Mayor Rose Heck Excerpts from the Mayors Annual Message January 1, 2012 I will again continue the tradition I started last year in order to make my report as interesting as possible by asking the Council Members to join me in reading portions that pertain to their Commissionerships. I thank the departments for making their information available for this report that I have edited. 2011 was a very challenging year for every department. Changes were made to offset the loss of revenue from the state, the impact of increased Tax Appeals as well as minimal increases in fees and ratables. Then we were hit with gas increases, and the unexpected costs of freakish weather and storms. Almost immediately following Hurricane Irene, we experienced the horrible effect of an early winter snow and ice storm that ravaged our trees and vegetation. Work to improve our Borough went on 24 hours a day for the better part of two weeks, and then, we limited the overtime and continued what seemed to be a never-ending clean-up as residents continued to clean their back and side yards of debris and bring them forth to the streets and curbs. The Borough held back the regular rules of cutting and containing of branches, etc. in four foot tied packaging. The Finance Committee and involved departments kept fingers crossed and prayed that no additional storms would send us completely into a budget meltdown. Thank God we have survived the negative impact of the 2011 budget year. As Mayor I declared an emergency due to the illegal Sump Pump situation that caused potentially serious health hazards in some areas of town. Once our residents were made aware of the problem, they took action and we were advised of the many homes that were checked by the homeowners to learn that about 20 or more years ago their sump pumps and French drains were connected by plumbers to the Sanitary Sewers. Through town wide mailings and a questionnaire the problem was publicized and the public responded in a positive manner. We now believe that the matter has been improved. We survived the PBA Arbitration results for 2010-11 and 12. Now we begin anew, adding to that the negotiations to begin with the Department of Public Works for their 2012 Contract. We kept a watchful eye on the negative proposed dissolution of the Borough of Teterboro, having researched and worked proactively against the bills sponsored by Senator Bob Gordon and Assemblywoman Connie Wagner that could have cost the Borough almost a quarter of a million dollars in revenue; that loss ultimately would have resulted in increases in property taxes. We continue to keep our eyes and ears open. I will begin with the
The Borough Clerks office went through
some major changes in 2011. Bernice Baker who has been Assistant to the Borough Clerk for
over 31 years retired on August 1, 2011. She was a dedicated Borough employee and will be
sorely missed. Jean Curci, who has been employed in the Clerk's office since 2006 has
assumed Bernice's duties plus continuing with the many duties of the Clerk's office. Due
to budget constraints, her position was not replaced. Cindy Palmieri who is Violations
Clerk, is now spending three days in the Borough Clerk's office assisting with some of the
many duties of that department. Municipal Building Use Permits Issued OPRA Requests Auto Wholesalers Licenses Tax Collections and Tax Rates
I now call upon Police Commissioner Justin DiPisa to give the Annual Police Dept. Report. Patrol Division/Records Copies of Police Traffic Accident Reports and accident photos are now available on-line as a convenience to the public and savings to the Borough. This also frees up the Records Room Officer for other duties. Reports and photos can be obtained by logging onto the following site: www.hasbrouckheightsnj.policereports.us Accident reports and/or photos can be searched by report #, date and/or last name. Reports and pictures are usually uploaded 24 – 48 hours from time of accident. Since the inception of charging private contractors (PSE&G, Verizon, United Water and paving companies) a fee ($50 the first four hours, $10 each additional hour) for using Police Vehicles for traffic control, a total of $245,263 has been paid over the years to the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights. Monies have been used for the purchase of five new police vehicles, laptops for cars, video cameras, light bars and cages. This includes one new patrol car in 2011 and all new equipment for this and one additional vehicle at a savings of over $40,000 to the tax payers. The Police Department not only answered over 11,000 calls for service but they also provided security and traffic control for many Borough events, including: The May Street Fair By reassigning Officers, the police department was able to provide security for High School sporting events without paying overtime. In addition to answering Hasbrouck Heights 9-1-1 calls, we are a Public Safety answering point for Teterboro and Wood-Ridge who pay for these services. At this time, we are also in negotiations with Little Ferry to answer their 9-1-1 calls. Lt. Lesho and Ofc. Ciccarelli assisted the
MDA Fundraiser Project Lock-Up on June 28, 2011 by arresting local business and community
leaders who voluntarily participate in this program. The business and community leaders
agree to be arrested, once taken to the MDA mock jail; they are released upon raising
