WHS alum joins ownership group

Anna Lui has become a principal at Modera Wealth Management LLC as of this January. In addition to being a principal, Anna is the senior marketing manager, responsible for external firm communications and supporting growth initiatives. She has worked at the Westwood-based firm since 2013.

Anna graduated from Westwood Regional Junior and Senior High School in 1996 and Johns Hopkins University in 2000.

She worked in New York City from 2000-2013 prior to returning to her native hometown to work at Modera and to be closer to family.

Moderaʼs offices on Jefferson Avenue, facing the Community Center building, which Anna visited regularly in her youth when it was the Westwood Borough Hall.

In 2015, Anna served as pres-

ident for the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce.

In 2016, she served on the executive board of the Paskack Junior Womenʼs Club as board secretary.

In addition to portfolio management, Modera provides clients with financial planning services, including retirement planning, design, and implementation, estate planning, income tax planning and risk analysis.

LUI

Since then, Annaʼs involvement in the community is primarily focused on her childrenʼs school district and Trinity Reformed Church of Old Tappan.

Anna resides in Old Tappan with her husband and two young children.

Modera provides fee-only, comprehensive wealth management for individuals, families, retirement plan sponsors and nonprofit institutions.

Modera has maintained a client-first commission-free philosophy since its inception in 1983 (Oradell) when its predecessor firm established itself as one of the countryʼs first fee-only advisory firms. Since then, Modera has grown its geographical footprint while adding depth and breadth to its advisory staff. Modera now has offices in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida, and serves clients in cities and states throughout the country.

WCL: Republican mayor, Democratic council start

FROM PAGE 10

clear that we will not tolerate criminality in our municipality. To address this issue, I organized a community meeting together with our police department to discuss our crime fighting efforts. We increased our patrols, we solidified our supervisory structure, we applied for grants for cameras and invested in crime prevention tools for our police. In Woodcliff Lake, we support and fund our police.”

He said the recent settlement with Fair Share Housing Center and 188 Broadway LP to build 24 units of affordable housing and settle lawsuits against the borough will bring “much-needed improvements to the Broadway corridor and the potential of thousands of tax dollars to our munic-

ipality.”

He said, “Some may say that we took a victory lap, and yes we did. Just look around what the s urrounding municipalities are building and compare it to our settlement of just 24 affordable housing and 46 market units. We succeeded in controlling overdevelopment.”

He said the borough passed an updated Master Plan that is a blueprint for development, and noted whoever is mayor in 2025 must continue to work with council to control overdevelopment.

He said to increase transparency with residents he will host a monthly coffee event at Whole Foods Market cafe. For those unable to attend, he said he would restart a FaceTime live Q&A session on Sundays after

Comfort: Center

FROM PAGE 4

tells Pascack Press in a statement, “In the early days, when the subject of mental health issues was hardly ever mentioned, the center remained what we fondly called it:the bestkept secret in Park Ridge. Now, with most communities being considered ʻstigma-free,ʼmental health issues are no longer forbidden topics and our inconspicuous metal door proudly has our name displayed over it.”

The Pascack Mental Health Center (the Center) is an independent, not-for-profit agency offering psychotherapy. Its skilled, compassionate clinicians have been trained in various disciplines and offer informed, collaborative, and highly

personalized treatments.

In celebration of its 50 years of service to the community, the PMHC was fortunate to be chosen as the charity beneficiary of For The Benefit Of Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization that “provides the foundation to structure a fundraising event and bring it from idea to fruition.”

Its mission is “to financially assist families with healthcare costs and educational needs and to support organizations that have a significant impact on the communities our families live in.”

This fundraising event was held on Oct. 23, 2022 and made what the Pascack Mental Health Center board called “a wonderful opportunity for attendees to learn

the meeting of the mayor and council.

Beautification in the works

“My next initiative is to continue our borough beautification program. This year I will engage our grant writers to aggressively seek funds for streetscape improvements along the Broadway corridor. I will engage New Jersey Transit and Veolia to enter a private/public partnership on improving the look of the west side of the Broadway corridor. We cannot stop what we started,” he said.

