Mayor's Message Archive

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FLOOD UPDATE 12.24.23 10:30 AM

Mayor Damiano shot a video this morning in which he provides an update on the cleanup and final instructions for residents affected by the flooding.

View the video here: Flood Update Sunday, December 24, 2023 at 10:30 AM - YouTube

FLOOD UPDATE 12.22.23 2:00 PM

Mayor Damiano shot a new video in the Parkway area of Little Falls this afternoon in which he provides information about the current state of flooding as well as further guidance for residents seeking to reenter their homes and begin the cleanup.

View the video here: Flood Update Friday, December 22, 2023 at 2:00 pm (youtube.com)

FLOOD UPDATE 12.21.23 12:30 PM

Mayor Damiano shot a video in the Parkway area of Little Falls this afternoon in which he provides information about the current state of flooding as well as guidance for residents seeking to reenter their homes and begin the cleanup.

As the area reopens, please keep the following in mind

No on street parking. The roadways must be clear for cleanup and emergency vehicles. This also includes garbage and sandbags.

Personal items not being disposed of should be kept close to your home to avoid accidental disposal.

Items to be disposed of should be placed on your front lawn, close to the curb for pickup by the DPW, not in the a street.

Sandbags should be placed at the curb in a separate pile for pickup by the DPW.

IMPORTANT! Please call your insurance carrier immediately prior to removing anything or starting demolition! Take photos of every bit of damage you sustained. Do not start removal or demolition if you are seeking insurance reimbursement.

View the video here: Mayor Damiano Gives a Flood Update on Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 12:30 pm - YouTube

STATE OF THE TOWNSHIP
January 23, 2023

With 2022 coming to a close, without the daily changes in rules surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic, it’s nice to be getting back to the old normal.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the employees of this Township who work so hard each and every day to keep this Town up and running, especially our Business Administrator Chuck Cuccia, our Township Clerk, Cynthia Kraus, and our Deputy Clerk, Melissa DePiro.

I am thrilled to announce that the first three sections of our Main Street, Streetscape project which have been delayed for years due to supply chain issues and Covid related delays is finally under way. Soon, our downtown will not be stuck in 1960, and like so many of our surrounding neighbors, we will have a modern, cleaned up downtown, that we can all be proud of, that will be decorated with lights and wreathes and banners, all funded by grants received in prior years. All of the construction that you see ongoing along Main Street is currently to improve the downtown aesthetics and bring Little Falls into the Millennium. Eventually, it is my vision that this Streetscape will span from the border of Little Falls in North Caldwell in Singac to the very top of Long Hill Road, as well as along Stevens Ave. and eventually Paterson Ave. It will add a welcoming and soft feel to the Township

Little Falls had a great 2022. From a grant’s perspective, the Township was awarded funding of nearly $1.75 Million and comes from a combination of State and County sources. We received nearly a half million dollars to improve Wilmore Park, we’ve received over $469,000 to continue the Streetscape on Stevens Ave. from Main Street to Walnut Street. We received $300,000 to expand the Streetscape on Main Street from Maple Ave. to Van Ness Ave., and we received $248,000 to add a sidewalk along Wilmore Road to allow students to safely walk to school from Francisco Ave. We also received $100,000 to add Belgium Block curbs and repave Mozart Ave. and Cherry Street, as well as nearly $100,000 for police overtime for things such as highway enforcement, drunk driving enforcement, and seatbelt enforcement, as well as $26,000 towards firefighter turnout gear. All of these improvements and expenses come to Little Falls residents at no costs funded by grants, which have increased by hundreds of thousands of dollars since I have become Mayor over prior administrations.

Little Falls continued to have incredible attendance at its Summer Concerts in the Park with the assistance of ABC, we continued to host outdoor movie nights, and the ever-popular Farmers Market which nearly doubled its visitors this year to almost 15,000 visitors throughout its 24 weeks, and this year, the Township hosted its second annual Water Day, which wasn’t cut short by rain, and was an incredible success. The township continued to host its annual 5K, town wide garage sale, Light Up Little Falls, and its numerous flag-raising ceremonies to honor and remind us of the struggles and successes of others. I need to thank Councilmember Hablitz for her dedication to making Little Falls such a great place to live, as well as former Council members Seber and Kahwaty for their assistance in making these events so successful with so many events offered to people of all ages.