"bail" by soliciting donations from generous friends and colleagues. The Traffic Bureau is headed by Lt. Thomas Archer. The Hasbrouck Heights Police Department currently has two certified child passenger safety technicians, Lt. Thomas Archer and Ptl. Ian Robertson. Anyone needing assistance with a child safety seat can call 201-288-1114 or 201-288-1000 for an appointment or walk into Headquarters and request an available technician. This year alone approximately 50 child safety seats were checked and/or installed. There were two DWI checkpoints in 2011 resulting in a total of 49 summonses issued and 10 DWI arrests being made. In addition to the DWI checkpoint arrests, there were an additional 34 DWI arrests making a total as of December 8, 2011, 44 DWI arrests. Due to a Safe Routes to Schools Grant,
crossing guards were outfitted with new reflective jackets and new flashing LCD stop
signs.| The Detective Bureau is headed by Capt. J. DeLorenzo. Currently assigned to the Detective Bureau are Detective Michael Colaneri, Jr., Detective Alan Baker and Detective Scott Adamo. The Detectives opened approximately 200 criminal cases this year thus far. Approximately 115 arrests have been made. The South Bergen Detectives Group met on
November 15, 2011. The Detectives compared incidents that have been occurring in Bergen
County. The trends noted were commercial store burglaries occurring between 3am – 5am
on weekends and residential burglaries in early evenings. Another Detectives’ meeting
was held December 22, 2011. l. A state of the art evidence scanning system, which will save the officers time tracking and ensure proper handling and tracking of all evidence from the scene to the lab and court room. 2. A fingerprint scanner was purchased which enables us to receive results within minutes. This scanner ties into the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office as well as the New Jersey State Police. 3. Undercover equipment has also been purchased for the Detective Bureau. 4. New computers were purchased for Police Headquarters. 5. A virtual target system to aid in firearms instruction and new rifles were also purchased.
The Police Department and Anti-Drug Council also sponsored a family fun night on May 17, 2011 at Space Odyssey with over 200 children and parents having a great night. The DARE Program continues to be a success. The 12th Annual Jr. Police Academy was held on June 27 – July 1, 2011. The recruits participated in many activities including, self defense, motor vehicle stops, team building and much more. They took trips to the Bergen County Police Academy and a tour of the Bergen County Jail. There were guest instructors from the FBI, and NJ State Police, Bergen County Sheriffs Department, Lyndhurst SWAT Team along with Hasbrouck Heights Teacher Mike Stillman, Det. Sgt. Joe Rinke and Det. Mike Colaneri Honor Guard The Hasbrouck Heights Police Department Honor Guard: Sgt. Sisto, Sgt. Rinke, Det. Colaneri, Ptl. Kroncke, Det. Adamo, Ptl. Ciccarelli, Ptl. Behr, Ptl. Armeli, Ptl D’Amico and Ptl. Cooke. "This concludes the Police
Report," says Councilman DiPisa Fire Department
As of Firematic Year ending 11-30-11: Equipment Purchased in 2010:
In 2011:
"That concludes the report," says John Dingertopadre Thank you John for having served in that capacity in 2011. I look forward to working with you on several new projects being readied for 2012 as you take over a new Commissionership.
Submitted By: Robert Brady, Director of Recreation The Hasbrouck Heights Recreation Department has had another fun-filled exciting year, thanks to the Hasbrouck Heights Mayor & Council, all of our great volunteers, and of course our many participants in our recreation programs. The goal for our recreation department is and always will be: to include as many participants that we can safely accommodate into every single program that we offer, also to offer the most organized and fulfilling programs to our citizens and their families. In 2011 our department offered 12 different programs for the children of our community, 6 different programs for the adults in town, and 9 different programs for our senior citizen community. The recreation department also runs the many different community events that the entire family can enjoy, such as Town Day and Halloween in the Park. The department does not run, but contributes to some great town organizations such as: Little League, Junior Football/Cheering, Men’s Softball, The Leisure Club, Hasbrouck Heights Soccer Association, Aviator Soccer Club, and Senior Babe Ruth. This past year the recreation department has given over 1,000 children a safe place to play, run, shoot a basketball, wrestle, or hit a softball with their friends and families watching and cheering them on. While also giving the community the opportunity to enjoy events like Town Day and Halloween in the Park as a family. The recreation department also offers a great working environment for many high school and college age residents: either in our summer camp, recreation center, or our many sporting events. 2011-Year Highlights
In 2011 we had our largest summer camp registration for our "Camp Rec Trek." There were 422 campers registered for summer camp this year, ranging in ages of 6 years through 14 years old. Recreation Traveling Basketball boys and girls teams reaching the finals in the very competitive South Bergen League. The recreation department would like to thank Steve Pikowski, Robert Faussette, Kevin Owens, John Capozzi, Al DeAngelo, Ken Partyka, and Mike Blanco for volunteering their time to coach our traveling teams. "That concludes the Recreation Dept. Report," stated Sonya Buckman All of us on the Council are very proud of the work done by Rob Brady, not only for Recreation, but as Senior Citizens Director and being in charge of our Message Board as well as all of the other things we might ask him to do. Congratulations again Rob on all of the honors you have won.