The mayor said he was eager to work with council president Jennifer Margolis and councilwoman Nicole Marsh to implement a recreation master plan to improve recreation areas and ath-

letic fields, in concert with local baseball and softball associations.

He said, “Finally, I thank you for giving me seven years as your mayor and I am looking forward to my eighth year. It is a pleasure representing you. Thank you and God bless Woodcliff Lake.”

Other reorganization notes

T he meeting featured appointments to 11 standing committees including Finance & A udits; DPW & Sanitation; Police Department; Fire Department; Parks and Recreation; Shade Tree Committee; Legal; Board of Health; Seniors; Schools (K-8); and Schools (High School).

Also, the meeting featured 17 annual professional appointments including Borough Attorney

(John Schettino); Borough Engineer (Neglia Engineering); Borough Auditor (Lerch Vinci & Bliss, LLP); Labor Attorney Wiss & Bouregy, PC; Bond Attorney Rogut McCarthy LLC; and Borough Planner Phillips Preiss Grygiel Leheny Hughes.

Other professionals appointed for one-year terms included Redevelopment Attorney Cullen & Dykman, Jeff Zenn, Esq.; Grant Writer Millennium Strategies, LLC; and Landscape Architect DMR Architects.

During the meeting, Rendo made 19 appointments and designations to municipal offices, plus five Planning Board members and three Zoning Board members, according to the meetingʼs agenda.

more about the center ”

Dougherty said, “Somebody once referred to the center as “The little agency that could.ʼWell, we could, we can, and we will.”

As the Pascack Mental Health

Center is solely supported by fees and the generosity of a concerned community, donations are gratefully accepted and are tax-deductible. Checks may be made out to PMHC and sent to PO Box 126, Park

Ridge, NJ 07656.

For more donation options and for more information about Pascack Mental Health Center, call (201) 391-1355 or visit pascackmentalhealthcenter.com

Pascack Mental Health Center’s Board of Trustees,from left to right:secretary Ron von Autenried,assistant treasurer Shaji Procida,executive director Jorge Becerra,Lauretta Miller,president Jonelle von Autenried,Sharry Friedberg, vice president Diane Dougherty, treasurer Gene Vinci, and Richard Beattie Not pictured: Karen Bonnell.

Township: Morgan, Calamari disagree on 450 buy

FROM

township?”

Morgan added, “I understand residents want to keep green space in their immediate area, however we have to look at this as it is: Thereʼs a resident selling his home, and we, the town, should not be strong-armed into buying it. Are we going to do that for every prime location?”

In his report, Calamari urged residents to “express their support to the council for the purchase of the property as was shown during the acquisition of the swim club property.”

In summer 2021, the Township Council ordered an appraisal of 450 Pascack Road, and following a valuation of $430,000 on the property, the council bid $430,000

under threat of condemnation.

Pascack Press recently was told that no condemnation filing had occurred, though Township Attorney Ken Poller previously said he believed the township had “more than enough” justification to condemn. Property negotiations are confidential and few details are made public.

Calamari said, “Like the swim club property, this is something that will benefit the residents of the township for many generations to come.”

Calamari asserted that should the property be developed, property taxes on a site potentially valued at $1 million would be slightly over $22,000 yearly and the municipal share just over $5,000.

He told Pascack Press that for Resolution 22-213, toward apply-

ing for almost $439,000 in county Open Space grant funds for the club purchase, council reviewed the Bergen County Open Space Policy and Procedures Manual and the Open Space application, which sets restrictions on how the funds can be used.

It was unclear why the mayor pushed for funds for 450 Pascack Road, although he had previously advocated for acquisition, including during 2021ʼs mayoral contest and at frequent council sessions.

(See “Calamari explains interest in two key properties,” Michael Olohan, April 19, 2021). Pascack Press has covered the propertyʼs marketing and the township efforts to purchase the property.

At a November council meeting, some residents questioned council members about rumors on use of the 450 Pascack Road site for affordable housing. (See “450 Pascack Road, swim club grant, and an alleged closed-session leak,” Nov. 21, 2022, Pascack Press).

Most members declined to address the rumors. However, members authorized Poller to probe the source of the release of closed-session information.

