The wheat and rye are looking fine and the outlook for fruit is good Highest temperature for the week was 73 degrees That was the latest from River Vale as reported by Abram C In addition to his standing as the largest landowner in town at the turn of the 20th century Holdrum (1837–1909) corresponded for the New Jersey State Weather Service and the vice president of the Bergen County Board of Agriculture His now 130-year-old dispatches provide a glimpse into a vanished way of life “Weather and soil in condition for growth of all vegetation Strawberries are ripening fast and picking is going on Grass is in fine condition and promises a good crop Much of the food grown here would be destined for urban markets in New York City and Paterson and local families relied on a good crop to make their living and more would be shipped in crates by horse-drawn wagon and railroad This lifestyle was once ubiquitous in our communities and up through the early 20th century the majority of River Vale residents were farmers The River Vale of the 1890s was a far cry from the community residents know and love today The photograph above is typical of the landscape as it looked then.  This view captured on the Holdrum Farm shows the massive amount of open space that existed in 1899 It is possible that the large hill in the background is the ridge beyond Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale Holdrum lived in a beautiful mansion that stood on Rivervale Road north of the present-day DPW complex It was the showpiece of a farm that stretched for over 160 acres Wide open spaces and farmland have given way to suburban development and small country lanes have turned into paved roadways meant for automobiles rather than horses and carriages The population of just 266 people in 1899 (as per the 1900 census) created a much different atmosphere than today’s tally of nearly 10,000 While the name “River Vale” was being used to denote this region in the 19th century The land that now comprises River Vale was part of the Township of Washington until 1906 In addition to being a farmer and the postmaster of Westwood He introduced the legislation that led to the incorporation of River Vale Holdrum is also credited with capturing the lowest temperature ever recorded in New Jersey He had a government thermometer at his farm that measured 34 degrees below zero in January 1904 River Vale’s Holdrum Middle School is named for his son who was a longtime president of the school board Township’s 3rd Annual ‘Spring Into Wellness’ 5K County breaks ground on $6M Overpeck Golf Course clubhouse All content on this website is the property of The Press Group and is protected by copyright. Reproduction, distribution, or use of any material without prior written permission is strictly prohibited, unless otherwise stated. To report any misuse, please contact us at PascackPress@ThePressGroup.net 276-unit portfolio of garden apartments in Bergen County for $80 million the holdings include three complexes in Westwood — Coventry Square at 20 Charles St. and The Madison Apartments at 99 Madison Ave — as well as Village on the Green at 229 Collignon Way in River Vale The portfolio of one- and two-bedroom units is 96 percent occupied touting Bergen County’s strong apartment market and the presence of employers such as Hackensack Meridian Health and BMW’s North American headquarters “The successful sale of the Westwood Multi-housing Portfolio underscores the strong investor demand for quality multifamily assets in high-demand markets like Bergen County,” said Jose Cruz “This transaction highlights the appeal of properties with substantial value-add potential and the continued interest in suburban markets offering accessibility Cruz along with fellow senior managing directors Mike Oliver and Steve Simonelli as well as Director Elizabeth DeVesty and Associate Austin Pierce is a value-add opportunity for the buyer given that most of the units are unrenovated the properties have amenities such as a fitness center The team also pointed to Westwood’s walkable downtown and several shopping while citing Bergen County’s proximity to the Garden State Parkway and Route 4 allowing residents to reach Manhattan in less than an hour has been covering New Jersey commercial real estate for 13 years Many industry leaders view him as the go-to real estate reporter in the state a role he is eager to continue as the editor of Real Estate NJ He is a lifelong New Jersey resident who has spent a decade covering the great Garden State Restaurant chain Bojangles has opened along a major commercial corridor in Piscataway as part of a previously announced deal brokered by The Goldstein Group All RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright 2023 Real Estate NJ 101 Eisenhower Parkway Roseland Our site uses cookies. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy A trio of North Jersey municipalities are among the top destinations in the state to call home, according to a recent list from WorldAtlas.com Ho-Ho-Kus and River Vale as three of its nine "best places to live in New Jersey in 2025." The list's compilers considered a variety of factors in naming each town from housing affordability and nearby attractions to the job market and quality of schools in the area The World Atlas list highlighted Clifton as keeping "a low-key with a strong sense of community." The Passaic County city also boasts a strong education system and plenty of options for outdoor activities at local parks and sports fields Other perks of Clifton include a diverse selection of restaurants and easy commutes to other popular destinations like New York City or neighboring Montclair World Atlas cited the "fantastic" layout that provides convenient access to entertainment options in the Bergen County borough "Ho-Ho-Kus keeps its small-town charm close to the heart along tree-lined streets and classic colonial architecture that beckon for a stroll," the list read The borough is one of the best places to raise kids due to its strong public schools and low crime rate Its downtown area features numerous restaurants and shops without feeling overcrowded the Bergen County borough of River Vale still offers lots of things to do for a small community "River Vale draws families and outdoor lovers with beautiful woodland parks and recreational facilities," World Atlas said it is very safe and crime-free with easy access to services and medical facilities." Residents can enjoy an array of eateries and coffee shops along with any of the three golf courses in River Vale Its proximity to three other states — it is 30 miles from New York City and just over 100 miles from both Philadelphia and Hartford Connecticut — allows for quick trips to larger cities while still benefiting from small-town living The six other towns rounding out the World Atlas list are Atlantic City Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates a devoted Bergen County father and accomplished accountant Michael Klingele leaves behind his three children Michael's death was sudden and unexpected, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched for the futures of his three children Born and raised on Staten Island, Michael graduated from the University of Scranton, where he met his wife, Teresa, his obituary on the Becker Funeral Home website reads Michael climbed the ranks in his accounting career starting at PwC and ultimately becoming a partner at BDO "Those who knew Michael will never forget his sharp wit and boundless sense of humor," his obituary says "He had an uncanny ability to find the funny side of any situation His humor was a reflection of his genuine warmth always using laughter to bring people closer together and an active member of White Beeches Golf & Country Club the well-being and future of their children remain of utmost importance," Buldo writes on the GoFundMe "Mike and Teresa worked tirelessly to create opportunities for their children and shared a steadfast belief in the transformative power of education to help them build meaningful and fulfilling lives we have established a college fund to support their children’s education and ensure they can access the opportunities he and Teresa envisioned We humbly ask you to consider a contribution to provide lasting support for their dreams and aspirations." 24 at Becker Funeral Home in Westwood from 2 p.m A Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday with entombment to follow at Garden of Memories in Washington Township Click here for Michael Klingele's complete obituary on the Becker Funeral Home website and here to donate to his children. RIVER VALE — A North Bergen man is in trouble with the law again this week after using Snapchat to get meet up with a minor to then allegedly sexually assault the child Another River Vale in-person meeting was set for Jan detectives from the prosecutor’s office and River Vale police showed up McCann was sent to Bergen County Jail pending an appearance in Bergen County Superior Court Any other child believed to have had contact with the Snapchat account is asked to call the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Tips Line at (201) 226-5532 McCann was the center of a different police department’s investigation the West New York Police Department received a report of a man allegedly trying to lure a 11-year-old female into his vehicle near 61st Street and Kennedy Boulevard in the town according to the department’s Facebook post but this prompted an investigation from the department who was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child and attempting to lure or entice a child Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom Gallery Credit: Eric Scott A North Bergen man is in trouble with the law again this week after using Snapchat to get meet up with a minor to then allegedly sexually assault the child.