Dam Study, New Principal, Reservoir Release Top This Week's News

Engineers: Pascack Brook Flooding Could be Reduced by Dam Operations

Engineers from GEI Consultants said Tuesday that United Water's upcoming project at the Woodcliff Lake Dam would not worsen flooding downstream along the Pascack Brook, and a change in dam operations to carefully release water from the reservoir before storms could likely mitigate some flooding.

School Board Appoints Cascone as New Westwood High Principal

The Westwood Regional Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Scott Cascone as the new principal of Westwood Regional High School during their meeting Thursday night.

Cascone may already be a familiar face to many in the district. He is approaching his seventh anniversary with the schools, having first served as a K-12 supervisor and then as the director of personnel for the past two years.

United Water Lowering Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Before Storm

United Water began releasing water from the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Wednesday after the National Weather Service issued the third flood watch in a week for Bergen County and much of the tri-state area Wednesday, according to Westwood Mayor John Birkner.

Washington Twp. Attorney Wants Employment Status Discussed in Public

The Washington Township Council has discussed the employment of township attorney Kenneth Poller in closed session at least two times since a report released by the state comptroller's office last year caused officials to question whether he counted as a full-time employee or a contractor.

Despite the closed session discussions, Poller said he had never received a Rice Notice, the form that public bodies are required to give their employees to alert them to discussions about their employment. The employees can elect to have the discussions held in public meetings.

Poller said Monday that he would choose to go public, prompting officials to remove an item from their closed session that night and to ask the township clerk to send a Rice Notice to Poller.

Open Westwood School Board Seat Draws Two Candidates

Two candidates are seeking an unexpired term on the Westwood Regional Board of Education which will be left open when longtime board member Barbara Gregory officially retires at the end of the month.

Julie Keating and Michael DeSena, both of Washington Township, have put their names in for the school board seat.

Two Seek Unexpired Hillsdale School Board Seat

Hillsdale residents will have two candidates to choose from for a one-year unexpired term on the Hillsdale Board of Education in November.

Krista Flinn, who was appointed to the seat in March, and Liz Santos are seeking the seat.

Township Council Approves New $120K Generator Contract

The Washington Township Council voted to approved a contract for a new emergency generator at the town's Municipal Complex during their meeting Monday.

Sober Living Home Owner Aims For Unique Demographic

The owner of a proposed sober living home on Magnolia Avenue in Hillsdale said she hoped to meet the needs of a demographic which is not catered to in the area while continuing to answer questions from residents and members of the Hillsdale Planning Board Wednesday night.

The over-30 "professional men," who Donna Lally said she hopes to provide a sober living environment for, would fall somewhere in between the target demographics of low-rent Oxford Houses, a widespread example in the sober home industry, and Brooklyn's $12,500-per-month Loft 107.