Calamari previously recommended to council that it “repurpose” the grant funding awarded for the club acquisition in favor of purchasing 450 Pascack Road. The council has not yet decided if it will accept the funds.

That indecision has seemed to frustrate Calamari, who asked that the Open Space funds be repurposed to purchase 450 Pascack. A decision is likely by mid- or lateFebruary, officials said.

Public Comment

On Jan. 3, Laura Sinclair of Ridgewood Boulevard East wanted to poll the council on whether each was in favor of acquiring 450 Pascack. Poller said polling council members was “not really appropriate” or most meetings would have residents polling members.

Poller said council members could give their “general position” on an issue without disclosing closed-session discussions.

She said from prior statements it was “pretty clear who was not in favor” of purchasing 450 Pascack and then asked Sears for his opinion. He declined but said he looked at the property nearly three years ago at the request of Sobkowicz.

Sinclair said she knew “how important trees” were to Sears, a Green Team member. The group recently conducted a townwide tree inventory.

Resident Tommy Snee said that taking a straw poll of council was “just basic transparency” and told Poller they would “have to agree to disagree” on whether straw polls could be used.

Poller cited the councilʼs change of course on locating the DPW facility at 95 Linwood Ave. as one example where the council had one position, got public input, and then changed direction.

“I like transparency but it gets to the point of not that productive, itʼs just what I want to say,” said Poller, who counsels members to never reveal closed session topics.

He added, “The issues are out there, very public, and people can react to them and they often do.”

Feeney said residents can always make their views heard to council by attending a public meeting, plus emailing and phoning members. She said her phone number is on the website.

Velez said she was in favor of purchasing more space and recreational fields, “anything that benefits our children and not go into the hands of developers.”

Antony Udina of Ridgewood Boulevard East said residents have been pushing for preservation of 450 Pascack Road. “Many have talked about it to preserve it and acquire it,” he said.

Udina said he wanted to make sure the council notified residents before voting on 450 Pascack Road, rather than come out of a closed meeting and take a public vote.

He said residents should be permitted to comment before any council vote on 450 Pascack Roadʼs purchase.

He pointed out that Washington school, which also abuts 450 Pascack Road, is eyed for expansion due in part to new housing developments and other demographic trends. He cited additional burdens on emergency services due to developments and how impacts are found after new developments are built.

(For more, see “Washington school expansion planned,” John Snyder, Dec. 30, 2022.)

Joseph Scalia of Ridgewood Boulevard East noted the township is “expanding rapidly” and urged the council to think “long term” adding it was okay to hold and pre-

serve the property. He said the propertyʼs purchase would likely be a “small cost” annually “to preserve land weʼll need for the future.”

He asked if any council members were having discussions with potential builders about the property. Morgan said she knew of no council members holding such meetings.

Township reorganization drama

Voting for council vice president was a contested position. Councilman Steve Cascio was nominated by Tom Sears and his nomination was seconded by Cascio.

Councilwoman Daisy Velez moved to nominate Feeney but her motion was heard after Sears nominated Cascio.

A similar split vote occurred on a council appointment for a Planning Board Class III representative. Feeney was nominated for the position by Velez and lost, 3-2, with Morgan, Cascio and Sears opposed.

Then, councilman Tom Sears was nominated. His nomination was approved 3-2, with Sears, Cascio and Morgan in favor; Feeney and Velez opposed.

WFD officers

Calamari announced the 2023 roster of volunteer fire department officers: Chief Jason Gugger, Deputy Chief Frank Aiello, Battalion Chief Zachary Miros, Capt. Christopher Campo, 1Lt. Chris Meier, 2Lt. Tie Stutzer, 3Lt. Keith Mahoney, and 4Lt. Peter Insetta.

Also closed 2022 business

Among the items closed out for 2022, at the townʼs annual sine die meeting, was a change order for the contract with D&L Paving Contractors Inc. for the scope of work on Sherry Field for ADA improvements. The change brings the contract sum down by $4,474.50, for a total of $49,948.

Township Council meetings are held on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Meetings are normally held in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Complex, 350 Hudson Ave. The council next meets on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Sound off in a letter!

PascackPress@thepressgroup.net

FROM PAGE 1

Many residents from Northgate Condominiums and Meisten Street have spoken out against the proposal online and during public comments over its first three hearings, citing potential traffic, noise, and quality of life concerns.