\nRead More Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page JLL Capital Markets assists with the successful transaction of the Westwood Multi-housing Portfolio Your browser doesn't support speech synthesis MORRISTOWN, N.J., Dec. 11, 2024 – JLL Capital Markets announced today that it has arranged the $80 million sale of the Westwood Multi-housing Portfolio 276-unit multifamily portfolio located in Westwood and River Vale The portfolio is comprised of Coventry Square Village on the Green is situated in the adjacent town of River Vale Bergen County is an affluent area characterized by strong demand and a high quality of life supported by major employers such as Hackensack Meridian Health and BMW's North American headquarters The average annual household income within a three-mile radius of key locations is $212,822 which is 31% above the county average and a remarkable 62% of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher with 82% employed in white-collar professions Offering suburban comfort with abundant amenities the area features a walkable downtown in Westwood and numerous shopping Bergen County's proximity to the Garden State Parkway and Route 4 provides seamless access to Manhattan in less than an hour spans 11.79 acres and is currently 96% occupied each featuring full kitchens with energy-efficient appliances Community amenities include a fitness center the portfolio presents an excellent value-add opportunity for the buyer JLL Capital Market’s Investment and Sales Advisory team representing the seller was led by Senior Managing Directors Jose Cruz Director Elizabeth DeVesty and Associate Austin Pierce "The successful sale of the Westwood Multi-housing Portfolio underscores the strong investor demand for quality multifamily assets in high-demand markets like Bergen County," said Cruz "This transaction highlights the appeal of properties with substantial value-add potential and the continued interest in suburban markets offering accessibility JLL Capital Markets is a full-service global provider of capital solutions for real estate investors and occupiers The firm's in-depth local market and global investor knowledge delivers the best-in-class solutions for clients — whether investment sales and advisory The firm has more than 3,000 Capital Markets specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries For more news, videos and research resources, please visit JLL’s newsroom Kushner is a diversified real estate organization specializing in the ownership development and redevelopment of properties across the United States With a portfolio that includes over 22,000 multifamily apartments across 14 states as well as 13 million square feet of office Kushner is committed to creating productive and state-of-the-art environments for its tenants Guided by past successes and an innovative vision for the future the company has established a significant presence in key markets such as New York insights and opportunities from global commercial real estate markets straight to your inbox RIVER VALE AND THE PASCACK VALLEY area are in for a treat as Jack’s Café known for his delectable dishes and inviting ambiance was a staple—even a setting in a Robert DeNiro/Bobby Canavale movie—in Westwood for 16 years before it shuttered in December 2022 due to the pandemic D’Eletto ran a pop-up at B&M Market in Park Ridge and pitched in with his son in opening three restaurants in Boston D’Eletto felt compelled to return to his roots “There are too many hours in a day to retire,” says the 62-year-old D’Eletto After a couple of setbacks with other locations I found this spot and decided to try something new.” The reopened Jack’s Café—Chris named the business for his father—will feature some changes focusing on breakfast and lunch with occasional fancy dinners twice a month A substantial grab-and-go section will offer convenient “I want people to know our grab-and-go section will provide easy dinners to take home The new menu will cater to diverse dietary needs “Breakfast will largely stay the same,” D’Eletto promises I’ve come up with some new recipes that I’m excited to share.” Richard Harriman fine art will grace the walls creating a funky and visually appealing environment Community response on social media has been overwhelmingly positive and deeper dives:  Mmm… love that chicken salad and the hangar steak and When can I order my Santa Rosa omelette Jack’s Café and Market aims to create a hip music-oriented environment featuring pop-art by local artists D’Eletto also plans to host local musicians during special dinner events he proudly acknowledges her as “the greatest thing to ever happen” to him With seven kids between us and soon-to-be five grandkids we eagerly anticipates the return of our favorite dishes and the friendly atmosphere that Jack’s Café is famous for.  Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Partners with Nine Police Departments for National Night Out Joseph has set the bar so high that no golf team in North Jersey The Green Knights won the Fairleigh Dickinson Invitational on Wednesday at chilly one week after capturing the Garden State Cup at Blue Heron Pines in South Jersey Joseph set a tournament record at the FDU Invitational with a shoot-five capturing the title by 13 strokes and serving notice that this team expects to challenge for every 18-hole tournament title the boys are ready,” said Green Knights coach Kevin Rooney “I think we really solidified ourselves as a top team in the state,” said Liam Moloney and we expect ourselves to win every tournament runner-up in a 17-team field that featured a majority of North Jersey’s top teams with BC taking fifth based on the better fifth player score Joseph freshman Rory Asselta won the individual title with 5-under 67 He made several birdie putts beyond 15 feet to finish two strokes ahead of his teammate and runner-up “I was playing really well at the start,” said Asselta Four Green Knights cracked the top 10: Junior Michael Asselta Rory’s brother and last year’s North Jersey Boys Golfer of the Year Sophomore CJ Antifonario tied for 10th with 75 Though his score did not count for the team freshman Justin Peck's 77 tied him for 21st “The boys just fueled each other,” Rooney said “They see what each other is shooting and they just want to get better And it’s just impressive how they battled out there with the conditions on the golf course Northern Highlands rallied over the final holes to finish second and shooting 297 has to be considered a breakthrough performance “I know beforehand they got pretty pumped up coming down here and wanting to make some noise,” Highlanders co-coach Chris Broking said “And it’s kind of cool to see them pull together and reach a goal like that.” Demarest burst on the scene last year thanks to a trio of freshmen and those current sophomores continue to deliver all three of them,” Norsemen coach Rob Pugliese said Every golfer can find a mistake here or there that they could have done a little better 73 and 76 for those three sophomores is pretty darn good especially with the conditions today with the wind.” FDU Invitational                          At River Vale CC                           Par: 72; Yardage: 6,168                               and history comes to the River Vale Public Library on Wednesday as local favorite Barbara Lowin stars in Outrageous! a 75-minute theatrical performance bringing to life one of Central Europe’s most compelling figures: Alma Mahler and widow of Austrian composer Gustav Mahler Alma Mahler (1879–1964) was known for her bold personality explores Alma’s world in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century—a time of glittering cultural ferment and changing roles for women a River Vale resident and seasoned performer created the production in collaboration with pianist Paul Greenwood and director Gretchen Cryer The piece blends spoken narrative and live music offering a vivid portrayal of Alma’s voice Barbara Lowin began her performance career as a child star in her native Toronto eventually earning a Bachelor of Music from the Juilliard School and studying in Master Classes with the legendary soprano Maria Callas Her international résumé includes operatic and concert appearances with the Welsh National Opera and the orchestras of Düsseldorf and Duisburg as well as televised performances with CBC TV She has performed for Presidents Gerald Ford and George W Lowin’s particular passion is song—whether by Beethoven or Gershwin—which led her to embrace the art of cabaret she has performed a dozen original cabaret shows over 30 years It was her deep connection to the music of Gustav Mahler and growing interest in Alma Mahler’s complicated legacy that inspired her to create Outrageous! Paul Greenwood is one of New York’s most sought-after pianists Greenwood’s classical training and background in composition allow him to move fluidly between genres—from Broadway to jazz to art song His career includes collaborations with stage and screen legends such as Anita Gillette His long-time partnership with Lowin is marked by chemistry The event is at River Vale Public Library, 412 Rivervale Road. Call (201) 391-2323 Admission is free, but registration is required. Visit RiverValeLibrary.org to sign up Westwood Parking Advisory Board meets March 25 nonprofit sector recognized at sold-out ‘Girls Night Out’ N.J.—Unexpected construction delays and anticipated change orders might push the long-awaited opening of River Vale’s nearly $15 million Public Safety Complex to late summer or early fall and we’re working through all of it,” township administrator and chief financial officer Gennaro Rotella told Pascack Press referring to recent drainage improvements required around the new building Residents had reported to Pascack Press that construction appeared to have stalled in recent weeks including a need for improved drainage design He estimated the changes could add $50,000 to $100,000 in costs meet regularly to discuss progress and concerns assessing ongoing work and contributing feedback “These delays are not to my liking,” Rotella said noting that unforeseen issues are typical in large-scale construction projects He said the township is also waiting on Veolia North America and PSE&G to complete water and electric utility work for the new facility Township Engineer Christopher Statile said insulation was being installed and site cleanup was underway in preparation for parking lot construction Statile noted that jail cell doors still needed to be fabricated—a process with a long lead time Statile projected completion in summer or fall though he did not offer a specific timeline he reported the project was approximately 60% complete controlled entryway that provides restricted access to and from the facility’s jail.) Statile also reported that siding had been installed on the building exterior and that concrete walls and ceilings in the jail area had been poured the Township