Welcome to my year-end wrap-up and 2026 preview — a chance to look back at the municipal matters (and occasional madness!) that filled our pages in 2025 and flag the storylines most likely to keep making news in 2026.
As a reporter, when I cover public meetings, I’m there to listen, ask questions, observe, and provide a concise, informative report on what happened. This column is different: it’s my subjective notebook of the threads I’ve been tracking — issues we covered this year that are very likely to reappear throughout 2026.
As a part-time reporter for Pascack Press trying to cover eight towns (sometimes more) and stay on top of what’s going on, I encourage readers to get in touch if there’s an issue you think we should be covering and you’re not seeing in the paper. There’s a lot happening and sometimes not enough hours in the day (or column-inches on the page) to cover everything the way we’d like — but that’s why we’re here.
If you have a news tip or story idea, email me, or send us a letter to the editor.
Last year, in my “Stories to watch in 2025,” I touched on the amended affordable housing law and growing local opposition (including Montvale’s September 2024 lawsuit, still ongoing); flooding mitigation; redevelopment; and the idea that towns may look harder at shared services and new revenue sources. In 2026, affordable housing obligations and the ripple effects of development/redevelopment remain the through-line across much of Pascack Valley — even as each town has its own distinct local plotlines.
To keep it readable, I offer a few bullet points for each town and a little context for why these topics could grab headlines in 2026. It’s not meant to be comprehensive — it’s a reporter’s notebook.
EMERSON
Emerson Citizen Station redevelopment (and affordable housing units)
The fate of Emerson Citizen Station — the major downtown redevelopment with 147 apartments and ground-level retail space — remains one of the biggest unresolved local stories. The project has been incomplete for years, and the affordable housing component remains unfinished as well.
Borough efforts to terminate its relationship with the designated redeveloper and take legal steps tied to delay and alleged contract breaches dominated coverage in 2025. How far that process moves in 2026 — including potential steps tied to eminent domain — will be a major storyline.
Armenian Nursing Home & Rehabilitation Center
We’ve heard renewed rumblings about potential redevelopment at the former Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center site on Main Street (closed since April 2021). If an application is deemed complete and heads to the Land Use Board in 2026, expect strong public interest.
HILLSDALE
Police leadership transition after Sean Smith
Police Chief Sean Smith retired April 1, 2025 amid an extended legal dispute that roiled the department and community. Smith had been terminated Jan. 1 based on a confidential report and recommendation from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office; the report was not provided to Pascack Press despite records requests.
Lt. Travis Woods was sworn in as chief May 13 after council’s unanimous approval. How the department settles after a turbulent period — and what transparency residents expect going forward — remains a 2026 thread. We also look forward to catching up with Chief Woods on his priorities for the year ahead.
Memorial Field improvements
Council approved spending $5.8 million for improvements at Memorial Field after contentious meetings where some residents argued the funding should have been spread across multiple parks. The planned turf and drainage improvements are intended to expand field availability and reduce weather-related cancellations.
With work expected to be completed in late spring/summer, 2026 will show residents what the borough delivered — and whether the arguments about priorities and long-term costs fade or intensify.
Stonybrook Swim Club cell tower
Council approved the contract for a cell tower lease at the Stonybrook Swim Club and added extra conditions, including a town-hall-style public meeting in late January for public input before any final decision on additional requirements imposed on the carrier. This is one to watch early in the year.
George G. White renovations
The district has a massive construction project underway at George G. White Middle School. Delays tied to plan review and approvals were part of the 2025 story; 2026 will give clearer signals about whether the July 2027 target completion remains realistic.
MONTVALE
Local Leaders for Responsible Planning (affordable housing legal challenges)
Montvale’s 36-town coalition — Local Leaders for Responsible Planning — continues challenging the state’s updated affordable housing framework. State courts have repeatedly rejected the coalition’s legal challenges; a federal case focused on exemptions for “urban aid” communities remains pending.
Whether towns (including in the Pascack Valley) continue funding the litigation, and whether any ruling changes the terrain, remains a 2026 storyline — especially as fourth-round obligations increasingly collide with redevelopment pressure.
Borough-owned DePiero Farm lease
On Dec. 22, Superior Court Judge Gregg Padovano “denied and dismissed” claims by Demarest Farm & Orchard LLC challenging Montvale’s lease award to D’Agostino Landscaping. The ruling cleared the way for D’Agostino to become the official lessee of the 8.4-acre former DePiero Farm site.
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, the new operator is expected to take over, reserving up to an acre for community gardens. We’ll continue reporting on how the lease plays out and what residents see on the ground.
PARK RIDGE
Mill Pond (Electric Lake) dredging
In November, voters approved bonding for up to $5 million for dredging Mill Pond. Next comes the tricky, technical part: testing, remediation planning, disposal costs, permitting, and project timing.
The vote reflected both public frustration about the pond’s condition and a desire for a plan with real traction. In 2026, residents should expect meetings and updates tied to what could become the borough’s largest public works project in decades.
School trustee Robert Fisher recall saga
The recall effort involving school trustee Robert Fisher Jr. turned into one of the year’s most unusual local political dramas. Fisher resigned Sept. 19 after a prolonged legal battle that included multiple court decisions and appeals connected to petition validation.
Even with the resignation, the episode spoke to deep divisions in local school politics that only intensified amid the pandemic and changes in federal leadership — and the ripples may continue into 2026.
RIVER VALE
New Public Safety Complex
Construction of the new Public Safety Complex has been one of River Vale’s biggest capital projects in years, with an early 2026 opening expected. Administrator Gennaro Rotella has been upfront about change orders and additions needed to complete the project.
