WESTWOOD—Eight Pascack Valley mayors provided updates on key local issues and hot topics at the annual Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce “Breakfast With the Mayors” Wednesday, Jan. 22 at The Tavern at The Iron Horse, Westwood.
The event was co-sponsored by Columbia Bank and Pascack Valley City Lifestyle.
Much on the mayors’ minds: a looming Jan. 31 state deadline to adopt an affordable housing obligation number and send that number to the state Department of Community Affairs, or be in violation of New Jersey’s updated affordable housing law approved in March 2024. The mayors, contacted by Pascack Press, said that they were working hard to calculate and submit a number by the Jan. 31 deadline.
There are 10 towns in the greater Pascack Valley, from north to south: Montvale, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, River Vale, Old Tappan, Hillsdale, Washington Township, Westwood, Emerson, and Oradell. In a departure, no representatives from Old Tappan or Oradell attended the session.
Among local topics discussed: parking and traffic concerns in Westwood; the need for a new DPW in Washington Township; increasing costs for road paving in River Vale; a shared service agreement with the local school district and nearby towns to reduce costs in Emerson; future development plans by the new owner of former Hilton property in Woodcliff Lake; a net of 45 new businesses in Montvale; environmental cleanup of a contaminated site at former Alexander Cleaners in Hillsdale in March or April; and the planned restoration of a historic train station in Park Ridge.
Chamber president Tony Pallogudis told Pascack Press his organization was pleased with both the turnout and program. “We again had over 30 attendees, including the mayors. We greatly appreciate working with The Tavern at The Iron Horse, [now under new ownership] as they have annually hosted the excellent breakfast.”
Pallogudis said the mayors “again expressed a great deal of common challenges, particularly on affordable housing.” And he said it was good to hear them discuss cooperative efforts on a variety of issues.
Overall, said Pallogudis, thebreakfast is a highlight of the chamber’s year. He touted the GPVCOC Citizen of the Year gala, which most recently honored Robin Malley and Jeff Jasper. “The dinner’s profit again contributed to our Skip Kelley Memorial Scholarship Fund, from which we award annual scholarships to worthy high school seniors in the 10 communities we serve.”
We’ve served up highlights from the mayors’ breakfast, and are are working on deeper dives for upcoming editions:
Westwood
Westwood Mayor Raymond Arroyo said parking is a major concern in his borough, noting that available parking spaces downtown had not “kept pace” with more “parking-intensive uses” such as restaurants. He said a recent zoning application showed central business district lots at 92% capacity during peak demand periods.
He said the governing body was actively engaged in acquiring additional properties to meet an increasing need for public parking. He said the borough’s downtown businesses “represent a $200 million ratable” in Westwood.
He said local businesses are drawing customers from a 15-minute drive time radius, or about 100,000 potential customers. He said having public parking available makes patronizing local businesses “a pleasant experience.”
Township of Washington
Washington Township Mayor Peter Calamari said the biggest local infrastructure need was the need for a new DPW building to better serve the residents and DPW employees.He said employees were operating out of tents, exposed to the weather, since 2021, when the former DPW was demolished due to contaminated soil below it.
“The project unfortunately is being held up by the council majority that was seated last year,” Calamari stated. At the council’s prior meeting, the council president requested additional information on another possible building option: a steel structure recently built in Old Tappan. The council, with different members, has been discussing a new DPW building for approximately two years.
River Vale
River Vale Mayor Mark Bromberg noted that when improving and paving roads, “the dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to” which means the local budget must be increased. He said a lack of ambulance volunteers during daytime, weekday hours caused the local governing body to approve a new shared service ambulance arrangement with Hillsdale that provides an ambulance with paid EMTs during weekdays for township residents.
Emerson
Emerson Mayor Danielle DiPaola said the cost of goods and services had increased “exponentially over the past few years” and the 2025 budget must consider this. She said the borough has “expanded” shared service agreements with the local school district and nearby towns to reduce costs, noting the borough is “always open to expanding our shared services.”
She said energy upgrades have included the conversion of ball field lights to LED bulbs that saved “at least $15,000” in 2024. She said the borough also received $2 million in 2024 federal funding “to help mitigate persistent flooding and drainage issues.”
Woodcliff Lake
Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo said the Hilton Hotel sold at auction for $17 million to the Garden Homes company, owned by Zygi Wilf, who are high-end residential developers. He said the 22-acre Hilton property will be demolished “in the next week or so” and the borough awaits concept plans from the developer on proposed development. He said that should occur over the next year.
He noted a 20-acre tract on the northern side of BMW’s property was sold to a local developer Russo Development, Carlstadt, in conjunction with Woodmont Properties. Fairfield. Woodmont has developed the Fairways at Edgewood (River Vale) and The Enclave at Montvale. (See “How best to use Hilton, BMW sites?”, Michael Olohan, Jan. 2, 2025, thepressgroup.net).
Montvale
Montvale Mayor Michael Ghassali said the borough netted approximately 45 new businesses in 2024 “and I’m getting used to the ribbon cutting, at least once a week.”
He said the borough now owns an 8.4-acre farm, part of the former DePiero Farmstead, and the borough will “have the key” to the property sometime this July. He said part will be for a pick-your-own strawberries, one greenhouse will be for high school students’ use, and up to 2 acres of farmland will be used by residents for community gardens.
Hillsdale
Hillsdale Mayor Michael Sheinfield said the contaminated site at the former Alexander Dry Cleaners was planned for remediation in March or April. In July 2023, we reported that Jerry Blustein, H2M Architects & Engineers, told council that the former site of the dry cleaner business, operating from the 1960s through 1997 at 137 Broadway on the southwest corner of Orchard Street and Broadway, will continue to be monitored for air and groundwater contaminants on site and potentially moving off site through 2025 and 2026.
Blustein said then that perchlorethylene, or PCE, which had been found in site groundwater and soil samples, is a chlorinated volatile organic compound widely used in dry cleaning operations.
Park Ridge
Park Ridge Mayor Keith Misciagna noted the borough is undertaking two historic restorations this year. He said the borough had received $800,000 in grants for the train station’s renovation, noting the station is part of the borough’s official symbol.
He said the train station restoration should occur this year, noting the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026, and likely historical celebrations that should commemorate America’s semiquincentennial. [The term can also be referred to as the bisesquicentennial, the sestercentennial, or the quarter millennial. —Ed.]
He also recalled the nation’s Bicentennial, its 200th anniversary celebration, and the parades and “national pride” that accompanied the celebration.
Misciagna also said that the preservation of the nearly 300-year-old Frederik Wortendyke Jr. House, 12 Pascack Road, was undertaken by the borough, its Open Space Trust Fund, and a historical preservation organization that donated and will help maintain the property. [Story, page 1.]
He said, “When you have an opportunity to preserve the history of your town, you should do it.” He said the purchase was a bipartisan effort by the local council, and will involve the local Pascack Historical Society to help with it. He said he hoped to host fundraising events there.
For more information on the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce, including membership benefits, visit pascackchamber.org or write gpvcoc@pascackchamber.org.