Council approved a $170,373.48 contract for a camera and door access system to enhance security at the new police complex the project had generated eight change orders totaling about $72,000—nearly 10% of the $750,000 contingency fund set aside for unanticipated changes Officials previously stated that the overall project cost would remain unchanged unless the contingency fund was exceeded the Township Council awarded a $14.8 million construction bid to Dobco Inc The project is backed by nearly $20 million in bonding Gottheimer slams Trump tariffs in Westwood visit RIVER VALE—A third Joint Planning Board hearing on a controversial proposal by Incandescent Development LLC to build 52 townhomes at 691 and 693 Rivervale Road is set for Wednesday The hearing follows two prior postponements Land use administrator Maria Haag confirmed last week that the hearing is still on for Sept No reasons were provided for the earlier postponements but a possible tax lien sale on the properties complicated matters Deputy Tax Collector Kelly Lombardy told Pascack Press on Sept 17 that “all previously unpaid taxes” at 691 and 693 Rivervale Road have been paid and “there will be no tax lien sale this year.” A public notice posted Sept 17 tax sale listed the two properties’ unpaid 2023 taxes the total tax lien sale amount for 691 Rivervale Road was $65,026.09 clearing the way for the hearing to proceed as planned is seeking to build 52 townhomes on the 5.4-acre property which is currently owned by Forcellati under V.E.R The development proposal includes eight affordable townhouse units consisting of four townhomes with two affordable units each The applicant is requesting preliminary and final site plan approval along with several variances from township zoning regulations These include a use variance for the townhouse development a height variance for buildings up to 38 feet where 32 feet is the maximum allowed and a bulk variance for impervious coverage A design waiver is also sought for minimum active recreation space outlines additional site improvements such as landscaping The project also requires approval for major soil movement and other potential design waivers is scheduled to testify at the upcoming hearing with questions from the board and the public to follow if the applicant does not recall any prior witnesses board chair Scott Lippert is expected to open the meeting for final comments from board members and the public If time permits and no additional information or testimony is required a vote could be taken at the end of the meeting “There should only be one more meeting which will end with a vote by the board.” If a decision is not reached on Sept The proposed development has drawn significant public interest partly due to the variances and waivers requested and the inclusion of affordable housing units The 30-plus documents related to the Incandescent Development application are available for public review on the Joint Planning Board page at rivervalenj.org Ball in town’s court on 450 Pascack Road ShopRite invite you to meet food pantries and pitch in 24 approved a $170,000 security system to protect and monitor police department operations inside and outside the new public safety complex Administrator Gennaro Rotella told us that the funds for the camera systems and door access system to be installed will come from bond funds originally approved for the complex’s construction The project cost for new cameras and access doors totals $170,373.48 Rotella said the new security cameras are AI-driven and provide 24/7 building coverage He said police officials reviewed and approved schematics for camera security system design.  The contract to install security cameras and access doors was awarded to EAW Security He said similar to furniture and communications systems that must be added at the new facility safety and security upgrades are necessary for effective and safe operations He said they do not constitute a change order as they are not being handled by the building’s general contractor Rotella said the building should be completed by June although last-minute fixes and other upgrades may require additional time before the police department is fully moved in Council also approved a $43,200 contract with Watch Us Grow Landscape Design LLC to undertake a clubhouse patio improvement project at River Vale Country Club Rotella said the work should help fix a drainage problem at the golf course that has caused occasional flooding in the club’s bar area.  He said project funds will come from the remaining 2021 American Rescue Plan funds distributed post-pandemic to help stimulate economic growth Joan’s Joy ‘Mardi Gras’ Vendor Party March 4 the undefeated River Vale Raiders faced the Northern Valley Eagles at Pascack Hills High School in the Super Bowl Both local teams earned their way to the big game with hard-fought wins throughout the regular season led by their 8th-grade players—many of whom now have four Super Bowl championships under their belt as Raiders—ended their 2024 season with a pristine 11-0 record Northern Valley applied pressure on both offense and defense throughout the contest The Eagles came close to scoring multiple times driving the ball within yards of the goal line Both programs and coaches have done a tremendous job with these young athletes and I look forward to covering them at Pascack Valley and NVOT RV’s 1st touchdown was scored by QB Ryan McTigue (#30) on a power run play on 4th-and-2 RV’s 2nd touchdown came via a 20-yard pass by QB Ryan McTigue to WR Dante Boothe (#0) The extra point was run in by RB Evan Marcazo (#19) Post 162 Says Show ‘We Care.’ Write to Deployed Troops Before Dec Woman’s Club of Norwood and Northvale Revels in Beefsteak Dinner Fundraiser Success This year marks the first presidential election in which New Jersey residents can cast an early vote as the state approved the voting option in 2021 Residents can vote early in person on a voting machine for nine days before the general election on Nov Hours will be Monday through Saturday 10 a.m more than 545,000 votes were cast before polls opened — 124,197 from early in-person voting and 421,573 from vote-by-mail ballots according to the state's Division of Elections There are 6,659,963 voters registered in the state, or about 71% of the population 15 to register to vote for the general election More: Here are all the North Jersey county-level races for November elections PASCACK VALLEY—The River Vale Raiders seniors hosted the Hillsdale Hawks in the annual Friendship Bowl on Saturday— and perhaps it was the home field advantage but the Raiders did pretty well in this outing The stands and fence line at Mark Lane were packed with family and friends cheering on the town rival players Before the game started and as a time honored tradition the senior Raider players met their cheerleaders at midfield to present them with a flower It didn’t take long for RV QB Ryan McTigue (#30) to find his WR who caught the ball on the 10-yard line and ran it in for the first score of the game RV then secured the extra point and kicked off to the Hawks The Hillsdale offense ran hard against the Raider defense but just could not make it into the end zone they drove down the field thanks to some tough blocking and running RV RB Keith Mulcare (#25) rumbled his way to the end zone for the second touchdown and extra point of the game bringing the score to 14-0.  The Hawks offense tried to answer back on the ground and in the air but the Raider defense wasn’t having it including the game ending leaping interception by DB Tyler Hurst (#38).  Although it was a tough night for the Hawks the players met at midfield after the game to shake hands knowing they will all be teammates next year at PV..  PV varsity football head coach Len Cusamano was in attendance along with his players to watch the game The annual Friendship Bowl is a wonderful tradition that brings both towns together and gives the players and cheerleaders a glimpse of what high school football will look like Mayors advised: Act on housing plans by Jan 2025 at 11:37 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}How much snow did your Bergen County town get See the totals and the updated predictions for Martin Luther King Day NJ — While the snowfall was underwhelming in some parts of North Jersey there were towns that got accumulations of several inches and slippery roads The National Weather Service released these reports from spotters on Sunday evening: Here are links to the NWS forecasts for different parts of Bergen County: Forecasting weather is an imperfect science so it's best to check the most up-to-date numbers: What about the rivers? This NWS map of the United States will show the potential for flooding Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. PASCACK VALLEY—“A novel and interesting reception will take place at Brookside Hall 1910,” the Bergen County Standard newspaper reported 115 years ago this week “This will be a Calico Dance given by the very exclusive Old Tappan Social Club The gentlemen will be presented with a calico tie by a member of the club Each tie will be numbered and each apron will also have a number so the gentleman will have no trouble finding the lady who carries his number.” “There will be first-class music furnished for this affair The hall is the finest as well as the largest in this section and will be well able to accommodate a very large assembly.” when a group of New York City aristocrats held a dance in which each woman would appear in a simple cotton calico dress.  The initial event was a huge success—the city’s wealthy elite loved the novelty of it Calico dances for charity continued into the early 20th century and various groups in Bergen County were known to sponsor them they were no longer an aristocratic endeavor.  and others would hold these events that were seen more as costume parties where people wore old-fashioned rural-themed clothing would raise money by imposing a fine (usually about 5 cents) on anyone not adhering to the dress code The venue for River Vale’s Calico Dance of 1910 was Brookside Hall it stood at the River Vale/Old Tappan border where Old Tappan Road takes an abrupt turn to the right just before it meets Rivervale Road near the bank of the Hackensack River.  In addition to being the local general store It was where town meetings and elections took place.  