The weather in January, February and March of 2011 held construction from progressing and stopped projects from starting. There was no great rebound but a steady stream of applications which began coming in during April for a total of 766. This is 23 less than 2010. Total income for Building Permits for the past twelve months was $165,247.00. This is a 5% decrease in income from 2010. Our inspectors have been busy this year: The Fire Inspector completed 57, Plumbing Inspector completed 194 inspections, Electrical Inspector completed 275 and the Building Inspector completed 555. Of the total 1081 inspections 21 failed for a passing rate of 88.81%. The inspectors also went out on 87 inspections which were not ready and 42 where the contractor or the resident was not home. In 2011 six building code violations were issued with fines collected of a minimum of $100 each. Property Maintenance has continued to respond to complaints. The inspector’s goal was to get residents to comply and keep our town looking proud. Unfortunately there were times when compliance was not achieved and 44 tickets were issued with $3,250 collected by the court. We wish to thank the neighbors at some locations who cut the grass and maintained the property during the summer months of their neighbors who were unable to do it. It is neighbors like these that make Hasbrouck Heights the special place it is. The Construction Code Official/Zoning Officer has office hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The Property Maintenance Inspector has Office hours from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday. These office hours were established several years ago and they have been popular with the residents and contractors alike. The Construction Code Official has 20 working days to give plan approval on permit applications and this department’s goal has met the goal of getting the applications through the approval process in a much shorter time. Planning Board Members on the Planning Board have remained stable for the past several years and this has helped make the board very professional in their assessments of the planning aspects of the town. James Fordham of Boswell Engineering has also continued to be the Board Engineer so his expertise coupled with his knowledge of the Borough Code is very important in the decision making process. This year due to the appointment of long time Board Attorney Ed Trawinski as County Administrator, Joseph Rotollo was appointed Board Attorney. The Planning Board met twice to discuss the Master Plan Review and during these meetings, it was decided to have two public hearings so that the community would have input to the Master Plan. The Board was happy to have the guidance of George R. Stevenson, Jr. from Remington & Vernick, the Land Use Committee as well as their Attorney and members of the public. There was one application for a minor subdivision which was approved by the board. Zoning Board of Adjustment The applications heard by the Board were varied. The variances requested were: four with side yard and/or front yard deficiencies; three that wanted to exceed maximum lot coverage; one undersized lot; one accessory structure height variance; one allowing a generator in a front yard; and one use variance. In light of the fact that the variances were so varied, no change in ordinances appears to be needed. Commissioner Russell Lipari will now give the Health Department Report for 2011.Health Department Fees Collected for 2011: $77,526.90 Health Inspections: 478 of various natures, by Mid-Bergen Health Commission Dog Licenses: 1203 licenses Dog License Fees: $17,578.00 Animal Control Services: 523 responses of various natures Births Recorded: 106 babies born to town residents. Town Resident Deaths: 96 residents Total Deaths Recorded: 837 Deaths Marriage Licenses Issued: 40 Applied Civil Union: 1 Applied Certified Transcripts: 1,965 issued (Death, Marriage & Birth) During the calendar year 2011, the Hasbrouck Heights Board of Health continued to provide a wide variety of services to residents. Through various preventive screening programs, investigating resident complaints, environmental health inspections, issuance of Vital Statistics documents, etc. The Health Department continued to increase the level of public awareness towards state mandated programs and services. The Registered Environmental Health Specialist provided by the Mid-Bergen Regional Health Commission continues to provide many inspections of various natures of food surveillance to assure that wholesome foods are being prepared and sold in Hasbrouck Heights. The Health Department also conducts "Grease Trap" inspections to specific Food Establishments. The inspections have been periodic and unannounced with the intent of preventing any future buildup and blockages, which may compromise the efficiency of flow through the borough’s wastewater disposal system. This program is to educate business owners on the importance of Grease Traps and ensure a greater consistency in cleaning the unit. The Health Dept. has conducted 55 Grease Trap inspections during the course of the year. The Health Department issued over 1200 dog licenses, the highest ever recorded. The Annual Dog Census Program was very successful. The Crossing Guards reported 124 unlicensed dogs. Since Bergen County has the highest number of confirmed cases of rabies in the state it is important that every dog and cat in Hasbrouck Heights receive a rabies vaccine. The Board of Health and this Council publicly thank the Crossing Guards for their