I also need to thank our Little Falls CERT Team more than ever for their services this year as they assisted at all of our major events throughout town to ensure that all remained safe.

This past year, the Township made a substantial upgrade to the 911 communications system which cost nearly $1 Million. We continued to make substantial sewer repairs and upgrades to our aging sewer system in town, some of which is over 100 years old. We also completed the pedestrian walkway at Town Hall which was part of the original plan but eliminated during construction. We purchased a roll off truck to ensure that in the event there is ever a flood again that we are never dependent upon garbage contractors to assist in removing and relocating dumpsters when our residents are in dire need of dumpsters being relocated. We also brought our tax map into the 21st century and have now digitized the tax map. And we passed a lead-based paint abatement ordinance to ensure that residents, particularly tenants, remain safe. And finally, after over a decade of the building remaining empty, and this administration vowing to work to save the building, we partnered with the Historic Society and Ethan and the Bean to repurpose the old Municipal Building at 35 Stevens Ave. to have it restored to its old beauty at no cost to the residents of Little Falls.

Recreation

This past year, the Fall and Spring sports were able to utilize the renovated Sports and Recreation Complex, and the Townships annual Summer Camp program was back in full swing, thanks to our Recreation department headed by Mr. Passero and Mr. Pace. This past year, Pickleball saw its highest registration numbers with 139 individuals registered, and seemingly, that many people there each day. Our spring sports season saw an all-time high registration of 889 children registered as well with more and more children being drawn to the renovated facility than ever before, with a total of 2,456 youth and adult sports registrations in Community Pass in 2022.

This year, the Little Falls Recreation Department successfully added two events, one of which was delayed a few years due to weather and Covid, with the addition of the food truck festival for Halloween, as well as the addition of the Peddlers Village Holiday Marketplace. There are now 38 total different sports programs and events hosted by the Township Recreation Department each year available to Little Falls Residents.

Building Department & Fire Official

In 2022, under the leadership of James DiMaria, the building department and the Township have continued to work towards revitalizing, upgrading, and enhancing our Township in a positive direction which is simultaneously helping to ensure the financial future of the Town. Many homeowners have also invested in their homes continuing to choose Little Falls as their home, and continuing to make improvements to their home. In 2022, there were 764 permits issued and costing over $600,000 in total permit fees. There were 70 new buildings constructed, with new construction totaling over $37 Million. There were 759 inspections completed, and 230 violations issued. These new buildings and developments will increase the tax base and ratables for the municipality and greatly assist in continuing to stabilize the taxes in Little Falls while assisting in paying down the excessive debt that Little Falls has had since prior to me taking office.

Under his department in Fire Prevention, Mr. DiMaria has performed a total of 742 inspections in 2022, and performed a total of 9 fire investigations. Through these inspections, he has issued 258 violations for issues that he has noted. The building and Fire Prevention departments have been busy in 2022.

Developments and Traffic

The new development which is under way have proven to have little impact on our schools, and little impact on the traffic in Little Falls which was a concern of many residents here in town prior to them being developed. In fact, only a couple of children have been added to our schools from all of the developments, including those approved even prior to me being elected Mayor. As far as traffic, traffic has noticeably decreased over the past several months now that drivers are becoming more accustomed to the new traffic pattern at the RT46/3 split. Once the project is completed and additional lanes are added at the split, and the highway becomes even safer and accidents hopefully decrease substantially, traffic along Main Street will be almost entirely alleviated along Main Street. Since changing the timing of the traffic lights on Main Street, traffic, even during rush hour, is minimal and flows with little wait time at all of the traffic lights along Main Street.

Peckman

As residents are aware, last year the Federal government announced funding for the Peckman River project, which the Federal Government has announced funding for to the tune of over $146 Million. I have just learned that the design study is about to begin and soon, will be underway. While this project will take some time to be completed, it will ultimately add relief that many Little Falls residents need to help them sleep better at night, knowing that their homes are not one rainstorm away from flooding.

Library

The Little Falls Library continues to add countless community events each year for our residents, and hosts so many events for our children and adults.

Police

With respect to our Police Department, this past year, the Little Falls Police Department, led by newly sworn in Chief Bryan Prall, continues to maintain its accreditation as a department due to the policies and procedures that have been instituted to ensure the safety of our department and our residents. I want to wish Chief Prall safety and success in his leadership of this Department as he leads them in his new rank as Chief.