On a public Facebook page working to raise awareness, “Stop Re-Zoning in Wash Twp,” members expressed alarm at the most recent traffic accident at the intersection, Jan. 9 during rush hour.

One member predicted, “The mallʼs location at this extremely busy intersection will bring large amounts of additional traffic and create hazardous driving conditions. There are bus stops and lefthand-turn lanes just feet from the corner, where cars will have to cross two lanes of traffic to enter and exit.”

D. Jane Albanese said in part on the page, “The plot of land has been zoned residential for many years, letʼs keep it that way. While I respect the ownerʼs desire to profit from their investment, I believe there can be a residential solution such as a much-needed elevated three-story condo with single-floor living, moderately priced, comparable in size to adjacent two-story townhomes.”

Applicant 660 Pascack Realty

LLC, owned mostly by Seasons Catering owners, who operate their upscale catering and special events venue at 644 Pascack Road, proposes two retail buildings holding up to 11 retail shops and businesses, including restaurants.

Two new retail buildings comprising more than 17,000 square feet of retail space — one of 14,700 square feet and one of 2,400 square feet — are proposed.

The mall would cover approximately three-quarters of the 2.16-acre site north of Seasons. The site contains a run of vacant and dilapidated houses.

Floor plans provided by the architect offer a glimpse of ownersʼ thinking on tenants: a deli, sporting goods store, beauty salon, bank, breakfast place, juice/gelato store, and cellular phone store. The architect said they were only examples of potential stores and the applicant attorney said no tenants had yet been confirmed.

The townshipʼs retail hub for years has been Washington Town Center, anchored by The Fresh Grocer and Rite Aid, at 285 Pascack Road.

The application identifies 23 property owners within 200 feet of the proposed development. The consolidated lots cover Block 2110, Lots 6-11, 660-682 Pascack Road, and are zoned “AA” for res-

idential development. The application requests a use variance for the site to convert the lots into an expanded retail development. The proposal provides 108 parking spaces.

The intersection is being upgraded by Bergen County Engineering under a shared services agreement with the township, with improvements likely to be completed by April, Township officials said recently.

All three properties comprising 660-682 Pascack Road are owned by 660 Pascack Realty LLC, with principals James Kourgelis (67.3%); George Kourgelis (16.7%); and Carl Carfello (16.7%). James Kourgelis, an owner of Seasons Catering, has signed the proposalʼs use variance application as a managing member.

In March 2022, the township purchased easements from 660 Pascack Realty LLC for $158,000 on seven lots adjacent to the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection for the county intersection overhaul.

In early December, we reported that the Northgate Condominium Associationʼs president had penned a detailed letter opposing the development. Northgate is on the northern border of the proposed development.

An attorney for the applicant said the applicant would speak only at the hearing — not to the press.

ʻA substantial detrimentʼ Writing Nov. 4, Missy Valantassis, president of the associationʼs board, advised Zoning BoardChair Said Toro that in their view the proposed development “poses a substantial detriment to the public good in that it will increase traffic at an already stressed intersection, will contribute noise and light pollution to its surrounding neighbors, will add refuse storage and collection, will introduce tractor trailer traffic to supply the proposed commercial retail tenants, and add duplicated retail services to our community.”

At the proposalʼs Dec. 20 third hearing, a traffic expert from Dean & Dolan of Somerville said that the complex would “generate

43 additional vehicles over the course of a peak hour at most” and he called the additional vehicles “inconsequential” to overall traffic volume at the PascackWashington intersection.

At least six residents questioned his conclusions, and resident Leonard Sabino (also Planning Board vice chair) called for an independent traffic study on the proposed retail strip mall. Dolan said then he had “no problem” with an independent traffic study to corroborate his findings.

In late December, Zoning Board secretary Grace Kalish told Pascack Press that the board had not authorized an independent traffic study.

The next meeting likely will feature questions from board and public to the traffic expert, with testimony and questions upcoming from the applicant planner and Zoning Board planner.

George HARCHER JR.

George Francis Harcher Jr., 85, of Westwood, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.

