Passaic County approves open-space and historic preservation grant recommendations; moves ahead on vocational school parking bond

The Passaic County Board of County Commissioners on May 27, 2025, reviewed recommendations from the Open Space, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund Advisory Committee, heard a brief public hearing staff summary on the sale of a small parcel, received an update on a new county microtransit service and moved to adopt bond orders to partially fund a parking garage at the county vocational-technical school.

Open space and park development recommendations: Sal Presti, the county’s Open Space coordinator, presented the advisory committee’s recommended park development grants. Recommended awards (project and recommended county contribution) included: - Bloomingdale — De Lazier Field bathroom and backstop: $180,000 - Clifton — Washington Park playground and ADA pathways: $200,000 - Hawthorne — Wagaral Field bleacher replacement (ADA improvements): $125,000 - Highlands Nature Friends (New Life Center, Ringwood) — building improvements: $40,000 - Little Falls — Amity Park playground conversion and basketball court refurbish: $198,500 - North Haledon — High Mountain Middle School playground final phase: $235,400 - Prospect Park — Hofstra Park shelter and court resurfacing (tennis/pickleball) and gazebo: $198,500 - Ringwood — Stone Town Recreation Complex playground: $155,000 - Totowa — Kennedy Park playground replacement and basketball court rehabilitation: $225,000 - Wanaque — Lory Park final improvements (including two pickleball courts): $205,000 - Wayne — community center sports court renovation: $250,000; Wayne Little League Darowich Field turfing: $100,000; Wayne Police Athletic League bleacher replacement: $100,000 - Woodland Park — Rosa Park Place tennis court rehabilitation: $225,000

Historic preservation recommendations: Kelly Raphael summarized recommended awards to historic organizations and municipalities, including: - American Labor Museum — window and deck restoration, chicken coop roof: $50,000 - Pompton Lakes — library roof restoration (phase 2): $150,000 - Paterson — Eastside Park historic stair restoration (phase 3): $225,000 (city) and $75,000 (Friends of Paterson Parks for the grama staircase) - Friends of Wallisch Homestead — red timber barn stabilization and reuse: $35,000 - Little Falls Historic Society — window restoration (36 windows): $50,000 and exterior door restoration: $50,000 - West Milford (Trujune settlement) — stabilization and roof repairs for three structures: $35,000

Commissioner questions: Commissioner John Bartlett asked whether recommended awards below full request amounts risked stalling projects; Presti replied some projects are multi-phase and the awards were sized to fill gaps or to support a discrete phase, with the remainder expected in later applications or through local matches.

Public hearing on surplus property: The board opened a public hearing on the proposed sale of an approximately 1,050-square-foot former right-of-way adjacent to properties on Latwanda/Latima Avenue in Woodland Park and Pearlwood Park under N.J.S.A. 40A:12-13 and resolution R-25-162. No members of the public spoke; the clerk noted the public portion would be closed.

Microtransit update: Director reported on the county’s new microtransit service (County Move) launched in Paterson and Clifton. The county said, in its first week, about 1,300 app downloads, more than 1,000 registered accounts, 303 completed trips and 434 riders transported. County staff described the first-week use as "unprecedented for the first week of this type of program" and scheduled a formal media event for the next day.

Bond appropriation and bond orders: The board considered and moved to appropriate $4,500,000 to partially fund construction of a parking garage at the county vocational-technical school and to adopt bond orders (bond order 2025-04 as listed on the agenda). The motion to adopt the bond orders was moved by Commissioner John Bartlett and seconded from the dais; the roll call recorded the commissioners answering affirmatively (recorded on the transcript as: Bartlett — yes; Cruz — yes; DeVore — yes; Duffy — yes; Director Lazaro — yes; Director O'COUR — yes; Clerk LaGore — yes). The board announced the motion as adopted.

Consent agenda and late contract: The director asked to add a late resolution to the consent agenda: a contract award for child advocacy services to the Audrey Hepburn Children’s House / Northern Regional Diagnostic Center at Hackensack University Medical Center under N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5. The board moved to approve the consent agenda items (N1–N66, which includes the Open Space and Historic Preservation grant resolutions and the late contract). The motion to approve the consent agenda was moved and seconded and passed on roll call (the transcript records the commissioners voting affirmatively in sequence).

Why it matters: The recommended Open Space and Historic Preservation awards would support park improvements, playground upgrades, ADA compliance, and preservation work across multiple Passaic County municipalities. The parking-garage appropriation and bond order advance funding for a vocational school infrastructure project intended to reduce parking pressure in Wayne and around the technical school. The microtransit pilot’s first-week usage provides an early measure of resident uptake.

What’s next: The board indicated it will publicize the grant awards and present ceremonial check photos for completed grants. Staff said additional outreach and a formal media push are planned as projects advance. The microtransit program will have a media event; the absent honoree from the AAPI ceremony will receive a future presentation.