This past year, under his leadership, the Little Falls Police Department has responded to 26,099 calls for service, averaging over 71 calls per day. There were 994 motor vehicle crashes, 4,273 traffic enforcements, and over 100,000 miles patrolled, all within a town that’s less than 3 square miles.

As we progress into 2023, the Little Falls Police Department will be launching an online traffic complaint form where residents can log a complaint, and officers can follow up with data and information to provide the best solutions to issues that may exist on their particular streets or areas of concern. We are also going to be transitioning to a new program to disseminate information to residents for both emergency and non-emergency purposes.

During 2023, Chief Prall intends to reinstitute the Special Police Officer Program. These officers, once trained and in place, will allow us the flexibility to bolster the department’s capabilities with community policing, traffic enforcement and patrol related duties. They will also serve as a force-multiplier during states of emergency or when additional man power is necessary.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of the members of the Little Falls Police Department for their service, as well as their families, who work holidays, emergencies, and all hours of the day and night.

The Council and I continue to keep the safety of the residents in the forefront of our minds, and after having an opportunity to monitor the success of the speed humps that were added on Jacobus Avenue and Van Pelt, additional streets through Little Falls may be added in the upcoming year after additional meetings with residents. I would like to thank Councilman Vancheri for continued dedication to the transportation related issues in this municipality. This year, Councilman Vancheri was instrumental in having the first “don’t block the box” added to the intersection of Montclair Ave, with additional intersections along Main Street to be added in the upcoming warmer weather.

This year, I am hopeful that the installation of the Traffic Light at the intersection of Francisco Ave, at Cedar Grove and Wilmore Roads will be completed, adding a level of safety for everyone that uses that intersection on a daily basis.

EMS

In furtherance of the Township’s dedication to safety, this year, due the Little Falls EMS program has moved to a full-time program. Under the guidance of EMS Coordinator Mike Bandurski, the Little Falls EMS program has run smoothly and efficiently and has provided an incredible service to Little Falls residents, which to date, no resident has been issued a bill for services by the EMTs or for the Ambulance. In 2022, Little Falls EMS was called a total of 1,647 times. Little Falls staffed at least one ambulance 24/7 and a second ambulance when possible. Little Falls EMS answered 1,266 calls within the Township and responded to medical calls in Wayne 94 times, Totowa 65 times, Woodland Park 59 times, Clifton 57 times, and several other towns totaling an additional 37 times. Thank you to all of our EMT’s who work each day responding to some of the least expected calls anyone can imagine. In 2023, the construction of the new EMS Building on Wilmore Road should be underway as soon as funding is approved by the council and plans are completed.

Fire Department

In 2022, the Little Falls Fire Department, led by Chief, Ken Cichy, responded to a dorm fire at MSU, a structure fire at Tony’s Pizza, a structure Fire on Loretta Drive, a Motor Vehicle entrapment on Cedar Grove Road and Newark Pompton Turnpike, and multiple mutual aid calls to Cedar Grove, Passaic, and Prospect Park to fight structure fires. There were a total of 584 alarms, with 43 of them being at MSU.

In 2022, the water main project along Main Street from Union Ave. to Rt23 was completed increasing water pressure for residents and the fire department if ever needed.

In 2023, the Little Falls Fire Department is looking to Secure funding to migrate the Fire Department on to the State radio system, including new portable and mobile radios. The Department is also looking to secure funding for the replacement of Engine #4 as well as a mini pumper/squad vehicle for Singac Company 3.

Thankfully, the residents of this Township can sleep with the peace of mind that the Little Falls Fire Department is ready to jump into action any time of day, no matter the weather. I want to thank each and every member of the Little Falls Fire Department for their dedication to the residents of this Township.

DPW

In 2022, under the Guidance of DPW Superintendent Ron Campbell, the Little Falls DPW continued to keep up with its traditions of making sure that Little Falls roadways were plowed within seconds of snow hitting them following every snowstorm. This small crew is responsible for maintaining all of our parks and fields throughout the town, as well as maintaining 140 various lots that were affected by FEMA buyouts. The DPW planted dozens of trees this year on various vacant lots and in our parks and built a rain garden on the old Morris Canal Lane. The DPW continued to re-stripe all of the crosswalks and stop bars as needed throughout town and restriped all of the parking spaces along the rec center to maximize parking for visitors. The DPW painted epoxy floors in the cells and garage at the Police station as well as hung new TVs to assist the Police in upgrading the townships surveillance system.