Beloved husband of Patricia Harcher. Loving Dad of George III and his wife, Josyane; and Keith and his wife, Jennifer. Dear brother of Daniel Harcher. Cherished Poppy of Nicholas, Victoria, Michael, George IV, Isabella, and Brianna.

OBITUARIES

Dorothy BRINZEY

Dorothy Brinzey (née Andrasko) of Paramus and formerly of Hillsdale passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

Beloved wife of the late Michael for 71 years. Devoted mother of Diane Brinzey and Barbara Brinzey Ruane. Loving sister of Bernie Stewart and the late Michael Andrasko. Cherished grandmother of Christina Bullock and her husband, Nick. Dorothy was a parishioner of St. John the Baptist R. C. Church and a longtime member of the 50 Plus Social Club both in Hillsdale. She was a wonderful homemaker, a Girl Scout leader, and loved the Stonybrook Swim Club. Services are private. Arrange-

WESTWOOD

ments by Robert Spearing Funeral Home, Inc., 155 Kinderkamack Road, Park Ridge, rsfhi.com.

Louis J. RASPANTI

Louis J. Raspanti, 91, of Woodcliff Lake and previously Ridgefield Park, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023.

Beloved husband of the late Lucille (née Rinaldi) of Fairview; they married in 1952.

Devoted father of Michael, Robert, Thomas, Richard and Lisa, and father-in-law of Bridget, Patricia, Li, Jennifer, and Thomas (deceased). Cherished grandfather of 12 and great-grandfather of 15.

Predeceased byhis sister Antonette.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. and

raised in West New York, Louis began working for the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., in 1950, retiring in 1977 to form Towne Deli in Bogota. He retired from Nash Distributors of Carlstadt in 2003.

Louis was a United States Army veteran, sergeant first class, of the Korean War (National Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Medal), and a member of the VFW, Ridgefield Park.

Wednesday, Jan. 11 services: Our Lady Of Mercy R.C. Church, Park Ridge. Visitation 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. followed by Mass. Interment to follow in George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus.

Donations in memory of Louis may be made to St. Jude Childrenʼs Research Hospital or the Wounded Warrior Project.

Arrangements by Robert Spearing Funeral Home, Inc., 155 Kinderkamack Road, Park Ridge.

Start the New Year with Westwood Rec

Before retiring, George was a photo engraver for Progress Graphics of Jersey City. George proudly served our country with the United States Navy Reserve.

The family will receive their relatives and friends at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, on Monday, Jan. 9 from 4 to 8 p.m. Funeral service will be held at Becker Funeral Home on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in Georgeʼs name to St. Jude Childrenʼs Research Hospital.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at Becker-FuneralHome.com for the Harcher family.

Start off 2023 by registering for fitness and enrichment classes with the Westwood Recreation Department. Registration for Winter Programs begins January 3 for Westwood residents. Non-residents may register beginning Jan. 9, 2023, space permitting, for an additional $25 per class.

The 2023 Winter Programs brochure can be viewed at westwoodnj.gov/recreation Classes for kids in the session offer something for every age range including Parent & Me Movement, Soccer Squirts, Ballet/Tap 1 & 2, Kiddie Hop, Piano, Crafting, Pickleball For Teens, Indoor Tennis, Solar Robots and Theatre Games & Improv. This session also includes some new classes including Parent & Me

Art, Chess and Clay Art. Westwood kids in grades 4 and 5 are also invited to participate in Friday afternoon kids club.

Adults can participate in Adult Volleyball, Menʼs Open Gym Basketball, Yoga, Zumba, Painting/Art and a Valentineʼs themed Paint Party. Rounding out the adult offerings are two evenings of Pickleball — Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. and new for this session: Saturdays from 9 to 11 p.m.

Anyone interested in registering for classes are encouraged to read through the program guide for all class information as well as details on Westwood Baseball Association and Westwood Softball Association

THAT’S A WRAP!

registration, Teen Center, Special Needs Activity Program, Forever Young, Westwood Recreation Preschool Registration and news about recent and upcoming facility improvements. To view the program guide visit westwoodnj.gov/recreation

Westwood Recreation uses Community Pass for registration. Interested parties who don't already have a Community Pass account should go to westwoodnj.gov/recreation and click the Community Pass Registration page to be guided through the set-up process.

