Passaic County highlights progress on West Milford satellite office for public health and senior services

A Passaic County commissioner on behalf of the Board of Commissioners said the county is celebrating progress on a satellite office in West Milford that will bring public health, behavioral health and senior nutrition services closer to residents in northern Passaic County.

"These are, real life issues and resources that really impact the everyday lives of these individuals," the commissioner said, urging the public to view the project as a step toward equity and accessibility.

The satellite office is intended to consolidate services under one roof for residents who previously traveled long distances to access care, county officials said. The county commissioner said the project is being advanced through shared-service agreements with six municipalities to reduce costs for taxpayers and through project labor agreements, or PLAs, intended to ensure local hires.

"This satellite office is more than a building. It's a promise," Mayor Dale of West Milford said. "Your health, your well-being, and your access to care matter." Dale said the facility will serve northern Passaic County residents and that West Milford has been a key municipal partner in the project.

Brian Deck, identified at the event as a representative of the building and construction trades, addressed PLAs and local hiring. "PLAs are great because it ensures that our local residents here in West Milford have an opportunity not to travel to different counties to work," Deck said, describing the agreements as a way to keep jobs and apprenticeship opportunities in the area during construction.

County officials and speakers described the planned office as a hub for services and long-term community resource. Remarks at the program emphasized three themes: increasing local access to health and behavioral services, using shared services among municipalities to lower costs, and the use of PLAs to direct construction jobs to local workers and apprentices.

Speakers at the event also framed the project as tied to broader goals of health equity and economic opportunity for working families. The county commissioner noted the project's aim to "meet people where they are, reducing barriers to care and strengthening our communities." Officials said programmatic details, schedules and funding breakdowns were not specified at the event.

The event brought together county elected officials, Mayor Dale, representatives of building trades and county staff including the county engineer and county administrator, who were acknowledged by speakers as part of the ongoing project team. No formal votes or ordinance actions were taken at the program; speakers described the gathering as a milestone update and celebration of partnership.

The county did not provide a construction start date, total cost, or a detailed timeline at the event; those details were not specified in the remarks.