This year, the Township also received a new F350 with a plow as well as two state of the art Ventrac snowplow and snow blower machines, which frankly, if we don’t get to use it this year I’d be happy. Being a grown-up has dramatically changed the way I feel about snow.

Over the past 6 years, I have truly enjoyed serving as Mayor. When I ran for Mayor, the number one concern of the residents was the ever-increasing taxes, and I vowed to find a way to stabilize taxes. I have found a solution to do so, and anyone who does budgeting knows that there are two parts to any budget, income, and expenses. I am happy to say that there is very little money that can be removed from the budget with respect to spending. So the only wany to offset the ever growing costs, is to increase the income, and adding rateables is the only way municipalities can do so. Many have criticized the development that is occurring in town. Yet, on the other hand, if nothing was done to offset the growing expenses, your taxes would increase, and the number one concern of nearly every resident that I have ever spoken to would not have been addressed.

This is where I ask you all to take a look at what is most important to you, and decide what is right for Little Falls. Is it more important to be able to afford your basic needs and necessities and have developments that beautify industrial zones in Little Falls, or is it more important to allow industrial zones along Main Street to sit stagnant in the name of quaintness while simultaneously not being able to afford to live here anymore; because you can’t choose both.

The answer that you would prefer a balance between the two simply does not exist, because developers have a minimum density that they require in order for the project to be feasible. As an aside, I agree with nearly everyone that has said that the new developments are tall, that they are close to the street, that they are dense, that they are plain. However, the fears that schools will be overcrowded, traffic will increase, and additional services will be needed have simply proven to be incorrect. A balance had to be met that brought in a benefit to the Township that keeps Little Falls affordable while not costing additional services. And as many economists suspected, the market was only going to warrant redevelopment for a short period of time, and that bubble has now burst. We had to strike while the iron was hot. I now suspect that there will be a period of time when major development will cease for a period of time, and thankfully, Little Falls will have the advantage of these new rateables to assist us all in stabilizing our local taxes.

So, in the face of adversity, so much has been accomplished here in Little Falls in 2022. As I have stated from the onset, I remain dedicated to my promise of Transparency. I wish people would attend Council meetings and address me and this Council with questions, rather than spreading their misinformation on social media which goes largely unanswered.

The future of this Township is truly bright, and all of our pockets will truly see a tremendous benefit. I have truly enjoyed each day that I have been fortunate enough to serve as your Mayor.

As always, if you ever have any issues, no matter how big or small, no matter day or night, I invite you to contact me by any means. I am always happy to have a discussion about anything and prefer to do so without people using social media as their first effort to have an issue addressed.

I look forward to continuing to serve as your Mayor, and I wish everyone health and happiness in 2023.

Thank You.

James Belford Damiano
-Mayor, Township of Little Falls

STATE OF THE TOWNSHIP
January 24, 2022

As 2021 comes to a close, and as we embark into 2022, these surges in COVID are beginning to make it feel a lot like Groundhog Day, but I am optimistic that there are brighter days ahead. Before we discuss what we hope to see come to fruition in 2022, we look back upon 2021, or as some call it, 2020, Part II.

As we all became more familiar with the dreaded pandemic, and as Covid-19 continued to make headlines across the nation, we have seen so many incredible things happen here in Little Falls over these past 12 months, and we have so many great things that we have to look forward to over the next year.

I would also like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all of the employees of this Township who work so hard each and every day to keep this Town up and running, especially our Business Administrator Chuck Cuccia, our Township Clerk, Cynthia Kraus, and our Deputy Clerk, Melissa DePiro. The administrative offices continue to run smoothly with minimal staffing, and your hard work does not go unnoticed.

Over the past 12 months here in Little Falls, we continued to get back to normal despite COVID-19 continuing to lead every headline. Little Falls had strong attendance at its Summer Concerts in the Park with the assistance of ABC, we continued to host outdoor movie nights, and the ever-popular Farmers Market which had over 8,000 visitors throughout its 24 weeks, and this year, despite the event being cut short by rain, the Township hosted its first ever Water Day. I need to thank Councilmembers Seber, Kahwaty and Hablitz for their dedication to making Little Falls such a great place to live, with so many events offered to people of all ages.