good work in completing the census. The Board of Health continues to sponsor many other programs, which are designed to educate the public. The AARP Safe Driver Program offers a refresher course teaching safe driving techniques and is open to all ages. The Blood Screening Program is an excellent opportunity to check on your body’s internal wellness. Our Family & Friends CPR Course helps families learn specific CPR skills for an adult/child and infant. This year the Board of Health opened the course to all Hasbrouck Heights Coaches. The coaches also learned how to use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). The Annual Senior Wellness Luncheon is always a well informative event. After a delicious lunch donated by Care-One of Wellington of Hackensack Councilman and pharmacist Justin DiPisa spoke to the seniors on how to live longer by changing their nutritional habits. Our Public Health Nursing Staff with Mid-Bergen Regional Health Commission in conjunction with the Health Awareness Regional Program provides residents with preventive health screening programs. The programs conducted during the year are our annual Senior & Child Flu Programs, monthly Health Consultations and the Child Health Conference. These programs continue to be very popular with providing immunizations for children up to age 18 for preventable diseases and the health consultations focus on preventing & managing high blood pressure, managing stress, and weight control & life style changes. Laura French is to be commended for her dedication and hard work. Louise Balsamo now divides her time between the Police Department Records Room and when needed, she covers the Board of Health office. Speaking for the entire Council we are proud of our Board of Health and who continue to promote a healthier community through valuable services and education. "This concludes the Board of Health Report," says Russell Lipari
Free Public Library of Hasbrouck Heights Annual Circulation Stats (as of December 27th) * 119,952 items circulated to date. An increase of almost
1% from last year’s total circ of 118,961. This is the highest figure ever
recorded in the history of this Library. * 114,423 people walked through the doors of our library. * 5,403 residents have a Hasbrouck Heights library card. * 4,899 reference questions were answered. Library services include circulating a variety of books and media to the public, educational programs for residents, professional research help, out-of-state interlibrary loans, free internet access, notary public service, proctoring of exams and computer job training classes. Current trends and cutting edge technology is of importance to our Library and as part of its service we offer free downloading of audio books and e-books. Programming Our popular Crafts-to-Share Club draw a dedicated following under the direction of Reference Librarian Melissa Singlevich. The ladies from the Craft-to-Share program have continued to volunteer their time, materials, and talent to knit and crochet blankets, hats and other items to be donated to the Hackensack University Medical Center. To date, a total of 5,860 hours of donated time was given in 2011. The attendance for the Young Adult Programs continues to grow under the care and direction of Adult /Teen Services Librarian Catherine Dodwell. We invited six book authors this year to drop in and talk about their craft with the young adults in hopes of nurturing future writers. Our children’s activities draw in high attendance. There are always exciting and creative year round programs being sponsored. Please stop by and speak with our Children Librarian Marie Joyce to see what wonderful programs she has planned. The Library facilities continue to offer a haven for local organizations to meet – 169 groups used the meeting rooms this year. A total of 2,003 people met at the Library for meetings. The public can register for various library programs from the comfort of their homes by going to the library’s website – http://hasbrouckheights.bccls.org 2011 Memorable Moments In August, the Library held its annual family summer bash. This year’s theme was called – Take a Grand World Tour. Special thanks to all the borough agencies and individuals involved in making it a smashing success. This event was held to promote and to encourage families to spend quality time together. 400 people attended. Who couldn’t resist staying up till 1 in the morning at their local library when they offered free movie screenings, karaoke competitions, costumed characters, entertaining storytellers, live Grecian and Roman statues, an international stage showcasing Bollywood dancers to African drummers, and a concession area that delighted anyone’s palette. Friends of the Library Through the generous donations of community minded individuals, the Friends’ Endowment Fund has kept the Library on the cutting edge of technology. This fund provided monies for the purchase of 15 new HP laptops and Microsoft Office 2010 software. These laptops replaced the eight year old Dell laptops the public has been using for computer job training classes. Funding In conclusion, the Library continues to provide the community with outstanding public service. Mimi and her staff work, along with a dedicated Library Board of Trustees, diligently to continue to offer quality service as the Library moves forward to meet whatever challenges come its way. Your local public library has a wealth of resources and services to offer and an opportunity for lifetime learning. This concludes the Library Report.
