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Mayor Damiano highlights park upgrades, public-safety purchases and flood work in 2025 State of the Township
Summary
Mayor Damiano recapped 2024 improvements — Wilmore Park playground, a larger downtown parking lot, a new traffic signal and new equipment for fire and rescue — and said the township secured significant grant funding and will continue flood-mitigation work with the Army Corps in 2025.
Mayor Damiano delivered the 2025 State of the Township address on Jan. 27, reviewing infrastructure projects, public-safety upgrades and grant awards he said will shape the township’s priorities this year. He thanked residents for supporting his re-election and praised the council’s role in advancing recent projects.
In his address, Mayor Damiano credited completion of the revamped Wilmore Park playground and expansion of the PNC parking lot to nearly 100 spaces as major improvements for downtown parking and recreation. He also noted the long-awaited traffic signal at Francisco and Cedar Grove Road was installed and that street-sign and decorative-lighting installations remain pending.
Why it matters: The projects Mayor Damiano cited affect everyday services — parks, parking and road safety — and reflect how the township is using grant funding and local capital to address recurring resident concerns.
The mayor said the township secured grant funding in 2024, citing both a “record-breaking $900,000” award and a larger aggregate grant figure he presented as “1,675,522” to help offset project costs, purchase turnout gear for firefighters, fund police overtime and beautification efforts. The Police Department, he said, completed a reaccreditation process overseen by Chief Brian (surname as stated in the meeting) that the mayor said reduced the township’s liability insurance exposure. The fire department, led in the remarks by Chief Ken Sichi, acquired 12 sets of swiftwater-rescue gear and five thermal-imaging cameras for trucks; the mayor said the department responded to 521 calls in 2024 and provided mutual aid to neighboring municipalities during major incidents.
The mayor also reported that the Little Falls Ambulance Service answered more than 1,600 calls under EMS coordinator Mike Berski and that the building department issued hundreds of permits and performed roughly 810 building inspections to ensure fire-code compliance.
Public works and recreation upgrades were also in focus: the DPW added a rolloff dumpster truck to help with flood response and an F-350 to its vehicle fleet, the township continued a road-resurfacing program (the mayor said more than five roadways were paved in the past year) and the recreation department logged 2,455 registrations across seasons. The mayor said the township is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a plan to address recurring flooding along the Pekman River.
The address closed with thanks to municipal staff, including Business Administrator Vince Quatron and Township Clerk Cynthia Krauss, and a pledge to continue the street-scape, parks and recreation improvements in 2025.
What’s next: The administration said several projects remain in construction or final installation phases and that flood-mitigation planning with the Army Corps will proceed this year.
