1. FIRST-AID FANS
FIRST-AID FANS
BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
WOODCLIFF LAKE—John Burns brought the
house to its feet in a standing ovation after he
expressed deep gratitude for the boroughʼs trust in
him and pledged to work for a safe, strong, and
proud Woodcliff Lake as the boroughʼs police chief.
At his swearing in ceremony on March 5 at
Tice Senior Center, Burns ceremonially took the
role heʼs been filling since Jan. 1, when he replaced
Chief Anthony Janicelli, who retired after 41 years
of service.
Woodcliff Lake joins Montvale and River Vale
Chief Burns vows cutting-edge policing
Continued on page 30
BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Members of the
Township of Washington Volunteer Ambulance Corps
visited a meeting of Jessie F. George School Brownie
Troop 97083 on Feb. 1, and was it fun!
Corpsmembers led tours of the ambulance and
welcomed the girls, age 7–9, in flashing its lights and
wailing its siren.
According to EMT Lt. Justin G. Tsai, a few
scouts tried out lying on the ambulance stretcher. All
learned where supplies were kept and how theyʼre to
Photos
courtesy
Justin
Tsai
Beverly Burns pins her husband’s badge March 5. John
Burns, a 31-year veteran, is Woodcliff Lake’s new top cop.
Continued on page 8
WTVAC EMTs Nina Buchakjian and Lindsey Sirois help Brownie Troop 97083 earn its first aid badges.
Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake
P A S C A C K V A L L E Y ’ S B E S T H O M E T O W N N E W S P A P E R
VOLUME 22 ISSUE 52 MARCH 11, 2019
Ann Blanche Smith School rocked its 11th
Annual Souper Bowl Food Drive, benefitting the
Hillsdale Helping Hand Food Pantry.
SEE PAGE 6
KIDS PITCH IN
Jack’s Cafe in Westwood once was Jaeger’s
Diner. Who recalls when Henry A. Jaeger
ran the place in the 1930s and 1940s?
SEE PAGE 4
B ck in time...
EMERSON
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BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
Westwood residents who
lodged a complaint against the bor-
ough in Superior Court last Novem-
ber have to wait a little while longer
for what is shaping up to be a repeal
of an ordinance thatʼs even had
Emerson residents steamed.
The Emerson Land Use Board
tabled its hearing on an ordinance
the Borough Council seeks in order
to finish repealing the drive-thru
ordinance, 1513, which originated in
the 2015 Master Plan review and
allowed Starbucks in on Kinderka-
mack Road with a drive-thru.
Prior to the ordinance adoption
in 2016, no type of drive-thru estab-
lishment or facility was permitted in
the borough. Drive-in restaurants
were expressly forbidden.
Westwood residents who live
just across the town line mobilized
after a Wendyʼs with extended
hours, a drive-thru, and variance
requests was requested at Emerson
Plaza, 411 Old Hook Road at Main
Street.
Emersonʼs new governing body
corrected the ordinance as one of its
first acts—the measure had not been
noticed as required—and then set
about repealing it.
Had the borough planner been
able to attend the Land Use Board
meeting March 7, itʼs likely that
board would have found the repeal is
consistent with the Master Plan and
returned it to the council with its
blessing.
The hearing is reset for March
21. The soonest it can rejoin the
mayor and council for their second
vote, making it official, is April 2.
See EMERSON on page 144
WOODLIFF LAKE
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF PASCACK PRESS
Borough officials approved a
contract March 4 for Galaxy Gar-
densʼ environmental remediation
that was more than $100,000 less
than a lone bid received in Novem-
ber.
Council members unanimously
awarded a $227,375 contract to a
South Jersey contractor with the
lowest bid for environmental reme-
diation on the former Galaxy Gar-
dens site—a bid over $100,000
below the lone bid received in
November when bids were first
advertised and submitted.
ENR Contracting LLC, of
Winslow, was approved 6–0 by
council members, who asked ques-
tions about the low bid but were
reassured by borough professionals,
including engineer Evan Jacobs,
Neglia Engineering Associates, and
First Environment, Boonton, that the
bid was in line with similar soil
remediation projects.
First Environment was hired
last fall by the council due to their
experience with soil blending proj-
ects and lower overall costs.
The firm replaced Langan
Engineering as licensed site remedi-
ation professional, or LSRP, for the
boroughʼs Galaxy Gardensʼ soil
remediation effort.
An LSRP coordinates with
state environmental officials on site
remediation plans, soil sampling
results, and provides remediation
project oversight.
Seven bids received
Of 17 potential contractors who
requested bid specifications, seven
bids were received by Feb. 20. The
bids ranged $227,375 to $525,000.
The three lowest contractor
bids were considered for the remedi-
ation contract, coming in at
$227,375, $280,400 and $295,510.
See ‘GALAXY’ on page 234
‘GALAXY’
CLEAN-UP
CONTRACT
APPROVED
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