While the old hotel was torn down in the 1950s the location on Old Tappan Road is still known as Lachmund’s Bend Today there is a nature reserve called Bonnabel Park where Lachmund’s stood After only slightly over a year and a half since Jack’s Café closed in Westwood the restaurant will be reopening in River Vale Jack’s Café closed in December 2022 after 16 years in Westwood due to COVID Jack's opened as a pop-up at B&M Market in Park Ridge Owner Chris D’ Eletto helped his son open up three restaurants in Boston Jack’s Café is returning as Jack’s Café and Market in August at 669 Westwood Ave When asked why he wanted to come out of retirement D'Eletto said there are “too many hours in a day to retire,” at only 62 years old “B&M [Market] was just a great place," he said and I decided to do something a little different.”  D’Eletto said some changes include that the restaurant will only be serving breakfast and lunch He is planning twice a month fancy dinners and also will have a large grab-and-go selection for people for dinner “I really want people to understand the grab-and-go section is going to be easy dinners to take home “There'll be a big variety of foods there.” D’Eletto is also focused on accommodating people’s personal food preferences and allergies with new menu items “Breakfast will be almost the same [menu]," D’Eletto said “We're going to add vegan options and a few more vegetarian [options] and plenty of gluten free [options] There's a couple of new things that I've come up with that are just great D’Eletto said he loves his community and is willing to cook items not on the menu for his customers as well and they don't see something they used to love at Jack's The owner wants his new place to be “hipster and music oriented,” and feature pop-art with local talent D’Eletto is also looking to bring in local music artists for his occasional dinner nights D’Eletto co-owns the business with his wife and proudly says that she is the greatest thing to ever happen to him "We decided 'Why not do what we love one more time,' " Risa D'Eletto said "With seven kids between the two of us and soon to be five grandkids “I'm so happy in my life where I am now," he said and River Vale are among 10 Bergen County towns set to be recommended for property revaluations in 2026 according to a notice from the county’s Board of Taxation The recommendation will be formally presented at the Bergen County Commissioners meeting on Dec the revaluations will take effect in the 2027 tax year ensuring assessed property values reflect current market conditions Hillsdale Mayor Michael Sheinfield called the process “painful” but necessary “There will be winners and there will be losers,” Sheinfield told Pascack Press We’re going to be laser-focused on this because of what’s coming down the road with the schools’ bond referendum [tax] impacts 12 notice to local officials listing the towns being considered for “revaluation orders.” A revaluation is generally required when a town’s assessed property values fall below 85% of their market value as measured by the assessment-to-sales ratio Other towns under consideration include Fort Lee (67.44%) the commissioners approve recommendations when towns meet the revaluation criteria,” Layton said Revaluations typically cost towns approximately $230,000 or more with costs varying based on the scope of work required as a way to maintain alignment with market values over time River Vale’s chief financial officer and administrator work would likely begin in 2026 and conclude in time for the 2027 tax year Rotella emphasized that while revaluations bring assessed values in line with market conditions they do not necessarily result in higher taxes “Property tax rates adjust accordingly,” he said leading to minimal or no change in tax bills overall.” He also encouraged residents to cooperate with appraisal company inspectors during the revaluation process “Accurate data leads to more accurate assessments,” Rotella noted Hillsdale’s last revaluation occurred in 2013 Mayor Sheinfield declined further comment on the upcoming recommendation though he acknowledged the importance of transparency and vigilance in managing the process In an earlier discussion with Washington Township officials tax assessor Sarah Holbig clarified that the purpose of revaluations is not to increase or decrease taxes but rather to align property assessments with true market value Our efforts to reach Montvale Mayor Michel Ghassali for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.  Backing Webelos in kindness toward rescued farm friends HILLSDALE—The chief of Hillsdale’s Volunteer Ambulance Service which includes a paid weekday EMT staff from 6 a.m said that the service answered more than 500 calls for service in 2024 and arrived generally in under five minutes on scene.  Chief John Beatty told the council that the combined volunteer and paid ambulance service answered a total of 514 calls locally and in surrounding towns in 2024 the daytime EMT service has been a shared service between Hillsdale and River Vale that uses the paid EMTs to cover weekday calls in both towns Hillsdale began the combined paid-volunteer ambulance service in September 2023 the paid daytime EMT service has responded to 11 calls in River Vale He said so far the paid weekday crew has missed only one call in River Vale when a crew was responding to a Hillsdale call He said they’ve heard “nothing but positive feedback” from River Vale police on ambulance response Hillsdale also reached out to Old Tappan and Washington Township to study a four-town ambulance service Old Tappan dropped out and only River Vale pursued the shared service partnership with Hillsdale Beatty said previously when he served as chief the volunteer ambulance service answered up to 60% of regular calls to out-of-town addresses He said that dropped to “a much more manageable 15% last year.”   He said that means donations from residents and a stipend from the council is being used mostly for residents.  He said that call volume was up last year He said Hillsdale does not respond to mutual aid calls during paid EMT hours from 6 a.m were handled by paid EMT staff during 6 a.m and 196 calls were handled by volunteer crews on nights and weekends He said another 107 calls were handled by volunteer agencies including 27 when Hillsdale crews were on in-town calls 38 were answered by volunteer EMTs and 37 by paid EMTs during weekday hours he estimated nearly 900 service calls likely in 2025 he said the volunteer EMS crew was already answering its third call since 6 p.m.  “We are already at 33 calls for the month of February He said after receiving a call from dispatch the ambulance crew arrives in an average of four minutes He said the average time for Hillsdale EMS to arrive on scene to any call “And this is a dramatic improvement of the nearly 15-minute average which is the on-scene time you’re currently waiting in Bergen County,” Beatty told council.  He said the ambulance service “continues to lead talks” with neighboring agencies to possibly share services or combine to better serve residents Police chief’s disciplinary hearing set for March 13 With snow, sleet and freezing in the forecast overnight into Thursday morning some North Jersey schools have announced delayed opening and snow days A winter weather advisory will be in effect for North Jersey on Thursday from 4 a.m Snow and sleet totals for some parts of North Jersey are only expected to reach 1 to 2 inches "There is snow and ice forecasted for tonight going into tomorrow," the state Department of Transportation posted on social media Wednesday "Roads could be icy during tomorrow’s morning commute Make sure to plan extra travel time and slow down and obey posted speed limit." Forecast: North Jersey under winter weather advisory as snow and ice could snarl morning commute some county and state offices will have delayed openings Some Morris County Tournament second-round basketball games were moved to Wednesday due to the forecast NJ schools with delayed openingsHere are the North Jersey schools that have announced a delayed start to the school day on Thursday Englewood was inadvertently added to the list of school closures Here are the North Jersey schools that have closed school on Thursday AllendaleAndoverBergenfieldBloomfieldBloomingdaleBoontonByramCaldwell-West CaldwellCatholic Academy of Sussex CountyCedar GroveChathamCounty College of MorrisDelbartonDenvilleDoverDumontEast HanoverElmwood ParkEmersonFair LawnFairview Florham ParkFrankfordFranklin (Sussex)Franklin LakesFredonGarfield Gill St including Motor Vehicle CommissionNewton Municipal BuildingSussex County officesWayne Community CenterCheck back for updates to this list throughout the night and early morning RIVER VALE—The Township of River Vale is hosting its Eighth Annual Town Wide Garage Sale on Saturday Approximately 70 households are expected to participate in this year’s event Participants are instructed to pick up a balloon from Town Hall Patrons can pick up a map of the garage sale in front of Town Hall during this time This map includes participants’ addresses and lists the items for sale at each home Organizers say that, due to the growing number of participants, the lists have been divided into two groups: North River Vale and South River Vale. The list of participating homes is subject to change. The Township has made these items available digitally on its website The township encourages residents of all ages to participate in the sale a director of Social and Cultural Affairs in River Vale “Some residents do more and add lemonade sales participants donated $20 each which will benefit the Helping Hand Food Pantry The non-profit organization services approximately 400 neighbors every month from Emerson Salib said the event has raised $1,300 in donations this year Reporter’s notebook: Michael Olohan on a heck of a run Gala lauds go-getter force at Valley Chabad Marv Hoech of Springfield will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with several special celebrations with family and friends over the anniversary weekend and in the following two weeks Hoech and the former Ruth Ebeling were married July 25 Hoech held various positions as a teacher and administrator in the field of education for 51 years and has recently retired Hoech was a former teacher and retired as an accounts manager from FitClub Angela Poore of