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Residents press council on township flag idea, teen‑center lease terms and a liquor‑license transfer
Summary
During public comment residents proposed creating an official West Milford flag, raised questions about a five‑year Teen Center lease and a $10,000 QPA stipend, and urged transparency about a pending liquor‑license transfer for Whiskey Wolf Tavern; the mayor and attorney directed licensing questions to the ABC.
Public comment at the June 24 West Milford Township Council meeting covered several community concerns.
Seventh‑grader James Fulton, a member of Boy Scout Troop 44, presented a flag design and urged the council to consider creating an official West Milford township flag to strengthen community identity. Mayor Michele Dale said the idea would be brought to the council as a future discussion item and that Councilwoman Ada Erik and Councilman Rudolf Hass would serve as an advisory committee to research options.
Resident Sue Pappas asked a series of questions about items on the meeting agenda: she asked how the commercial rental rate was set for the Teen Center at Westbrook Park, whether utilities, insurance, maintenance and security were included in the lease, and whether public access to Green Acres parkland would be affected. She also noted that the outgoing QPA had been paid $5,000 and the newly appointed QPA would receive $10,000 and asked what additional responsibilities justified the increase. Mayor Dale and Attorney Pasternak responded that the Johner Building utilities are a County responsibility, that the lease language preserves public access and that the Administrator holds multiple licenses (CFO, QPA and other roles) that produce cost savings compared to outsourcing those functions; they noted the QPA stipend reflects the township’s decision to formally appoint an existing staff member to that role beginning July 1, 2026.
Business owner Bruno Walzak raised concerns about liquor license 1615‑33‑035‑008 (Whiskey Wolf Tavern) and a person‑to‑person transfer application he obtained via OPRA, saying that the timeline “raises serious questions” and asserting that “Whiskey Wolf was operating while the transfer of the license remained unresolved.” He asked why the transfer had not come to the Governing Body for public consideration and where any public notice could be reviewed. Mayor Dale and Attorney Pasternak told the meeting that liquor‑licensing investigations are handled by the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and urged concerned residents to contact the ABC; the mayor said an ABC investigator had already visited and that the township would act if the ABC directed it to remove a license.
Seeing no further public speakers, the council closed the public comment period.