I also need to thank our Little Falls CERT Team more than ever for their services this year as they assisted at all of our major events throughout town to ensure that all remained safe.

This past year, as we got back towards normal, all Fall and Spring sports were able to utilize the newly renovated Sports and Recreation Complex, and the Townships annual Summer Camp program was back in full swing, thanks to our Recreation Director Mr. Pace, and our Assistant Recreation Director Tyler Passero. This past year, the gym floor inside the Recreation Center was also completely resurfaced with a new floor installed, which now officially includes lines for Volleyball and Pickleball, the newest and most popular sport for all ages. The new ADA accessible ramp at the Civic Center was also completed, now allowing easy access through the rear entrance of the building.

The Little Falls recreation programs had over 3,900 participants across 46 youth and adult activities offered by the Recreation Department, with the newest 2021 addition of Cross Country. Additionally, the Recreation Department also added a nationally known program called Mighty Mike: Bounce Out the Stigma; this was added to our “Champions League” Program which is an inclusive clinic style & non- competitive program that is offered for children between the ages of 4 to 21 with intellectual and developmental challenges.

In 2021, under the leadership of James DiMaria, the building department and the Township have continued to work with developers towards revitalizing, upgrading, and enhancing our Township in a positive direction which is simultaneously helping to ensure the financial future of the Town. Shortly, once completed, many of the new developments which have been approved will increase the tax base and ratables for the municipality which will greatly assist in continuing to stabilize the taxes in Little Falls while assisting in paying down the excessive debt that Little Falls has had since prior to me taking office.

Developments such as 44 Main, Autumn Point, and the Abbe sites have all been completed for some time now and have proven to have little to no impact on our schools, which was a concern of many residents here in town prior to them being developed. These three projects total 108 units and have only added two children to our schools.

This past year, the previously controversial Floor Area Ratio formula used to calculate home sizes was amended to more appropriately address one of the major concerns in town, flooding. The Township Council was also faced with a major decision in town regarding the introduction of the Cannabis Ordinances, and after hearing the concerns of the residents of the Township, adopted what I would consider an agreed upon and beneficial ordinance for all residents of Little Falls.

This past year, the Council has continued to authorize funding for road reconstruction and for sanitary sewer improvements, for improvements to municipal facilities, and for various pieces of equipment for all of our departments.

In breaking news, incredibly, just this past week, we have reached historic progress with respect to funding for the Peckman River project, which the Federal Government has announced funding for to the tune of over $146 Million. This is unprecedented, and once completed, will be absolutely life changing for so many residents of Little Falls who will no longer need to worry each time it rains. While this project protects so many of our residents here in town, there is still work to be done up stream to secure funds for bank stabilization to protect the residents between Francisco Ave and Passaic Valley High School. I will continue to work closely with the Army Corps and our Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill to finalize and fund the plan that will address, and eliminate flooding caused by the Peckman River. This is relief that many Little Falls residents need to help them sleep better at night, knowing that their homes are not one rainstorm away from flooding.

The Little Falls Library continues to adapt to the times of COVID-19, and while reopened to the public, continue to provide many events virtually.

I have continued to meet with the DOT and surrounding Towns to address the issues such as traffic, caused by the Route 46/3 construction project, and have diligently been following up with these meetings to ensure this project continues with as little delay as possible, which I have been happy to see making substantial progress. Most recently, within the next week, to better assist in flowing traffic through Little Falls, especially during rush hour, the timing of the traffic lights will be modified to allow for more vehicles to make their through the traffic lights on Main Street during the highest traffic times.

With respect to our Police Department, this past year, the Little Falls Police Department, led by Chief Steve Post, continues to maintain its accreditation as a department due to the policies and procedures that have been instituted to ensure the safety of our department and our residents. This year, the department recently received some surprising news, with the announcement by Chief Post of his upcoming retirement in 2022. I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Chief Post for his service to this Township for more than 27 years, and for his dedication to making this department as incredible as it is. I wish him nothing but success, prosperity and health in his future endeavors.

This past year, under his leadership, the Little Falls Police Department has responded to 17,970 calls for service, averaging over 49 calls per day. There were 839 motor vehicle crashes, 3,624 radar posts, and 133,983 miles patrolled, all within a town that’s less than 3 square miles.

