SOUNDS IN THE STACKS S
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Darryl Yokelyʼs Sound Reformation drew a crowd at the Englewood Library.
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ALPINE • CRESSKILL • ENGLEWOOD • ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS • TEANECK • TENAFLY ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS
MARCH 2, 2020
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY
ALPINE
AFFORDABLE DEVELOPER’S HOUSING LAWSUIT COUNSEL FIRED Schools embrace legacies during February DENIED ʻSystem rigged,ʼ Mayor Frick Estate owner sought Kranjac asserts
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
After vowing to appeal two recent Superior Court rulings to require rezoning for 347 new affordable units by mid-April and to permit a developer to construct a 600-unit development—including 100 affordable units—Mayor Mario Kranjac cast the deciding vote to fire the boroughʼs special counsel Jeffrey Surenian, a key attorney on its affordable housing litigation team. Also in mid-January, the council moved to fire attorney Albert H. Wunsch III, another attorney handling the boroughʼs affordable housing litigation. The firing of Surenian at a Feb. 20 special meeting follows two major affordable housing rulings against the borough by Superior Court Judge Christine A. Farrington. Surenianʼs firing was not without controversy. Following a closed-session update on ongoing litigation issues by Surenian, a motion was made to fire Surenian by Councilman Ramon Ferro and seconded by Councilman William Woo. Both voted in favor of the motion while council members Deborah Tsabari and Jimmy Song opposed the motion. Councilman Ed Aversa, who opposed Kranjac and lost during Novemberʼs general election, and Gloria Oh, were absent. With the vote tied 2-2, Mayor
See CLIFFS on page 234
some high-density housing BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
Chantal Pena, Heather Banes, Elise Harrison and Nijay Davy pose with a giant mural pianted by Dwight Morrow High School and Academies@Englewood students for Black History Month. BY HILLARY VIDERS SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
On Feb. 21, an educational and entertaining assembly program at Dwight Morrow Academies@Englewood brought Black History Month to life. Assemblies were held in the morning and afternoon in the DMAE auditorium. Both sessions were
filled with high school students as well as fourth and fifth grade performers from Englewoodʼs Leroy McCloud and Dr. John Grieco schools. Principal Benjamin Suro said, “Today, we are hosting a Black History Month assembly that is full of dance, poetry, songs, speeches and other impactful, student-led activities. But, Black History Month is not
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PHOTO BY HILLARY VIDERS
LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE
Holy Name hospital highlighted the health issues that affect African Americans.
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A developer suing the borough of Alpine to rezone three lots of the former Frick Estate to build multifamily housing— including affordable units—was denied in his efforts to intervene in Alpineʼs affordable housing litigation by a Superior Court judge decision on Feb. 14. Resident Richard Kurtz, of Kamson Corp., who purchased the 60-acre Frick Estate for $58 million in 2006, charged the borough with failing to evaluate three lots in 2000 when it created its Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. The three lots encompass 19 acres and include property at 858 Closter Dock Road, 1 Appletree Lane and 14 Frick Drive. However, in his decision, Superior Court Judge Richard L. Polifroni emphatically denied Kamson Corp.ʼs motion to intervene in Alpineʼs affordable settlement, and criticized the developer for trying to “manipulate this litigation” by requesting a recusal of a former judge and resubmitting the civil case for reconsideration by another judge due to a prior
See ALPINE on page 54
B ck in time...
A largely unchanged strip in Tenably is featured in a vintage view from the 1950s.
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