Normal; Kimbria Zupfer of River Vale Ryan and Aaron Zupfer and Noah and Kayla Hoech Bill Waldmire of Rochester will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a gathering of friends and family at their home on Saturday All friends and family are welcome to attend Waldmire and the former Arlene McClanahan were married July 24 Waldmire retired after 36 years as a state photographer Waldmire is owner and operator of Cardinal Hill Candles and Crafts in Rochester Derrel Davis of Springfield will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with a fall trip to Paris Davis and the former Monica Petrilli were married July 20 Davis worked for the Springfield public schools for 13 years was in real estate for 26 years and is now broker and owner of the Real Estate Group worked for the Springfield public schools for 33 years Kinner of Pleasant Plains celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary with a trip to New Orleans in May and with a bus trip with the Gardner Golden Club at Central Baptist Church in Springfield by John Neff Kinner retired in 2002 from state Department of Human Services after 29 years retired in 2009 from Memorial Medical Center after 36 years Andy) Davin of Pleasant Plains and Kevin Kinner of Chicago They are expecting their first grandchild in December will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a family dinner at Saputo’s Skowronski and the former Beverly Mussatto were married July 18 Theresa’s Church in Cedar Point by the Rev WHEN you expand your brokerage there’s a chance that you become a Jack of all trades The Brighton-based business is in the enviable position of operating successfully across a variety of channels and thereby spreading its exposure to risk Aside from the traditional revenue streams of personal contract hire (PCH) business contract hire (BCH) and fleet management it is the largest supplier of minibuses to state and private schools has its own servicing capability operating as a state of the art Bosch Service Centre is a Ford terms holder and has a Maxus van franchise and used vehicle facility and let’s not forget that it has gone where other brokers fear to tread by offering own-book funding When you put all of that together it’s clear that Rivervale is a very well built business Behind that success sits people with years of industry experience intelligent systems and a customer-led approach we’re not particularly in favour of relying on rigid scripts which is something we currently have to do We are in the process of developing a system that leverages AI and staff training to enhance the customer experience Our aim is to provide a more positive and engaging interaction while ensuring that customers receive all the essential information they need.” Instead of manually typing call summaries and action points into the CRM system and automatically update the CRM with the relevant information This innovation aims to save time and improve efficiency The bespoke system is an “incredibly complex model” took longer to develop and cost more than anticipated “now we are this very diverse business model we are really starting to see its value,” he says which was formed in 2019 and has grown significantly over recent years demonstrates that leasing brokers are also a valued option in this sector of the market Rivervale previously used ODO fleet management software; however when developer DRIVE Software Solutions went bust during the Covid-19 pandemic a comprehensive re-evaluation and data migration project became necessary “Rivervale now works with an experienced industry developer to create a bespoke system tailored to our needs This solution encompasses all key functionalities and includes a highly practical Fleet customers include well-known brands such as Red Bull and Auto Windscreens Rivervale also handles field marketing fleets for Nestlé and Heineken Part of Rivervale’s fleet management offering is in-house vehicle maintenance This has grown from 5-10 maintenance units being processed per month to now over 100 maintenance units per week as well as a mainstream major leasing company as a white label solution Rivervale has built its expertise in minibus leasing, with an astute move in February 2023 to acquire Bicester-based Castle Minibus Rivervale maintains the minibuses and carries out safety inspections It can also provide driver training – be that online training or one-to-one coaching – to schools to help them with compliance “It’s quite daunting when you think about it and suddenly you’re asked to take the rugby team to a match You’ve got to jump into the driver’s seat of a 17-seat Minibus and safely transport all those pupils That’s why our driver training is so highly valued.” Castle Minibus was the first acquisition following the Rivervale Group management buyout (MBO) in 2022 It was quickly followed by the acquisition of two local leasing brokers furthering its grip on the south coast whilst adding salary sacrifice to Rivervale’s range of products The move also meant the addition of vastly experienced Neill Cole to the Rivervale management team Vince says that Neill’s extensive experience and meticulous approach to operations and regulatory compliance have “significantly” contributed to Rivervale’s growth and operational excellence.  That was recognised recently with Neill’s promotion to Director of Operations and Compliance as the business looks to remain at the forefront of compliance and customer satisfaction Castle Minibus now branded Rivervale Minibus had two separate locations (one for its leasing teams and one for minibus rentals) and a major project in 2024 was bringing them together into a one-size-fits-all location which is now fully operational and working extremely well Another challenge has been having different leasing systems. Rivervale decided to sign up broker/dealer procurement platform Fleet Procure in August 2024 after “thoroughly evaluating the platform’s offerings” He was particularly impressed by its Stock Manager feature the potential for seamless API integrations and exclusive offers and says it has brought real efficiency to the business Rivervale is the Official Vehicle Partner of the 2025 Brighton Marathon Weekend on 06 April and is promoting road safety for both runners and drivers Rivervale is poised to maintain its upward trajectory. An obvious lever for growth is own book funding. Rivervale entered the FN50 for the first time at position 45 in 2024 with a risk fleet of 1,224 vehicles (60% of which are cars) and is targeting a spot in the 30s in 2025.  There are opportunities for growth from funding minibuses and Rivervale also wants to scale up its fleet servicing and maintenance solutions Another big stand out is its more traditional leasing broker services which are beginning to recover from the after effects and challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic Despite the challenges with transitioning to electric vans Vince believes Rivervale could do more commercial vehicle leasing both through its leasing business and through its Maxus dealership.  He also has an eye on second life leasing and has had discussions with some of the major leasing companies about it If that opportunity materialises it will make Rivervale even more diverse.  Vince Pemberton was named Vice Chair of the BVRLA Leasing Broker Committee supporting current Chair Rod Lloyd for a period of two years before he takes over the role of Chair in 2026 Vince has been part of the BVRLA team at Parliamentary sessions explaining the requirement for greater Government support for the eLCV transition Our Women in Broking series turns its attention to Kirsten Blackwell Rental companies are reportedly reverting to traditional seasonal fleet replacement strategies for the first time since the disruptions of 2020 Alphabet’s Service Management Apprentice Miri Watson has been formally recognised at Autocar’s Great British Women – Rising Stars’ awards Catch up on the latest leasing broker news in the 29 April 2025 Broker News newsletter Fleet Alliance AR Chris Rowthorn is putting ESG into practice by signing up to the Business Wales Green Growth Pledge A used Tesla Model 3 is in great customer demand being the fastest off dealer forecourts says Indicata’s month market report Sarah Tooze has been an automotive journalist for more than 15 years specialising in the fleet and transport sectors She has held senior positions at industry-leading B2B titles Fleet News and Smart Transport and led campaigns championing motorists as consumer editor for online used car marketplace Heycar and motoring advice website HonestJohn.co.uk In 2017 she won the Newspress Automotive Business Journalist award and website in this browser for the next time I comment Keep up to date with latest leasing broker news stories as they happen on our social media channel If you would like to receive our weekly newsletter you can sign up here Broker Newsletter the Township Council awarded a nearly $15 million construction bid contract Nov of Wayne to construct the new Public Safety Complex on a township owned parcel at the corner of Rivervale Road and Prospect Avenue Councilmember John Donovan and Council president Paul Criscuolo were absent Approving the contract award were council vice president Denise Sieg and members Ari Ben-Yishay and Jim Tolomeo The winning bid  of $14,778,500 was the lowest of five bids submitted by contractors following council rejection of bids that averaged $500,000 to $1 million more earlier this year.  Officials did not give a timeline for the project Several residents questioned the cost of the police complex which had increased from estimates of $7 million four years ago (Check out Pascack Press coverage by searching Public Safety Complex on the Pascack Press website.) After approving bonding for $13.3 million to finance the complex and following the first round of bids that ranged $15.5 million to $16 million which were rejected the council approved another $6 million in bonds to cover construction costs and electronics and digital communications equipment Officials noted that there was also a contingency clause in the bid in case of project change orders or unanticipated changes although they did not state an amount or percentage The second round of five bids ranged between the low bidder (Dobco) and a top bidder at $15,528,000 said administrator Gennaro Rotella after the meeting He said the bids seemed slightly lower than the first round and all five bidders were within a $500,000 cost spread “We need to do this project,” said Mayor Mark Bromberg noting the police headquarters has been outdated for years and previous councils have tried to get a new building.  