As we progress into 2022, there will be some changes within the Police Department to better serve the residents of Little Falls. Recently, Lt. Bryan Prall was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief, as he transitions into his future role of Chief of the Little Falls Police Department. I want to congratulate Deputy Chief Prall on his well-deserved and merited promotion. Under Deputy Chief Prall, the residents of Little Falls can continue to look forward to a reaffirmed commitment to community policing, and upcoming Coffee with a Cop events. The Little Falls Police Department will continue to support the Law Enforment Against Drugs program in the schools, and continue to run its Junior Police Academy.

In the near future, the Little Falls Police Department will be launching a town-wide information dissemination campaign, titled Little Falls – Information Network for Awareness, or LF-INFA. The goal of this program is to utilize existing technology platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Code-Red, while also expanding into others, to communicate and disseminate information to all residents, business owners, and visitors to Little Falls. As this program is instituted, more information will be provided.

During 2022, Deputy Chief Prall intends to reinstitute the Special Police Officer Program. These officers, once trained and in place, will allow us the flexibility to bolster the departments capabilities with community policing, traffic enforcement and patrol related duties. They will also serve as a force-multiplier during states of emergency or when additional man power is necessary.

Another priority of Deputy Chief Prall is to resurrect another once vibrant program, the police K-9. Unlike the traditional K-9 that everyone knows, the Little Falls Police K-9 will be different. The police K-9’s mission will be “To comfort, support and enhance the quality of life of those who are suffering from a personal condition or community crisis utilizing the human/canine bond and its power to heal.” The police K-9 will be integrated into the Community Policing Bureau and will assist with all community good-will programs. Additionally, the K-9 will assist victim’s of crime, incidents involving children, tragedies that may afflict our community, and improve the overall mental-health and wellness of our own officers and community members.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of the members of the Little Falls Police Department for their service, as well as their families, who selflessly say goodbye to their loved ones who work during holidays, emergencies, and all hours of the day and night.

The Council and I continue to keep the safety of the residents in the forefront of our minds, and this past year, in an effort to assist with an ongoing issue in town, the Council approved the installation of the first speed humps as part of a pilot initiative. This year, speed humps were added to Jacobus Avenue and Van Pelt, and follow up meetings with the residents will be scheduled to determine whether this program continues on additional streets through Little Falls. I would like to thank Councilman Vancheri for continued dedication to the transportation related issues in this municipality.

In furtherance of this Council’s dedication to safety, this year, due to staffing issues in the past, the Little Falls EMS program is moving to a full-time program. While the EMS program being run in Little Falls over the past few years was a substantial improvement compared to the times of Volunteers responding to calls for help, by moving to a full time EMS program here in Little Falls, no longer should any Little Falls resident wait for an Ambulance to respond during their time of need. All of these major improvements are being made under the guidance of EMS Coordinator Mike Bandurski, who has spent countless hours ensuring that the Little Falls EMS program runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible to provide this incredible service to Little Falls residents.

In 2022, the Little Falls Fire Department will be led by its newly elected Chief, Ken Cichy. Last year, the Township acquired a new ladder truck that will be housed at Company 1 on Wilmore Road. This ladder truck has been in service almost all year here in Little Falls and is a great addition to the fleet of fire vehicles keeping the residents safe.

The Little Falls Fire Department, less than 24 hours after Chief Cichy was elected, was called to duty for a working fire at Montclair State University in a dormitory. The Little Falls Fire Department quickly jumped into action knocking down the fire while ensuring everyone’s safety, including all of the members of the Department. Thankfully, the residents of this Township can sleep with the peace of mind that the Little Falls Fire Department is ready to jump into action any time of day, no matter the weather. I want to thank each and every member of the Little Falls Fire Department for their dedication to the residents of this Township.

In 2021, under the Guidance of DPW Superintendent Ron Campbell, the Little Falls DPW continued to keep up with its traditions of making sure that Little Falls roadways were back to black immediately following every snowstorm. This 15 man crew is responsible for maintaining all of our parks and fields throughout the town, as well as maintaining nearly 140 various lots that were affected by FEMA buyouts. To assist in doing so, this past year the DPW received two new Ferris Lawn Mowers which mow and mulch at the same time, increasing the DPW’s efficiency and productivity.

This year, Wilmore Park has never looked so good with its new plantings and Holiday Décor. The Little Falls roadways have also remained clean all year round which has been made easier with the Townships new Street Sweeper.

