TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—When the Township Council convenes for its final meeting of the year tonight, one issue on the agenda is the pending improvement to the intersection at Pascack Road and Washington Avenue, a project that requires cooperation from Bergen County.
This afternoon, hours before the meeting is set to convene, Bergen County Counsel Julien X. Neals confirmed our reporting of Dec. 23, saying, “Construction is not possible for 2020.”
The council is set to meet at 7:30 p.m. at 350 Hudson St. The agenda consists of housekeeping items and the approval of the police union contract, discussion of the attorney report regarding salary discrepancies, an intersection update, a separate item for “revised plans for intersection project,” and the salary ordinance.
Council President Michael DeSena, Vice President Steve Cascio, and others have been pressing the township administration for answers after it came to light that the required shared services agreement (SSA) Mayor Peter Calamari signed in September was not then sent to the county for execution.
The SSA sets forth the division of responsibilities between the township and the county as per respective resolutions previously adopted. The Board of Chosen Freeholders approved it July 2, and the township adopted it Aug. 12. The council understood Calamari to have sent the signed paperwork in on Sept. 9.
In our coverage of the issue on Dec. 23, in Intersection Fix Likely Missed 2020 Start, Says DeSena, we quoted from an internal township email from the township’s attorney, Ken Poller, advising others in the administration to white out Calamari’s signature on the required paperwork and not to send it. Poller said in his memo that he wanted the SSA to reflect a few edits and go through a review with Boswell Engineering.
“The agreement was signed by the mayor in anticipation of the agreement being approved, but that page should not be sent back to the county until the items I raised have been addressed,” Poller wrote.
The council evidently was not privy to this. When DeSena learned the SSA had not been executed, he asked questions.
“It’s all pushed back because it’s not executed. We missed the funding schedule,” DeSena told Pascack Press on Dec. 18.
He added, “We’re not out any money but we’re greatly inconvenienced. We’ll know more Dec. 30, but it looks like we lost our spot.”
Calamari took to Facebook to push back against this line of inquiry from the council, complaining of “inaccurate information” being sent to this newspaper.
“There are certain councilpersons who have a political agenda to discredit myself and this administration for their personal gain and retributive pleasure,” Calamari wrote.
He added, “I am proud and happy to report that despite their efforts, the administration is moving projects forward in as timely, efficiently and thoroughly a manner as is possible. We will bring these projects to fruition while paying close and responsible attention to the costs to the taxpayers, and we will continue to enhance and increase the quality of life for all our residents and taxpayers.”
He posted what he said was an excerpt from an email Dec. 19 (the day after we reached out to him and Tovo for comment for our then-pending story) from Assistant County Counsel William G. Brown IV to the town clerk:
“Please find a revised SSA attached, this includes an addition of #23 (page 9) under Township responsibilities that reads: ‘The Township shall provide to the County the funding necessary to cover the cost of any traffic signal equipment related to signal heads at the firehouse driveway. Please sign and return the agreement to my attention,'” Brown wrote.
Calamari told followers, in part, “I have been assured many times that the County not having the signed agreement has not impacted the timeline of the project one bit as they know minor changes are still occurring between the parties.”
In response, DeSena, an engineer, observed to Pascack Press that he had not suggested the project had been de-funded but rather that it seemed no longer to be a 2020 project: that the county would schedule it for 2021 at the soonest. He stood by that and questioned why Calamari would focus instead on a question of funding or de-funding.
In advance of our coverage from tonight’s council meeting, at which action may be taken with respect to the intersection, and to help provide context for the the discussion, here is our email exchange with Bergen County Counsel Neals—our questions asked Thursday, Dec. 26 and his responses given Dec. 30.
The county Department of Law encompasses the Office of County Counsel, (the County Counsel serves as the department director) Office of the Inspector General and the County Adjuster. The County Counsel’s office serves as legal counsel to the County Executive, as well as the eight County government departments, and the offices of the County Clerk, Surrogate, Sheriff, and Prosecutor.
‘A question was raised…’
Pascack Press: I am writing an update to recent coverage in our pages to do with the progress of the Township of Washington Pascack Road/Washington Avenue Intersection and Signalization. A question was raised at a recent township council meeting as to the status of the SSA and whether not having an executed SSA by now had jeopardized this important project for 2020.
Neals: The project is not jeopardized but was not considered to be a 2020 construction project.
Pascack Press: I have what Mayor Peter Calamari posted on Facebook in response: a partial email from Assistant County Counsel William Brown IV to town clerk Sue Witkowski on Dec. 19 giving some clarification, including most importantly an assurance that funding for the project is in place. [Quoted material snipped]
Neals: The County SSAs include a commitment to fund the project. The town has not initiated the project design yet. Without a project design, there is no cost estimate to identify the amount of funding required. There’s an entire project design to be developed that requires engineering plans, permits and easement/ROW [right of way] acquisitions before reaching the point where dedicated funding needs to be identified.
Pascack Press: Because Mayor Calamari says he has not posted the entire email, and my note to Mr. Brown this morning seeking clarification was returned with an out-of-office advisory, I wonder if you can let me know where things stand with the project and what you see as the next steps.
Neals: Town executes the SSA, town identifies their design engineer, town initiates the topographic survey and engineering design in accordance w/conceptual intersection configuration.
Pascack Press: Is the township on track to see this project move forward, and if so, when?
Neals: The project design can move forward upon an executed SSA. The design and permitting process is lengthy as well as the easement/ROW acquisition process. Construction is not possible for 2020.
Pascack Press: What are the remaining issues to resolve?
Neals: Open issues have been summarized above. Please advise if you need any additional information. Thank you.
Note: This story was revised at 10:15 p.m. to insert a paragraph describing the role of the Bergen County Counsel.