Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake
PA S C AC K VA L L E Y ’ S H O M E TO W N N E W S PA P E R
VOLUME 26 ISSUE 8
Head of the class
MAY 9, 2022
VALLEY FAMILY TRADITION
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON
QUESTIONS
TRAIL SWIM Saul, 18, sworn to FDs in Westwood, Hillsdale CLUB SALE Town says it will apply for county land acquisition grant; former owners want bond refunds
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
Congratulations to Chris Eagar, valedictorian of the Westwood Regional High School Class of 2022. SEE PAGE 12
PARK RIDGE
BLOWBACK ON RENT HIKES AT THE JAMES
Increases of 15% to 24% upset new residents; mayor says heʼll advocate
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
Residents at the James, the 240-unit, five story luxury mixeduse development at 87 Madison Ave. on Kinderkamack Road that began rentals last summer, have told Pascack Press that the landlord has hit residents with new rent leases that call for up to 24% annual increases, adding as much as $600 to their monthly cost of living. Several residents told Pascack Press that they find the increases “unconscionable” given that they were some of the first to sign with the new luxury complex — and
See BLOWBACK on page 214
Ladder of success: Left to right at the Westwood Council meeting of May 3, at the swearing in of probationary firefighter Michael Saul, are brother Bobby Saul, dad Robert Saul Jr., Michael Saul (also inset), Mayor Ray Arroyo, Westwood Volunteer Fire Department Chief James Voorhis, mom Kim Saul, and council fire liaison James Greco.
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BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
ONGRATULATIONS to Michael Saul, who stepped up from the cadet ranks and on May 3 was sworn in as a probationary firefighter with the Westwood Volunteer Fire Department — adding to his new credentials as a probationary member of the Hillsdale Volunteer Fire Department. Saul is a third-generation firefighter for Westwood, following in the footsteps of his grand-
father, honorary chief Robert Saul Sr.; his father, ex-chief Robert Saul Jr.; his mother, Hillsdale ex-chief Kim HamptonSaul; and his brother, Bobby Saul. The ceremony was held at the head of a meeting called to adopt the 2022 municipal budget.. Mayor Ray Arroyo arranged to fit the swearing-in ahead of schedule in light of the fact that Bobby, who serves in the U.S. Army, was home on leave. The opportunity allowed him to hold the Bible for his younger brother as he took his oath.
Mayor Ray Arroyo said of Saul, who turned 18 on May 1 and stepped up in Hillsdale and Westwood as soon as humanly possible, said, “His familyʼs service lineage is long, storied, and held in the highest esteem in Westwood. But if youʼve ever
Continued on page 24
Three days after the Township closed on its $750,000 purchase of a 6.1-acre former Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club, the council sought public input, May 2, on a county open space land acquisition grant for $675,000, hoping to recoup most of its cost — which otherwise RELATED stays with local taxpayers. • Calamari M a y o r Peter Calamari rethinks DPW at Charlie requested that residents email Brown’s, now eyes police or call his office dept. move with sugges— Page 6 tions on what to do with the property. The township recently approved bonding for $800,000 so that it could purchase the property, after a summer campʼs winning bid fell apart and the seller circled back to Mayor Peter Calamari. Appearing via Zoom, Township grants consultant David Biunno of GLD Associates said the hearing and grant application was a “unique application” because the township already purchased the property and was looking for reim-
See SWIM on page 224
LIBRARY GIRLS
B ck in time...
Park Ridge Daisy Troop 8198 reports they a great time receiving a tour - and their first library cards - “from our favorite librarian, Miss Renee!” SEE PAGE 7
“Montvale got its new train station - and the money residents had pledged. But the stone station designed by Conrad Bush never came to be.” Kristin Beuscher has the story. SEE PAGE 4