PASCACK VALLEY—The borough councils of Hillsdale and Westwood approved a first-ever shared-service municipal court agreement recently to start the New Year off with savings for both towns estimated at $50,000 to $70,000.
The Hillsdale Borough Council approved a shared service agreement with Westwood Dec. 12, 2023 with the mayor noting the agreement will likely save the borough approximately $70,000 yearly by merging the staffs of the two local court systems.
The Westwood Borough Council approved the joint municipal court agreement at its sine die meeting Jan. 2. Borough administrator Durene Ayer told Pascack Press that the estimated cost savings for Westwood was “in excess of $50,000.”
Hillsdale’s Council passed Resolution 23-311 by a 5-0 vote. Councilman John Escobar was absent. Councilor John Ruocco, formerly Hillsdale’s two-term mayor, said the court systems would not merge but the staffs of both municipal courts would be combined and become employees of Westwood.
The Westwood Municipal Court is in the borough’s Municipal Complex on the second floor. The court handles traffic and DWI cases, in addition to certain non-indictable criminal matters, such as shoplifting, assault, drug possession, domestic violence, and theft charges.
Trials in municipal court are called “bench” trials because there is no jury in these matters — just a judge. There is also a prosecutor, who prepares the case against defendants on behalf of the municipality, and with whom plea agreements may be discussed.
Separately, a last-minute agreement between the mayors of Montvale, Park Ridge and Woodcliff Lake on a judge and prosecutor for their Joint Municipal Court has paved the way for the unique three-town joint court system to continue at least through January 2026.
(See “Judge, prosecutor nominations keep Joint Municipal Court going,” Pascack Press, Jan. 8, 2024.)
Joint town court staff will work for Westwood…