TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council unanimously introduced a $761,900 bond ordinance at a special Jan. 13 meeting, part of a planned $800,000 offer on the Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club, approximately 6.5 acres on Ridgewood Boulevard North.
Ordinance 22-01 notes that the bond will be for 40 years and that the property will be acquired via purchase or condemnation. The proposal does not explain the financing, characterize the average impact on property taxes, or refer to any feasibility studies that might speak to additional investments required.
It says a $38,100 bond down payment will come from a previously adopted capital improvement budget.
A required second hearing is set for Monday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Also at the Jan. 13 session, which lasted 16 minutes, it came to light that the township allegedly is in talks on the former Charlie Brown’s Fresh Grill and steakhouse site, 95 Linwood Ave., for an undisclosed amount. (See related story, Jan. 14, 2022: “Town to grab former Charlie Brown’s from under Montessori school?“)
We also have been reporting on the township’s interest in acquiring the 3.2-acre mostly wooded tract at 450 Pascack Road, adjacent to Memorial Field and Washington School, which town attorney Kenneth Poller said was a candidate for eminent domain.
Second chance at swim club
Trustees of the private club — which has struggled for years, came close to a tax sale, and owes its members refunds — renewed negotiations with Mayor Peter Calamari’s administration after their winning bid from an unidentified summer camp organization fell apart at the last minute.
A confidential New Year’s Eve afternoon email from trustees to their fully bonded membership, which was sent to us from several sources, said the board had circled back to Calamari and that it looked forward to providing an update within weeks.
(See “Township back in talks on swim club,” Pascack Press, Jan. 3, 2022).
After our story ran, Calamari posted a brief video to his Facebook followers, saying that he was unable to discuss matters in executive session until they’re cleared for open discussion in council, but he acknowledged the topic was “going around town.”
A previous agenda and public notice for the Jan. 13 session said two bond ordinances would be introduced for purchase and financing of two parcels of land; however, one was withdrawn without explanation.
The Jan. 13 meeting agenda’s notation of the bond ordinance refers only to 464 Ridgewood Boulevard North; page 2 of the five-page ordinance references “Washington Township Swim Club” and describes the property as 6.516 acres, which includes Lot 1 in Block 2301 and Lot 1.01 in Block 2401.
A 2021 property listing noted the property was offered on an exclusive basis and was improved with an Olympic-sized pool, a kiddie pool, a large clubhouse, and a food concession area. The property is served by public water, sewer, electricity, and gas.
If the town takes over as owner/operator as a public good, presumably it would form a public utility board to oversee it, and borrow for the purchase and any essential repairs.
Calamari said in his appeals for council support of $1 million for the property in 2021 that the land could serve a variety of needs.
“The first use I would like to research is leaving it as a swim club. All the infrastructure is in place for it. I would like to review the numbers the existing club has to see the expenses and then estimate how much income it will need to generate,” he told his Facebook followers.
Then-councilman Michael DeSena, an Independent challenging for mayor, initially balked on bonding for the club, in part because there was no feasibility study. He ended up going along with the offer.
Calamari won re-election on Nov. 2, 2021, renewing member Tom Sears on the council and bringing in public affairs department head Daisy Velez for her first term on council.