Borough Re-Envisions Emergency Response Operations

One year after Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc in Fair Lawn, the borough has moved to a new, and what it expects to be, more effective emergency response model

If Hurricane Irene swept through Fair Lawn today, the borough wouldn't employ the same emergency response model it used last year. Instead, it would return to procedures used during 1999's Tropical Storm Floyd that were shelved for last August's federally declared disaster. Current borough manager Tom Metzler, who has extensive emergency management experience and was actually working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency when Irene touched down, said that while he would not second guess the previous regime, things would operate differently under his watch. "There would be a much greater emphasis on our emergency operations center and representation of all of the individuals that we needed around the table," said Metzler, who …

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BellairBerdan

7:21 pm on Thursday, August 30, 2012

My point Zak is that it appears we are being groomed for another big expenditure, that in my opinion is unnecessary with today's technology. Will we spend tens of thousands of dollars to get a matching grant when nearly everything can be accomplished on a few $400 iphones?   more ›

One Year Later: Hurricane Irene in Pictures

Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Irene's touch down in Bergen County.

On this day one year ago, Hurricane Irene (actually Tropical Storm Irene, to be totally accurate) hit Bergen County. The torrential rainfall overwhelmed both the Saddle and Passaic rivers, causing flashfloods, while near-hurricane level gusts of wind knocked down power lines and scores of colossal trees that blocked streets and crushed homes. Patch was there through it all, providing live updates in the days leading up to the storm, continuing through the worst of the flooding -- the Passaic River crested at a century-high 14.19 feet -- and the water's gradual recession. The above galleries, which include a mix of professional and user-submitted photos and videos from Hurricane Irene in the neighboring communities of Fair Lawn and Saddle …

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Environmental Study Finds Increase in Severe Weather Events

Report attributes rising number of severe storms to global warming

By Tom Johnson, NJ Spotlight If it seems like when it rains, it pours these days, it apparently is more often the case. At least that is the conclusion of a new study by Environment New Jersey, which analyzed reams of state data from the National Climatic Data Center dating back to 1948 through 2011. The new report found that heavy downpours that used to happen every 12 months on average in New Jersey now occur every nine months on average. Moreover, the biggest storms are getting bigger. The largest annual storms in New Jersey now produce 22 percent more precipitation, on average than they did 65 years ago, according to the study. To Environment New Jersey, an advocacy group that has been pushing for more controls on greenhouse gas …

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Flood Watch Issued for Bergen County

A flood watch is in effect for northeast New Jersey until 12 p.m. Monday

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Bergen County until 12 p.m. Monday. The steady moderate to heavy rain that has battered the area most of the day Sunday is expected to continue through the night, reaching rates of three-quarters to one inch of rain per hour. Rain is eventually expected to taper off by Monday afternoon. A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts, but at the moment, nearby flood gauges in Little Falls and Lodi don't project the Passaic or Saddle rivers will reach flood stage. Drivers should exercise caution as roads are slick and there are areas of puddling. This weekend's storms are the first significant rainfall the area has seen in months. Sporadic showers are…

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Week in Review

Week in Review: Budget Shortfalls, Home Buyouts, Cheerios Boxes

Missed any of this week's news? It's all right here.

Monday, April 2 Pedestrian Safety Grant Will Improve Warren Point School Intersection The borough has been awarded just over $146,000 from the state for pedestrian safety improvements. Fair Lawn Settles Lawsuit With Former Police Sergeant for $550K Council approved authorization of an out-of-court settlement of the lawsuit brought against the borough by former police Sgt. Michael Messina. Tuesday, April 3 High School Fashion Show Supports Anti-Bullying Effort Fair Lawn High School's Fashion Club held its fourth annual Fashion Show on Tuesday night. Click here for behind-the-scenes photos of some of the night's models getting made up. Unable to Lend Flooded Residents a Hand, Borough Lends an Ear Repetitively flooded residents aired their …

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Senate Committee Holds Hurricane-Response Bill -- for Now

Questions arise as to whether the BPU is already working on emergency response guidelines

By Tom Johnson, NJ Spotlight The legislature appears ready to overhaul how New Jersey’s four electric utilities respond to widespread power outages, such as those that occurred last summer when a hurricane made landfall in the state, leaving nearly 2 million customers without power. But not just yet. The Senate Economic Growth Committee yesterday held a bill (S-467) that would direct the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to establish a set of standards for emergency preparation and restoration of service, which every investor-owned utility must follow. State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), the chairman of the panel, said the committee deferred action on the bill at the request of the New Jersey Utilities Association, which noted that …

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Meet John Cosgrove: Lifelong Borough Volunteer

A brief background on new councilman John Cosgrove and what inspired him to run for office

It took three decades of prodding from both parties but John Cosgrove finally agreed to run for Fair Lawn borough council in 2011. “I decided to do it this time because I feel that the next four years are going to be some of the most important in Fair Lawn’s history,” Cosgrove said back in October. “There’s going to be some very difficult decisions that have to be made.” A lifelong resident whose family has lived in town for more than 100 years, Cosgrove’s devotion to Fair Lawn is legendary. “A lot of my friends always kid me that Fair Lawn is the center of my universe.” Cosgrove quips. From a quick scan of his resume, it’s immediately clear why he’s affectionately called “Mr. Fair Lawn.” Not only has Cosgrove worked in some capacity with …

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Manager to Tackle Top Priorities at First Work Session

New manager Tom Metzler is prepared to address some of the borough's most pressing issues at his first council work session Tuesday

Tom Metzler can't afford to spend time leisurely re-acclimating himself to the job. The new borough manager has packed Tuesday's work session agenda with pressing issues that range from the budget to police lawsuits to the future of Memorial Pool. "There are no quick fixes," Metzler said of the budget process, which he acknowledged will be a challenge. "But it is fixable." At Tuesday's meeting he said he'd provide council with an overview of the upcoming budget and discuss his approach to preparing it -- which will run parallel to his approach as borough manager in year's past. The key, he said, will be building a strong surplus, which in the short term will require increasing taxes and finding viable new sources of revenue. Once that's …

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Undercover Sting Nets Area Contractors

Unregistered home improvement contractors busted in undercover investigation, authorities said.

Joseph Dellasala, of Hackensack, was among eight unregistered home improvement contractors charged by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office as part of a multi-agency undercover investigation conducted on the heels of Tropical Storm Irene, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs said Wednesday.  The following area contractors were charged:  In addition to allegedly operating as unregistered home improvement contractors, the eight individuals charged criminally were identified as not having any business information on file with the state, according to a statement released by the NJDCA. In New Jersey, the fourth-degree charge carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $10,000. The investigation …

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9:35 pm on Friday, January 6, 2012

Job well done by a multi jurisdictional task force!!! Such scam artists must be taken off the streets   more ›

2011: A Year in Review

A breakdown of the year's news by month

In the past 12 months, Fair Lawn has endured historic natural disasters, faced a slew of lawsuits from police officers and elected a Republican council for the first time in over a decade. The year ahead should usher in a wave of significant changes to the borough, but let's look now at the year that was 2011. January The new year started with a number of appointments, including a new mayor, a new fire chief and Fair Lawn's first-ever town crier. Deputy Mayor Joe Tedeschi began the new year by touting the $1.3 million in savings the borough had accrued since it switched from private insurance to self-insurance. Policemen's Benevolent Association President David Boone questioned the merit of the switch to self-insurance and Tedeschi's …

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