The following information was prepared by D.P.W. Supt. Bill Spindler: The Department of Public Works was faced with several challenges in 2011 such as record breaking snowfall amounts as well as record breaking rainfall. A State of Emergency was declared by the Governor for Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and the Nor’easter Snow Storm at the end of October. The DPW responded to all of the extreme weather conditions caused by these events. The Department of Public Works provides many services under several different headings such as Buildings & Grounds, Shade Tree, Leaf Removal, Recycling, Road Repairs/Maintenance, Garbage and Trash Collection, Sewer Maintenance, Parks and Playgrounds. Buildings & Grounds Contractors have finished the installation of five (5) natural gas heaters, a boiler, and new electrical light fixtures at the DPW facility as part of an Energy Grant received by the Borough. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities completed an inspection of the DPW facility to insure that all of the installations were in compliance with their standards. Lime Energy was the lead agency involved in the project. Shade Trees Recycling For the Year of 2010, our Borough filed the Recycling Tonnage Report with the State of New Jersey – Department of Environmental Protection on April 27, 2011 that indicates the total recycled items in the amount of 1,045. 67 Tons. Funds received from our recycling vendors for 2010 was Atlantic Coast Fibers (ACF) in the amount of $30,835.96 and Cinelli Iron & Metal Co. in the amount of $4,256.50. Avoided costs of Solid Waste due to recycling for 2010 was $74,712.10. A total savings of $109,804.56. Vehicles and Equipment purchased with Recycling
funds: Road Repair and Maintenance Snow plowing and snow removal are a large part of maintaining the roads. Every storm in our winter months either brings out our salt spreading trucks or our plows. The DPW takes pride in plowing the streets, curb to curb, and needs the cooperation of all the residents by not parking in the street until the department clears the roads. All borough and county roads in town are cleaned by our street sweeper once a week with exceptions during leaf season and winter storms. The following roads were resurfaced this year: Division Avenue from the Boulevard to Terrace Avenue, Field Avenue – entire length, Kipp Avenue from Terrace Avenue to Oldfield Avenue, Passaic Avenue from Terrace Avenue to dead-end, and Springfield from Wood Street to west dead-end. Garbage and Trash Due to budget constraints, garbage/trash will not be collected on Holidays. Please refer to the Recycling Calendar that is mailed to your home for details. Sewer Maintenance Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee kept the Department of Public Works busy with multiple emergencies. Eight (8) inches rainfall from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee reduced the amount of absorption to the already saturated ground. A major concern was the Sanitary Sewer System that was infiltrated and overwhelmed by sump pumps. The DPW had been monitoring the sanitary sewer flows at the areas of overflow as well as all the pumping stations. At Franklin Pump Station, which was in flood mode, --meaning all three pumps never stopped operating—was not on an alternating cycle of operation. This caused Pump #3 to malfunction and a replacement pump had to be installed. Now Franklin Pump Station has three (3) rebuilt units that the Borough has invested in the amount of $9,000- and a spare unit must be rebuilt to have on standby. Over the last two (2) years upgrades to all the pump stations have taken place including the installation of emergency generators, pumps, electrical switching devices, and electronic float system. Environmental Report Salt Shed Doors – Under the same program from the NJDEP Storm water Division, the DPW has installed roll-down doors covering the salt and grits. This has been operational for the past five (5) years and is also ahead of the mandated deadline. OSHA: Right-to-Know Program - Workplace Health and Safety OSHA inspected and passed the entire Borough. The inspection that encompasses the Municipal Complex, Public Safety Building, DPW garages & facility, sewer pumping stations, and any other buildings that are owned by the Borough are all in compliance. Right-to-Know Fact Sheets "are prepared on pure substances and contain information on health hazards, exposure limits, personal protective equipment, proper handling, first aid, and emergency procedures for fires and spills" to insure a safe and healthy workplace. The shredding event held at the Central Avenue parking lot on November 5 produced 9,180 lbs of paper. We received a certificate of Destruction/Recycling from Information Destruction Systems a subsidiary of Atlantic Coast Fibers, our recycling vendor. Hasbrouck Heights received an Environmental Stewardship Award from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. Our D.P.W. is to be commended for the outstanding job they did during this past year. They have worked one man short for the entire year due to budget restraints, as did the Police Department. "This concludes my report," says Dave Gonzalez I now ask Finance Commissioner Pamela J. Link to Give that year-end report submitted by Borough Administrator/Finance Officer Michael Kronyak
