PASCACK VALLEY—Township of Washington Mayor Peter Calamari says the year’s top municipal priorities include approving construction of a new facility for the DPW and expanding the police department’s space at town hall.
Calamari, speaking at the Jan. 24 mayors breakfast sponsored by the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the township’s infrastructure projects include “a new home for the DPW” due to the former building being razed under order over soil contamination.
Moreover, he said the township is hoping to expand the police department facilities. “So looking to do both of those at the same time.”
And Calamari noted the township recently bought the former Washington Township Swim Club property, about 6.2 acres, to preserve as open space.
“We’re working with an architect to come up with plans for that to make it open space, fields, like that because the township is very short on open space, we are almost 100% developed,” he said.
The breakfast, at The Tavern at the Iron Horse in Westwood, is an annual tradition and major fundraiser for the chamber, which serves the eight towns of the Pascack Valley and nearby Oradell and Old Tappan. Discussing economic development, Calamari said the vacancy rate is “very low” at the Washington Town Center Shopping Center, which recently changed management. He said there is no really no office space in town, and noted the shopping center is “doing good, they seem to be serving our residents’ needs.”
On community engagement, he said the public affairs department sponsors “a lot of events for our residents” and noted residents “always turn out in droves” during Town Day, Movies in the Park, and concerts, adding, “I think we’re in good shape with that.”
Recapping 2023 events, he said the township is purchasing 450 Pascack Road, a 3.2-acre sliver of land between Ridgewood Boulevard East, and Memorial Field and Washington Elementary School, via a county Open Space grant.
“Sometime in the future we will look to incorporate this new piece of property into the field,” Calamari added.
He said in 2023, the expanded and improved Washington Avenue–Pascack Road intersection was completed. “That was great, we’re not seeing any more traffic backups there anymore.”
Also, he said the county paved the full length of Pascack Road in town, noting “it’s always a pleasure to work with our colleagues from the county on these projects.”
He said the police department started to complete their accreditation process this year, the ambulance corps moved into new space at the Emergency Services Building, where the fire department already is located, and a drone study of the Musquapsink Brook was conducted, “and we’re waiting for some necessary approvals from DEP to make some repairs along the brook.”
He said the 2024 “major tasks” are getting the DPW and police department the space they need to do their jobs.
Lastly, he quipped, “Our taxpayers are looking forward to our new council majority; they stated that they are going to do a 10% municipal tax cut. Not sure how they’re going to do that yet, they haven’t shared their plan but as I was telling my mayors [the Pascack Valley Mayors Association], once they do I’m going to spread it around to everyone because I want everyone to get at least a 10% tax deduction.”