the council has appropriated nearly $20 million in bonds for the new police complex and officials stressed that the building must come in at or under that amount.  Rotella told Pascack Press that the council had recently bonded for $10 million over a 40-year term—of the $20 million approved—and previously said the bonds would add an annual $200 tax increase on the average $592,000 home When officials go to bond on a second bond issue those costs will be added to the $200 annual taxpayer impact Rotella previously said that architect Settembrino Architects told him construction prices had increased 8% per year or more in the last 24 months noting “Everything across the board has been going up,” including materials three questioned the council about the progressively increasing  Public Safety Complex costs,  “It’s not the Taj Mahal it’s a regular police safety complex,” noted Sieg when one resident kept pressing about the increased costs She said the police building is “minimal” noting officials would try not to go over $20 million She said tax impacts affect council members She said the costs were “in line” with what officials were expecting “So nobody wants to pay more taxes but this is a building that needs to be done,” said Sieg noting most residents agree that a new police department is needed the more expensive it’s going to get,” she added She said though $20 million in bonds was approved “doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to spend that.” She said a new police building has to accommodate many state and federal rules and regulations She said information has been provided to the community about costs and designs for a new Public Safety Complex despite several residents’ complaints about a lack of transparency When a Rolling Hill Drive resident called for an additional public meeting with a full presentation on the new Public Safety Complex The resident noted that while he received an email about the local farmers’ market he never received a township email that $20 million was being spent on a new police complex or that a $15 million bid was to be approved that day Pascack Press first noted the nearly $15 million bid award resolution for the Public Safety Complex when the Nov 27 meeting agenda was posted online at 9:17 a.m approximately 10 hours prior to the meeting.  Many Pascack Valley towns post meeting agendas online 48 to 72 hours in advance of public meetings although the state Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) only requires 48-hour advance written notice of meetings or public posting of written agendas 48 hours in advance of a meeting OPMA is a nearly 50-year-old state law; efforts to update the law have met resistance from municipal clerks statewide Resident David Rice wondered why most township residents “know nothing” about the new Public Safety Complex soon to be built in town He said Park Ridge was letting residents know about projects on its website such as dredging and questioned extra costs needed on the new police facility project.  When resident Karla Norfleet asked why the residents did not have an opportunity to vote in a referendum on the $20 million project Bromberg said he was “sorry that it seems to becoming as somewhat of a surprise to some people” and said that the council does not hold a public referendum on every issue that comes before the council.  He said the council did need “to go back to the drawing board on this” but that the council has discussed the need for a new police complex at many meetings over the years Township Attorney Silvana Raso said that municipalities are not required to put public matters including large expenditures and tax increases to a public referendum before voting on such matters.  Ben-Yishay said the township had “absolutely no choice whatsoever” but to build a new police facility due to its lack of proper facilities and not meeting federal standards adding “you don’t put a decision that has to be made up for a vote.”   “We all want to do the cheapest option possible the cheapest option possible is an expensive option that none of us are happy about He said the current police station does not meet code and needs to be updated.  noting he was “very sympathetic” to taxpayers about increased taxes.  Rice suggested that officials consider combining police departments with another Pascack Valley town—similar to the combined River Vale–Montvale DPW—to reduce costs and taxes He said police departments in each town were “just redundant.” the township considered a combined or regionalized police force which caused “probably more of a stir than the deer and affordable housing issues combined.”  He said most local taxpayers were “very happy pleased and thrilled” with local officers patrolling the township He said the shared DPW service with Montvale “was much more feasible” and that police regionalization “was hotly debated and definitely turned down by this township a couple of decades ago.” Where all are welcome: Pascack Historical Society celebrates its home’s 150th RIVER VALE — A 249-unit development at Edgewood County Club is gearing up for its opening in coming months.  built on a portion of the golf and country club will have 193 townhomes and 32 condominiums in a three-story building called River Vale Place at Piermont Avenue The affordable apartments will be a mix of one The apartments are priced for families with very low A household of four renting at the low-income level would have an income limit of $52,033.  When first proposed, the development raised concern among environmentalists because of its location along a portion of the Hackensack River leading to the Oradell Reservoir. Two brooks run through the property — the Hillsdale Brook and the River Vale Brook which have some of the highest protections in the state. The developers at the time said their plan wouldn't infringe on a 300-foot vegetation buffer around the brooks. There were also plans to install a stormwater system to contain runoff.  The original 160-acre golf club was subdivided to accommodate the new housing of marketing and public relations at Toll Brothers which is building the market-rate component said the townhomes are 2,600 square feet and the condominiums are 2,300 Prices for the townhomes start at about $946,000 called "cottages," start at about $900,000 The affordable component is under construction by Woodmont Properties of Fairfield. To join a waiting list for rentals, visit affordablehomesnewjersey.com and search for River Vale.  The first homeowners will be able to move in by late winter FOR SUBSCRIBERS: 'A seller's market': Here's where home prices are soaring in NJ even as the pandemic fades AFFORDABLE HOMES: NJ affordable home builders overcome COVID obstacles. Here’s how they manage to survive She said Pennsylvania-based Toll Brothers chose the site "for the beautiful views and nature and because of its proximity to the country club." "We are excited about the response to the community and with the great interest we have experienced we will be selling and building very quickly," Meck said She said many of the prospective buyers are members of Edgewood Country Club "Home is more important than ever before," Meck said "The Fairways at Edgewood will bring much-needed housing to the community to help meet the growing demand while also attracting many new residents." Shaylah Brown is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today Email: browns@northjersey.com  Twitter: @shaylah_brown RIVER VALE—Congratulations to the River Vale Raiders Pee Wee football team winners of the Bergen County Junior Football League’s annual Super Bowl on Saturday This is River Vale Raiders’ sixth BCJFL Super Bowl title in the past five years across the Pee Wee The game was played against the scrappy Hillsdale Hawks (Hillsdale The league includes the Pascack Valley and Creskill According to Raider coach Richard Kabobjian “River Vale found its stride and peaked at the right time of the season the Raiders faced a must-win game to get into the playoffs.”  the 5-2 Raiders played a near-flawless game to beat the 5-2 NVOT Eagles,  3 seed in the Bergen County Junior Football League’s playoffs.  “The Raiders traveled to Cresskill on a cold November night and once again took care of business and Marco Booth—was the key to the game in the first half not allowing a single first down,” he said.  “jumping out to a 13-0 halftime lead following a big catch and scamper by TE Derek Hurst and a last-second TD pass from QB Thomas Kabobjian to TE Dylan Kalish to close the half.”  Kabobjian said the Raiders ground down the clock in the second half behind lead blocker FB Griffin D’Arduini “and the hard nose running of TB Quinn McMorrow” (90 yards) to coast to a 25-13 victory.  It all came down to a rivalry rematch between the Hillsdale Hawks and the River Vale Raiders on Super Bowl Saturday.  “Not that any player or coach would need extra motivation to play in a Super Bowl but adding fuel to the fire was knowing that a lot of these boys would go on to play together as teammates at Pascack Valley High School in just a few years The Hawks and Raiders met earlier in the season and the Raiders were bogged down by special teams’ mistakes and miserable weather. They could never get the offense going and were shut out Hillsdale would cruise to the regular season title with a record of 8-0 and the #1 seed Kabobjian said River Vale  “worked tirelessly out in the cold every night that week to learn from their mistakes in the prior matchup Then on a beautiful sunny fall afternoon at Pascack Hills High School Lochlan Thompson kicked the ball off to start the Super Bowl.  He was the first one downfield and proceeded to force and recover a fumble that spotted the Raiders at their own 30-yard line.”  Special teams’ mistakes pinned us inside our own 5-yard line two times in the prior matchup to flip the tables like that…couldn’t have drawn up a more perfect way to start a Super Bowl with a game-changing play on specials.”  QB Kabobjian scampered around the right edge for a 9-yard TD run to give the Raiders an early 6-0 lead.  