As the finish line approaches, residents will be watching final costs, the final scope, and whether the facility delivers the operational improvements officials promised.
Forcellati Nursery settlement (75 units)
A court-ordered settlement for a 75-unit development at the former Forcellati Nursery property — including affordable units — remains a major 2026 topic. The application still must go through land use review, where residents will have the chance to ask questions and offer opinions.
Expect strong views — and a packed hearing room.
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON
DPW facility and Bethany storage lot controversy
After years of delays and infighting, council awarded a $4.933 million contract for a new DPW building. The parallel story has been where DPW vehicles and equipment will be staged during construction.
Council approved a $104,400, 18-month lease for a storage lot behind Bethany Community Center — a decision that triggered significant resident criticism, particularly about transparency and truck access. In 2026, the construction phase will bring the real-world impacts into focus: traffic patterns, neighborhood disruption, and whether the township’s mitigation plans are adequate.
450 Pascack Road and passive recreation plans
In May, the township acquired the long-sought 450 Pascack Road property. Cleanup and demolition are expected, including remediation tied to lead contamination funded through escrow.
After the site is cleared, the township has discussed possible passive recreation such as walking trails, but there’s no clear timetable — which means this is likely a “slow-build” story throughout 2026.
Swim club site contamination and the paused future
PCB contamination discovered during a pre-demolition survey altered — and effectively froze — plans for the township-owned former swim club property on Ridgewood Boulevard North. Officials have said they expect grant funding to cover much of remediation, but no confirmed awards have been announced.
Until contamination is remediated, the big “what should this become?” conversation remains theoretical — but 2026 may finally bring firmer cost estimates and clearer direction.
WESTWOOD
Beloved tree stricken with disease
Westwood’s storied “Kissing Tree,” the towering copper beech in Veterans Park that may predate the United States, has been diagnosed with brittle cinder fungus (Kretzschmaria deusta) — an incurable pathogen that affects the lower trunk and roots and can lead to sudden failure. The diagnosis emerged after a June 2025 inspection by Bartlett Tree Experts, followed by lab confirmation; subsequent consultations and on-site evaluation documented an active decay area and a much larger hollow-sounding section at the base, even as the canopy remains in generally good health.
For now, borough officials are in a risk-assessment and monitoring phase, weighing public safety and the tree’s cultural importance. The one-year ISA risk rating was described as moderate, but the potential consequences in a busy park are severe; officials have discussed frequent monitoring and have explored interim structural supports, while acknowledging the tree will likely need to be removed as decay advances. Complicating the long view, the fungus may persist in the soil unless infected stump and roots are removed, which could affect whether a replacement tree can be planted in the same spot — and has prompted a parallel community conversation about remembrance, seedlings, and how to honor what the Kissing Tree has meant to Westwood.
“Grab and go” parking zones
After a pilot program, council voted to continue short-term free “grab and go” parking zones downtown. Officials say the change helps businesses and helps drivers make quick transactions without creating long-term parking turnover issues.
The 2026 test will be whether the plan remains orderly in real-world conditions — and whether it actually reduces the daily frustration residents and businesses feel about congestion.
Flooding strategy and modeling
Westwood continues to pursue funding and technical support to better understand flooding conditions — including data collection, modeling, and analysis tied to the Musquapsink and Pascack Brook systems. The hope is that better modeling translates into better regional decision-making.
If 2026 brings clearer data or a meaningful funding win, this could move from “planning story” to “action story.”
WOODCLIFF LAKE
Woodcliff Park and long-term public impact
Woodcliff Park opened in 2025 after years of debate, expense, and litigation history tied to the property. In 2026, the question becomes whether the park settles into civic life as a broadly embraced asset — or remains a political flashpoint in discussions about cost, land use, and municipal priorities.
300 Chestnut Ridge Road (former BMW site)
The borough advanced a major redevelopment concept at the former BMW headquarters site that includes affordable housing. The 2025 hearings drew strong resident concerns about traffic, services, schools, emergency response, and taxes.
In 2026, those concerns will likely return as plans advance and details sharpen.
Hilton Hotel site redevelopment
The borough’s fourth-round planning includes redevelopment potential at the former Hilton site. If a developer application comes forward in 2026, expect another round of public hearings with major interest.
Party City site settlement
On Dec. 18, the borough agreed to a mediated settlement tied to the former Party City site. As with other fourth-round-related proposals, public influence often peaks at the council level early in the process — before applications shift into the narrower lane of land use review.
A Personal Note
In August, I appeared on broadcaster Tony Salerno’s community TV show and he asked how we keep up with everything happening across eight Pascack Valley towns. To paraphrase my answer: we don’t — not perfectly.
We try. And we love hearing from you. If something’s happening in your town — something new, unusual, frustrating, or just worth noticing — don’t hesitate to email, text, or call. We’re listening.
I’ll close by borrowing a thought from my May 27, 2024 column (“Michael Olohan on a heck of a run”), which was supposed to be my farewell at the time. I wrote that I try to tell the stories taxpayers most want to know about — and to follow them, week to week, month to month — and that good local reporting often hinges on the human connection and the telling detail.
That’s still the job. It’s not always easy, but it’s why I do it. And I’m grateful readers keep showing up.
Michael Olohan is a municipal reporter for Pascack Press/Northern Valley Press covering North Jersey town councils, school districts, budgets, elections, and community news. He can be reached at Olohan@thepressgroup.net.