To register for classes and programs visit https://register.communitypass.net/westwood Visa/MasterCard are accepted. To pay by cash or check, stop in the office at 55 Jefferson Ave.

916-1580.

WESTWOOD

NEWMEMBERSOF GFWC/NJSFWC The Womanʼs Club of Westwood recently organized a gift-wrapping event at the clubhouse to provide donated gifts to local Wish Trees. Jiggly Wiggly provided music and instruments —and a surprise visit from the Grinch — for the children.

The club is composed of local women who share their dedication and enthusiasm for

our communities. Members raise funds to support local and national charities. The club founded the Westwood Public Library, high school scholarships for local women and support other organizations in our town. It supports local food banks; and collects needed supplies for servicemen and -women, children in need, and local womenʼs shelters.

For more information on GFWC/NJSFWCThe Womanʼs Club of Westwood club, call (201)

Photo via Madeleine Ciocco

One couldn’t ask for a better work crew than these folks,donating their time with GFWC/NJSFWCThe Woman’s Club of Westwood.

FROM PAGE 1

note, of the townʼs historic police booth, standing sentry on a verdant hilltop, middle ground between viewer and the suggestion of a rising sun. Ringed in fluttering banners is proclaimed “Hillsdale — Celebrating 125 years.”

Kaitlyn submitted the logo in Kristin Puffʼs art/digital media class as a final project of the year.

“The whole class did it,” Kaitlyn told Pascack Press on Jan. 12. “I was surprised I won.”

She said she produced the work with Google Drawings diagramming software. “First I had a different idea. Iwanted to do a hill. But then I decided to do the police hut because itʼs in the center of town, and itʼs really old, and weʼre celebrating how old the town is.”

This March marks the Borough of Hillsdaleʼs 125th anniversary. The committee said Kaitlynʼs logo “incorporates the iconic police booth located in the center of town and reflects the character of our community.”

The police booth, built by John Henry Olley, has stood in Hillsdale since 1925. At that time it was the center of police action, serving as the headquarters before one was created at the borough hall in 1931.

The booth stood in the roadway at Broadway and Hillsdale Avenue. Years later it was moved off the roadway to the sidewalk.

Before the police booth stood, officers had the benefit of a telephone on a pole at the corner of Park Avenue and Broadway. A

resident named Beck donated a beach umbrella to be placed next to the telephone so that officers could shelter (The phone was moved inside the booth; the umbrella was retired.)

At a recent school presentation, Kaitlyn received a framed certificate (thatʼs now up on the familyʼs mantel), a $100 gift that went right into the bank, and, naturally, cheers.

All the kids, she said, “wanted to know how much money I got. That was, like, the first thing,” she said.

The contest invitation said the top submissions would be selected by a panel of community members with design experience, and then presented to the committee for a final decision.

In announcing the winner, the committee delivered special thanks to sponsor Jim Frantin Plumbing, Heating & Electric LLC.

Kaitlyn, who has a twin brother, and a brother at the high school, is perhaps a perfect representative of Hillsdale as it reaches

toward the future. She participates in her school robotics program; Destination Imagination, which sees students work in teams to solve open-ended STEAM challenges designed to teach the creative process; and plays town and club lacrosse.

Kaitlynʼs mom, Liz, told Pascack Press, “She has big plans. She likes science and engineering, she wants to get into STEM programs thatʼll get her where she wants to be.”

Liz also says Kaitlyn was “born lacking vision in her right eye. She does everything with her left. And sheʼs so outgoing.”

Events taking shape

Geraldine Beatty, a 125th Anniversary Celebration Committee chairperson — along with police Capt. Sean Smith, a local historian — told Pascack Press on Jan. 12, “The logo contest was a wonderful thing to try to bring some of the community together. The anniversary committee was excited that it was a kid that won, because thatʼs the whole future of the town.”

She said, “My kids were very involved 25 years ago, when we did the centennial, so that was one of the thing we were looking to do include kids.”

She said the committee was meeting — at press time — to finalize the yearʼs festivities and official website, and promised details presently.