The Raiders would score again on a 40-yard counter to WB Paulie Costantino to close out the first half But 6 points was all the Raiders would need that day The defense would continue to shine behind multi-tackle games from Jack Gallione Kabobjian and Sidrow.  The offense ground out long drives in the second half once again behind the legs of TB McMorrow before the Hawks regained possession with less than two minutes to go in the ballgame Safety Dylan Kalish was not fooled by the Hawks trick play to start the drive and intercepted the ball at the Raiders 16-yard line to seal the game The Raiders were Super Bowl champs—and the players spent the night celebrating at the Park Ridge Elks Lodge What will town do with its purchase of a swim club site RIVER VALE —The Township Council approved a bid for $51,360 for the yearly leasing of ground space for cell tower use at 640 Rivervale Road — including annual increases — at its Feb The winning bid — one of five bids received — was from Gaelic Communications LLC The contract with Gaelic allows a 2.75% annual increase in the lease payment with automatic renewals of two additional 10-year extensions said town administrator and chief financial officer Gennaro Rotella The cell tower lease set a minimum bid of $40,000 yearly Gaelic Communications CEO is Declan O’Scanlon of Little Silver whose firm has been in business for two decades Gaelic’s subcontractor to construct a cellular tower on the site is Ascendtek Rotella said the cell tower is necessary to improve cellular coverage in the township and will also be able to hold municipal communications systems from the new public safety complex “The beginning date is flexible at this point due to the other construction projects on the site.  We will work together for a mutually beneficial construction timeline,” said Rotella The “experience statement” included with the contract notes that O’Scanlon is “a recognized wireless communications expert in the state of New Jersey.” It says that Gaelic had handled “well over 100 wireless telecommunications equipment siting programs” and also states that Gaelic “has built own and manage” several of its own cell towers in New Jersey It does not state a start and end date for the cell tower project is also a Republican state senator whose 13th Legislative district covers parts of Monmouth County He also served in the General Assembly from 2007 to 2017 and as Little Silver councilman from 1994 to 2007 council also approved 3-0 a resolution for $25,000 for Settembrino Architects for revisions to the information technology/security infrastructure plan on the new Public Safety Complex.  officials said bid specs on the new estimated $14 million safety complex would likely go out in late 2022 or early 2023 “The front end bid specs are still being reviewed by the state comptroller’s office Once approved we can move forward with getting the bid on the street after the changes Settembrino needs to make.” Rotella said projects over $10 million must be reviewed by the state and that Settembrino needed to make some changes to building interior specs to arrange for IT infrastructure He said he anticipated going out for bid on the project by spring or early summer at the latest the Township Council approved a $13.3 million 40-year bond issue to construct a new 18,000-square-foot public safety complex on 3.25 acres at the corner of Rivervale Road and Prospect Avenue at an annual tax increase yet to be determined The total project cost was about $14 million including a $700,000 down payment on the bonds Rotella told Pascack Press then that no bonds had yet been issued and so no annual impact on taxpayers could be estimated He said the bonds would be sold after the project bids are reviewed and a contractor is selected Rotella said though the township will be bonding for $13.3 million actual construction costs for the new public safety building were closer to $12 million plus “soft costs” such as engineering and construction management then-mayor Glen Jasionowski estimated that a $7 million public safety complex might cost an average taxpayer about $175 extra in annual taxes while a $10 million complex might cost a taxpayer over $200 annually for a 30-year bond due to the approved $13.3 million bond’s 40-year life it was too early to estimate what the cost might be on local taxpayers.  the addition of property tax revenues from 225 not-yet-completed market rate townhomes in the Fairways at Edgewood development might reduce the overall property tax impact.  That multifamily development also includes 24 affordable housing units which were built first and occupied.  DMF site toxin monitoring continues; $117K contract OK’d N.J.—Anti-deer hunt advocates continue to push back on a proposed bow hunt voicing their opposition at the June 24 meeting of the Township Council Citing a spike in deer–vehicle collisions and impacts from Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases Mayor Glen Jasionowski and the council have said they will approve a hunt which the only deer management option that state wildlife regulators sanction Following a four-day drone survey of River Vale in late April approximately 50 deer-related accidents were reported in River Vale close to 50 residents from River Vale and neighboring towns attended Monday night’s meeting All 23 residents who spoke were adamantly against the hunt with many looking for answers about plan details and the possibility of alternatives Seventeen of the speakers who addressed the council were from River Vale Six came from other towns such as Hillsdale “We moved into this town because of its rural character that included its animal population,” said Pat Monaghan “I don’t want my granddaughter calling me up in a few months and saying look at this deer who’s got an arrow in him who wasn’t effectively killed,’” Monaghan said River Vale resident Kathleen Sullivan not only shared her own opposition to the hunt she also read a letter written by her 9-year-old granddaughter that expressed her sadness that the hunt was going to happen and even her willingness to dip into her savings to help save the deer Council President Mark Bromberg said that although many in the room may not agree with the hunt it is the only option officials can consider “The way the law is in New Jersey there are only two practical things that we can do and that’s either nothing or a hunt,”  Bromberg said.  “There are no nonlethal sterilization methods or capture and release methods that are approved by the State of New Jersey that we would be able to do,” he added “This township has spent millions of dollars to preserve open space and the deer are severely damaging the foliage from about the ground level to about five feet up.” was the increase in deer-related car accidents.  “We couldn’t sit up here in good conscience and wait for some less experienced driver to veer off a road trying to avoid a deer because that’s unfortunately the next thing that I would hate to see happen and have significant injuries or a death when we could have done something and acted.” some residents are still not convinced a hunt is the right solution plant different foliage; there’s ways around this This is not the way to do it,” said Hillsdale resident Dyan Thiemann “If it was called a deer hunt maybe I could handle it you’re bringing the deer to a certain place to slaughter them and that’s what it is a slaughter,” said River Vale’s Fran Darakjian The comment received a wave of applause from other attendees Residents who sought  details of the hunt—such as when it will take place and how many deer they are looking to cull—were left unanswered because a plan has yet to be created “We’ll sit down when we see the state’s plan and decide if it makes sense.” the council is considering River Vale Country Club for the location of the hunt Bromberg assured residents concerned about safety that the operation will be in a restricted area not on the edge of properties or near homes.  Bromberg also mentioned that the hunt would most likely take place in winter is granted the mayor the opportunity to go talk to the state,” said Township Attorney Silvana D stirring comments of hope that there is still time to call off the hunt In response to comments about having hope that the hunt will be called off Bromberg was quick to remind those in the audience that the plan will continue “I don’t want to leave you with a false impression You have hope that if there are new facts on the ground or new information that the mayor hears or that we hear but at this point we are planning on moving forward with it and everyone on the dais does back the mayor in this endeavor,” he said Several residents asked the council about the possibility of a referendum—some even claiming that it is the only fair option we are taxpayers and we do have a voice,” said River Vale resident Lisa Boulanger Bromberg noted that the council is charged with figuring out the problem and that they are not “kicking the can down the road,” holding that the hunt will not be put up for referendum He added that the council is confident it has support to move ahead with the hunt “What we have to be careful of is that we don’t let a very very vocal what we believe to be  minority of people dictate how we are going to decide what we feel is best for our residents,”  Bromberg said Many  asked how the council knows that the majority of residents support the hunt Council members responded by referencing the amount of emails they have received in favor and the conversations they have had.  “We have all gotten emails from people supporting the hunt,” said Criscuolo but there are people supporting the hunt.” COMMUNITY VOICES: A Plea for Justice for Immigrants Farrington is expected to rule after 9 a.m on March 18 whether River Vale’s affordable housing plan through 2025 satisfies statewide affordable housing mandates Mayor Glen Jasionowski and Fair Share Housing Center lawyer Adam Brown signed their part of the agreement in September 2017 township’s affordable housing obligations through 2025 require 235 affordable units which will be met by 77 new or planned units—including 24 affordable units planned for Edgewood Country Club—plus zoning for affordable units in several areas possible for future residential development housing advocates say the township might be required to site up to 290 units on the Edgewood Country Club A third hearing on Woodmont Properties’ proposed 249-unit multifamily development is set for March 28 at 7:30 p.m at the River Vale Senior and Community Center “We’re happy with this settlement agreement It’s going to get shovels in the ground quickly to address the urgent need for affordable housing in one of New Jersey’s wealthiest communities,” Anthony Campisi Twenty-four of the units in the development will be affordable with the rest of the obligation to be fulfilled by a payment to complete the development of the 100 percent affordable 24-unit Mesker site “This is a concession on the part of housing advocates According to the Realistic Development Potential map [page 14 of the settlement] the country club site could be much more dense The RDP of 58 on the map means that there could be up to 58 affordable units on the site at a 20 percent set-aside,” he added said the municipality would be on the hook for a 290-unit development.” FSHC was appointed as a statewide advocate-intervenor for housing settlements by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 2015 after the court ruled the Council on Affordable Housing dormant and reassigned affordable housing obligations to state superior courts a judge evaluates whether the settlement plan meets the legal requirements of the state’s Mount Laurel regulations and the Fair Housing Act Although the settlement mentions 227 units were originally proposed for Edgewood Country Club which now calls for a 249-unit development housing advocates said the previously approved document is still valid and satisfies the need for more affordable housing in North Jersey “It’s not unusual for the number of total units being built in a proposed development to change slightly over time as a result of changes in the market We evaluate each of these instances in a case-by-case basis with an eye toward the number of affordable units being produced.” Asked about the increase in market-rate units “We’re comfortable here with the change to 249 units and remain in support of the settlement agreement.” River Vale’s plan calls for a third-round obligation of 235 affordable units with 77 new or planned units—known as the borough’s realistic development potential—to be subtracted from that number leaving the borough with an “unmet need” of 158 affordable units The 77 units will consist of 24 rental units at Edgewood Country Club (i.e Fairways at Edgewood); plus 24 affordable units at Mesker’s site 100 percent affordable development; 10 units carried from the previous round (one at Mesker’s and nine at the Kirk site); and 19 units from rental bonuses In addition to 24 affordable units at the Fairways at Edgewood Woodmont Properties is required to make an undefined financial contribution to River Vale to assist with construction of a 100 percent affordable complex of 24 units at the 1.6-acre municipal portion of Mesker’s property The settlement notes the contribution amount will be negotiated between River Vale and Woodmont within 120 days of approval at a fairness hearing The 158 units of “unmet need” will be satisfied via overlay zoning in the Four Corners area a portion of the downtown commercial district that will be zoned for two- and three-story mixed use buildings to permit up to 59 affordable units; five units for a proposed group home at 426 Cedar Lane; and 17 age-restricted units carried over from a prior round The township will adopt a mandatory set-aside ordinance on future multifamily developments of five units or more with 15 percent of rental units and 20 percent of market-rate units set aside for affordable units 13 percent of the rental units must be set aside for very-low-income households The settlement calls for River Vale to annually post a status report on its website to keep residents and Fair Share Housing Center informed of progress A notice of the fairness hearing and opportunities for public comment was posted on the township website Haworth Seeks ‘Fair Share’ Affordable Housing Deal There may be lots (and lots) of tears in Dan Fogelman’s projects — notably the Emmy-winning drama "This Is Us" and his recent film "Life Itself" — but they’re tears of love It’s a rare skill to elicit waterworks without over-manipulating people and River Vale native Fogelman possesses that skill in spades as a writer He’s also managed to make us laugh ("Cars," "The Guilt Trip," "The Neighbors") and even sing ("Galavant," "Tangled") And who doesn’t love pretty much everything about "Crazy Fogelman’s sophomore big-screen directorial effort It follows the connections — emotional familial and geographical — of a small circle of people played by Olivia Cooke Then there’s "This Is Us." Season three premiered on Sept with stories digging ever deeper into the past present and future of the “Big Three,” Kate (Chrissy Metz) Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Randall (Sterling K Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) (201) recently spoke with the amiable Fogelman about "Life Itself" and "This Is Us," as well as his youth in River Vale.  with "This Is Us" about to return and "Life Itself" opening in theaters?I think as good things happen take a breath and be grateful for everything that’s going on I’m anxious and want everything to be well-received because everything is so public and the show has gotten so big and everything about it is under such a microscope We’re all determined to do right by the show and keep the quality up it’s a pressure that’s also exciting Insiders save: Discount Tickets at AMC, Regal & More Dining deals: Insiders Save on Restaurants Was there ever a period when you thought about giving up?My ride through the entertainment business has been a very rare one Sometimes I’m loath to tell my origin story to young I started writing a screenplay for the first time at 25 and I was hired to write "Cars." I’d written a Pixar movie I’ve certainly made shows that got canceled and films that were poorly reviewed and didn’t do well but I’ve been blessed to have a pretty consistent run through the business I sat down to write this about three years ago with no plan for where it was going and no plan for what I wanted to write and I let the story take me where it wanted to take me for my wife (actress-writer Caitlin Thompson who I’d met about a year after my mother had passed away But I hadn’t gone into it with that as the plan All I knew is I wanted to make a grown-up film for the mainstream audience My hope is that "Life Itself" speaks to an audience that’s looking for something like this There’s a lot of logistical stuff you have to learn to direct a film A lot of it is actually less about camera than you’d think a lot of it is about how you manage people and learning how to be the boss on a set having done the show for several seasons gave me experience at that We had limited time with many of the actors so we had a very intensive plan that had to be executed I had to be very comfortable in order to get it all done It feels like we’re exploring continuations of where we left our characters but also that we’re entering into new chapters in all their lives That’s a great place to be as a writer and showrunner because our characters are embarking on new journeys and quests The journeys are exciting in and of themselves but it’s also exciting to put our characters in new situations and get to new levels and see sides of them we haven’t seen before One of the things I’ve struggled with as a writer Success puts you at a distance from normalcy I have the ability to always think of myself as a guy from Jersey I still have my friends from Bergen County Many of them also moved out to Los Angeles it’s good to have an early connection to tap into or else you’re just writing about people living in Brentwood which people in the rest of the country can’t relate to.   What were the places you loved as a kid in Bergen County?There were so many it was mainly me and my buddies driving around Park Ridge and Hillsdale That’s where we’d go to get cheese fries late at night There was a 7-11 we’d go to that was down the road as you left River Vale and went into Park Ridge We’d go there for snacks and to kill time and forget that not all of us had girlfriends My mom and I used to get burgers at The Iron Horse in Westwood I try to put the cheese inside the burger like they do at Iron Horse.  A few times I’ve driven through town with my wife "Danny Collins," we built a set in Los Angeles that was supposed to be the Woodcliff Lake Hilton but then we had our premiere parties at the actual Woodcliff Lake Hilton That was very fun and definitely full circle SHE'S GOT A GLOW: Shakira Barrera fights her way onto the hit Netflix show FULL OF GLEE: Lea Michele talks about her summer tour with Darren Criss, living in Tenafly and 'Glee' HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME: Comedian Tracy Morgan of 'The Last O.G.' receives star CONGRATULATIONS to Neill Cole who has been appointed Director of Operations and Compliance at Rivervale The Brighton-based business said the appointment was  a strategic move reflecting the company’s continued expansion and the increasing complexity of compliance within the automotive finance secotr Neill joined the Brighton based leasing broker following the acquisition of First Choice Vehicle Finance His extensive experience and meticulous approach to operations and regulatory compliance have significantly contributed to the company’s growth and operational excellence ensuring streamlined processes across all areas of the business Rivervale added that his expertise in vehicle finance compliance and deep understanding of industry regulations would also assist Rivervale in navigating the evolving landscape and the  company’s commitment to integrity and customer service Vince added that Neill’s promotion underscored the company’s dedication to robust governance and operational excellence it remained at the forefront of compliance and customer satisfaction “I am thrilled to step into this role at such an exciting time for Rivervale maintaining rigorous compliance and operational efficiency is crucial I look forward to contributing further to Rivervale’s success and supporting our team as we continue to grow.” Ralph Morton is the leading journalist in the leasing broker sector and editor of Broker News the website which provides information and news for BVRLA-registered leasing brokers He also writes extensively on the fleet and leasing market in both the UK and Europe