Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake
PA S C AC K VA L L E Y ’ S BEST H O M E TO W N N E W S PA P E R
VOLUME 25 ISSUE 6
PANTRY POWER
VOLUNTEERS IN ACTION
Montvale 2021 Clean-up Day a success
APRIL 26, 2021
RIVER VALE
SCHOOLS UPGRADE RESULTS? April 20 referendum tally promised soon
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
Patrons can now “shop” at Parkside Community Church’s newly reorganized food pantry. SEE PAGE 19
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON
CHURCH LEASE APPROVED Critics ding Calamari on DPW parking plan
BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
The Township Council has approved a $60,600 lease with Our Lady of Good Counsel Church to harbor DPW vehicles on 35 parking spaces—the lot behind the rectory— for two years. The deal obligates the town for certain maintenance and repairs and has the town taking the church in under its insurance for the use. Critics weighed in at the council meeting of April 19, at which the ordinance passed. Several residents are not satisfied with answers they were given, including over legality, costs, ethics, and transparency. Township Attorney Kenneth Poller advised the council not to
See LEASE on page 314
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THE BIG PICTURE: The Montvale Environmental Commission, Montvale Boy Scout Troop 334, Montvale Cub Scout Pack 336, Montvale Girl Scouts, Montvale Senior Club, the mayor and council, and many residents pitched in for this sixth annual effort. thanking 110 residents who showed up to clean up on the weekend of April 10. “Montvaleʼs 2021 Clean-up Day was late this year but still a huge success. We had 110 residents lend hands around town and collected well over 1,000 HE BOROUGH IS
pounds of trash,” the borough says on its website. Volunteers started at 9 a.m. on Saturday “and though the event was scheduled to end at noon some residents kept going throughout the weekend. Participants received a Bergen County Clean Community Mask, a
PHOTO COURTESY COLIN HANRAHAN
KID CONNECTION
Valley Chabadʼs Friendship Circle launched its spring session with a fun Sunday Circle at Valley Chabadʼs open tent.
SEE PAGE 12
reusable shopping bag, T-shirts, and a backpack.” Bob Hanrahan, chair of the Montvale Environmental Commission, said, “With the help of the Montvale Environmental Commission, Montvale Boy
Continued on page 26
District officials and voters are waiting to learn the results of the April 20 schools referendum, questions that proposed $35.7 million in new debt on facility improvements at Holdrum Middle and Roberge and Woodside Elementary schools. With state aid and capital reserves, the total project amount pending is approximately $42.5 million. Many residents who voted did so at two polling stations, and those ballots are counted first. After that is the tally of mail-in and provisional votes. County elections officials anticipated final results by either Monday, April 26, or Tuesday, April 27. River Vale Public Schools interim Superintendent Frank Alvarez told Pascack Press on April 21, “We appreciate all the community members who took the time to learn about the bond proposal and who voted. No matter the ultimate results of this referendum, we will pursue strategies that maintain the high quality of the River Vale district.” The district said on its website, “We will share election results from the Bergen County Clerk as soon as they are available. The election must be certified by May 3, but we hope to have final See RESULTS on page 304
B ck in time...
This week 115 years ago, River Vale split from the Township of Washington and Hillsdale to become the final Pascack Valley community to incorporate. Kristin Beuscher has the story. SEE PAGE 4