In a brief phone interview, in which she juggled a boisterous granddaughter and an alert pup, she was excited to share a few

events top of mind:

Smith will present on Hillsdale history at the public library on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. (A U.S. Marine and longtime member of American Legion Post 162 of Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake, and Old Tappan, Smith is author of “Hillsdale:Images of America” with Zoltán Horváth.)

March 3 will see a town-wide square dance, called by Steven Hingis, at Hillsdale United Methodist Church.

March 25 is the date for “a birthday bash celebration at Pascack Valley High School. Weʼve also got ʻHillsdaleʼs Got Talent,ʼ and thatʼll be open to everyone in the community.”

The committee is also “tagging on” to events the town is running this year, Beatty said, and promised interviews and photo opportunities in support of the production of an anniversary

book.

Thereʼs an evening gala in fall/winter, and an addendum to the centennial journal, bringing the living story of Hillsdale current, with a focus on eight or so “Hillsdale Gems,” venerable movers and shakers.

“Iʼll send you what we have after the meeting. Thereʼs so much. We think itʼs going to be very well received. We hope so!” she said.

History recapped on the borough website explains in part, “Residents of ʻHillsdale,ʼwho had adopted the name from a school built on Pascack Road in 1856 and opened in 1870, for a separation from Washington Township, petitioned the legislature to incorporate Hillsdale Township. The act passed on March 25, 1898.”

With thanks to Kristin Beuscher and “Back In Time.”

P/T POLICE DISPATCHERS – EMERSON BOROUGH, Bergen County. The Emerson Police Department is accepting applications for P/T Dispatchers (weekend shifts). Applications can be picked up at the Emerson Police Headquarters, 1 Municipal Place, Emerson, NJ 07630. Basic telecommunicator certification preferred. Please contact Sgt. Randy Velez at 201-2622800 for more info. EOE

Kitchen Cabinet installers helper. Must have basic knowledge of tools. Valid drivers license. Ken Bauer Kitchens, Hillsdale NJ (201)664-6881.

Part Time Shop Manager in Westwood - JVS

Landscaping/Powerwashing * & Christmas Lighting is looking to fill a part-time Shop Manager position. Due to the seasonal nature of this position, the ideal candidate will have the ability to work a varying schedule.

Primary responsibility of this position is inventory management for landscape & holiday decorating materials. Attention to detail, the ability to follow processes & procedures & organizational skills are critical qualities.

Ability to operate small to mid-size trucks required, as is a drivers license. Additional responsibilities include facility maintenance, picking up materials & possibly additional responsibilities such as equipment maintenance as the position grows. Hours & requirements of this position will fluctuate throughout the year The busiest times will be during our holiday decorating season of Oct. thru Jan., when hours will be up to 40/week working Mon. thru Fri. From Feb. thru Sept., hours will vary from 8 to 24 hours per week.

HELPWANTEDHarrington Park is looking to hire one full time crossing guard. Those interested can contact the Harrington Park borough hall with any questions regarding salary. Applications are available at the Harrington Park Police Department.

SERVICES - CLEANING

Cleaning business that values honesty and integrity with many years exp. Competitively priced with close attention to detail. Ref. Avail. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Call or text Analu for free estimate. 973-474-7383

BOROUGH OF WESTWOOD seeks a qualified, dependable individual for part-time alternate deputy registrar. Strong organization, communication and customer service skills required. Successful candidate must maintain confidentiality, have a professional demeanor, ability to work independently and deal effectively with residents and members of the public. Candidate will be required to manage multiple tasks with changing priorities. Current experience with MSOffice required. CMR certification preferred or willing to obtain.

Email cover letter and resume to sgravina@westwoodnj.gov. Westwood is an EOE.

Want Business? Call (201) 664-2105

Food Service/Lunch

Aide positions available - in our K-8 unique lunch program. Duties include food prep, cooking, serving, cleanup and computer entry. Position is available five days per week, 3 hours per day

Substitute lunch positions also available. Criminal background check and fingerprinting required upon hiring. Send brief resume to Debra Rinaldi at rinaldid@nvnet.org or apply online.

Logo designed by Kaitlyn Zimmerman.

“Hillsdale Station Square” shows the borough’s now iconic police booth, new, in 1925.

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