Governors Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse $10,356.00 Clean Communities Program 17,837.56 Drunk Driving Enforcement Fund 6,803.91 Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Fund 1,910.38 Recycling Tonnage Grant 11,687.07 Body Armor Replacement Fund 3,915.84 Grants are also sought for the funding of Capital Projects. These grants help us complete large projects, which do not fall within the operating budget, without incurring additional debt. The following projects are either completed or in progress in 2011 as a result of grants received: Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Phase I & II $300,000.00Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Phase III & IV 290,000.00 Safe Routes to Schools Program 173,000.00 Installation of a New Pavilion at Woodland Park 69,500.00 Additional Improvements to Depken Field 75,000.00 Side/Curb Replacement along Terrace, Boulevard And Passaic 135,000.00 Improvements to Burton and Collins Avenues 81,000.00 Improvements to Firemen’s Memorial/9-11 Memorial Park at the Boulevard Circle 18,000.00 In addition to the above, the Mayor and Council have
already applied for grants Acquisition of Gear and Equipment for the Fire Department Barrier Free Curb Ramps along Burton Avenue and Summit Avenue Improvements to Veteran’s Memorial and Polifly Park Tax Collections and Tax Rates Borough Debt Budget and Finance Committee 2010 and 2011 brought about some changes to the pension funding formula as well as employee contributions towards health benefits. These changes require employees to contribute a higher percentage of their compensation towards their pensions and also pay a greater amount towards their health insurance costs. Budget Total appropriations, which represents the spending portion of the budget, increased by $118,833.00. It is important to mention that the first draft of the budget which was reviewed by the Finance Committee would have called for an increase in the Local Tax Levy in the amount of $982,663.00. The final budget as adopted resulted in an increase in Local Municipal Taxes in the amount of $329,544.00. The Finance Committee considered all options when looking for cost reductions within the operating budget and this year brought about some changes in staffing levels within the administration of the Borough. The committee formulated a staff restructuring plan that ultimately resulted in a staff reduction of three positions, this was accomplished through a combination of layoffs and attrition. This plan also required that some employees would be required to work in multiple departments during specific periods. With the cooperation of all departments, and after some scheduling issues, this plan is working quite well. The finance committee will continue to work with the same dedication in an effort to formulate a 2012 budget that meets the needs of the residents with a watchful eye on the tax rate. These continue to be challenging times. "That concludes my report," says Pam Link As Mayor, I am very proud of the work we have done to not only maintain our parks and Playgrounds, but to improve them. The Borough has within its boundaries several parks, Woodland, Veterans, Polifly, and Miers that the DPW maintains. There are also many other areas that are also maintained such as Policeman’s Memorial, Fireman’s Memorial, Little League, and 32 other locations throughout the town. Woodland Park was filled with 46 picnics so far this year for picnics. The DPW performs services for picnics such as cleaning restrooms, turning on water, and electric, and removing trash. Some of our maintenance duties are seeding, fertilizing, watering, grass cutting, weeding, and planting of flowers. The Woodland Park Pavillion will undergo some very big improvements in 2012 with the help of Grant Funding. The entire Pavillion cover will be replaced and new electrical work will be done, including the addition of new outlets and lighting. We will also complete the work the Borough started at Depken Field. The Playground area will be improved by the placement of a cover similar to those at Miers and Central Avenue Parks. In addition new fencing will go up on both Franklin and Ravine Areas adjacent to the Athletic Field. All of this work should begin in the Spring, 2012 I am so proud of all the work done with Grant money and matching dollars, some of which came from donations from The American Legion, Costa Memorial Home, sales by Heights Florist, The Chic Charity Club, the Junior Woman’s Club and other individuals. On behalf of the entire Council and the entire Committee thank you everyone. Two steel beams from the World Trade Center were hoisted and secured in place at the Firemen’s Memorial Park as the center piece of a refurbishment project in Remembrance of 9/11. The park restoration, funded by a grant from Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund and a capital improvement fund, consisted of new sidewalk construction, electrical service for lights to illuminate the 9/11 beams, memorial stone, Flag pole, and irrigation system. The Department of Public Works is to be commended for their work in preparing the Steel Beams. My personal thanks to all the Borough employees who worked so diligently with me from beginning to end; Borough Clerk Rose Marie Sees, Borough Administrator Mike Kronyak, Police Chief Michael Colaneri, Borough Engineer Ken Job and D.P.W. Supt. Bill Spindler and his men. You will remember there were so many others who participated in the 9-11 Memorial Program along with the Fire Department members and the 9-11 Committee. Special thanks again to Deacon Paul Carris of Corpus Christi R.C. Church, and Fr. Joe Pickard Pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church for all of their outstanding work. Mike Kronyak and I are already working on the second part of the three-pronged project to upgrade our parks. First was the 9-11/Fireman’s Memorial Park. The second is the Veterans Memorial Park. That grant has been preliminarily approved for $32,000. It has to go through several more approvals before we know for sure we will get that total amount. Veterans Park will see the placement of electric and lights, new sidewalks, new benches, and the Flag Pole lights so that the flag will fly 24 hours a day. More information will be forthcoming in the summer. Boulevard Streetscape Reassessment The Finance Committee is waiting for the Final Report from the Reassessment Company and will report on it in a timely manner. It appears that we will see more ratables in 2012. Improvements are being planned as we move into the New Year on the Route 17 site to be converted to a hotel. New Housing will be going up in the area of the V.F.W. and the one house built adjacent to the Swim Club Parking Lot has been sold, so it is likely that more homes will be built in that area. The Mayor and Council are seriously considering selling the empty lot next to the Central Avenue Park so that a ratable can be built there. We have also been studying plans to hire Part Time Ambulance Personnel and billing insurance companies for the Ambulance Service. This is all part of being conscious of the lack of volunteer personnel needed for the Ambulance Service and the need to better serve our residents.
Planning and Zoning Board Members Board of Health Members Library Board Members Recreation Program Advisory Committee Members Food Pantry Staff Members Ethical Standards Board Members Local Assistance Board Members Rent Leveling Board Members Members of the Environmental and Transportation Commission Members of the Community Awareness Access for All Committee The Mayor’s Community Celebrations Committee Members The Mayor’s Research Committee Members The Mayor’s Senior Citizens Committee Members The Mayor’s Youth Committee Members The Mayor’s Business Community Committee Members Mayor’s Liaisons Garrett Pepe - the D.P.W. Tom Meli - the Fire Dept. Steve Pikowski - the Finance Dept. Ron Kistner - the Recreation Dept. The Annual Report is coming to a close as I report the growing number of people in need of help. Food Pantry The pantry is operational only because of the generous donations both monetary and in grocery items received on a continuing basis from all the local churches, civic organizations, local Boys and Girls Scout Troops, School and PTA food and gift card drives, and many, many generous residents. We are also most thankful to the many volunteers who religiously come to supervise the food pantry on Monday mornings and to Rob Brady and Rose Marie Sees who oversee the program. The pantry was overwhelmed with the generosity of our residents and local organizations this past Holiday Season. Each family in need was able to receive a turkey and trimmings for a Thanksgiving dinner, as well as holiday gift baskets and presents for all ages, donated by the Junior Woman’s Club, Euclid School, Corpus Christi Rosary Society, ReMax Trading Places and Gateway Realtors and individual residents. If anyone would like to volunteer to work the pantry or to organize a donation please call Robert Brady at the Recreation Department at (201) 288-4143. The Annual Report gives each of us just some idea of what it takes for the Borough to be the best it can be. We are blessed with a hard working group of Borough Employees who care for us and about us 24-7. I extend to you my personal thanks for having the confidence in me to re-elect me Thank you so much. I truly love this job and the work I do. Come see me in the Library on Saturday mornings between the hours of 10 am to noon. You can just say hello, ask me for information, and share your ideas, of if you would like to serve on a committee, please let me know. I thank the members of the Council and I thank all of you for being here. AND I wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. This concludes the Annual Report. ###
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