In 2021, the Township also received the excavator that was recently acquired under a grant to assist in keeping the Peckman river clear from shoals and debris as we continue to keep the maintenance of this river at the forefront of our minds.

The Little Falls DPW has also been tasked with making Little Falls a litter free community. In 2022, an objective of the DPW is to ensure that Little Falls remains litter free as we strive to maintain a clean community.

In the face of adversity, so much has been accomplished here in Little Falls in 2021. Little Falls began its Streetscape on Maple Street which was funded entirely by a grant from the DOT, and in the upcoming spring, that Streetscape will continue to make its way down Main Street from Maple to Center Ave. The Streetscape will bring our downtown and our community into the 21st Century as we revitalize our downtown and bring back its curb appeal. The Streetscape will include decorative streetlights, as well as new curbs and sidewalks, along with modern garbage receptacles, and benches and areas for everyone to enjoy.

I have truly enjoyed serving this Township as Mayor over the past 5 years. I want to thank all of you for placing your trust in me as your Mayor during this time.

This Council and I, as we have from the onset, remain dedicated to our promise of Transparency. Over this next year, I hope to host several more Town Hall style meetings on Zoom this year allowing everyone to attend from the comfort of their own homes.

I have truly enjoyed each day that I have been fortunate enough to serve as your Mayor. While I said this last year, I really do look forward to getting back to normal, and what the future of this Township has in store.

As always, if you ever have any issues, no matter how big or small, no matter day or night, I invite you to contact me by any means.

I look forward to continuing to serve as your Mayor, and I wish everyone health and happiness in 2022.

Thank You.
James Belford Damiano
-Mayor, Township of Little Falls

STATE OF THE TOWNSHIP
January 25, 2021

As 2020 came to a close, there is so much that so many of us wish we could erase. However, as we look forward to what 2021 has in store, we must first look back upon the dreadful year of 2020.

However, before I begin I would like to take this opportunity to thank the residents of Little Falls for placing their support in me again this year in this year’s election.

Despite the unprecedented COVID-19 Pandemic, over this past year, there have been so many incredible things that have happened here in Little Falls, and we have so many great things that we have to look forward to over the next year.

Before I begin, I would be remiss if I did not mention that everything that happens in this town would not be possible if it were not for the incredible support that I receive day in and day out from all of the Council Members. This year, I would like to congratulate Council President Anthony Sgobba on his reelection not only to the Council, but as Council President, who has served this town well over the past four years as Council President. I would also like to congratulate Little Falls’ newest councilmember, Councilwoman Hablitz, on her election to the Council. While Councilwoman Hablitz is a Freshman here on the Council, her involvement in the Township and the events that have been run by the Township over the past several years have all been spearheaded by her, and under her guidance, and I know she will be a great addition to this Council.

Despite COVID-19 leading every headline in every news article all year long, there was a lot that happened here in Little Falls in 2020. Little Falls continued to host its Concerts in the Park with the assistance of ABC, it continued to host its outdoor movie nights, and this year, Little Falls hosted the newly infamous Farmers Market, which was a huge hit, thanks to Councilwoman Seber and Councilwoman Hablitz. I know that as we progress into the future, these events will continue to grow as we make Little Falls better each day. I need to thank our Little Falls CERT Team more than ever for their services this year as they assisted at all of our major events in town to ensure that masks were worn appropriately, and that all remained safe.

In 2020, we had a Township staple here in town undergo a substantial facelift, particularly the Sports and Recreation Complex. Anyone who made their way down Paterson Ave recently will have recognized the complete renovation and addition of a Turf Field, improved viewing areas, new storage facility, air-conditioned recreation center, and highly utilized Pickleball Courts. I am thrilled that the costs of these improvements were offset by over $1 Million in grant funding. These facilities will be utilized over the years by children and adults of all ages in our constantly expanding Adult and Youth Sports Programs.

In 2020, under the leadership of James DiMaria, the building department and the Township have continued to work with developers towards revitalizing, upgrading, and enhancing our Township in a positive direction which is simultaneously helping to ensure the financial future of the Town. The Singac Redevelopment along Main Street is now underway and will soon provide a substantial financial benefit to the Township.

Developments such as Autumn Point, and the former Paul O Abbe site have both been completed and have proven to have little to no impact on our schools, which was a concern of many residents here in town prior to them being developed. These two projects totaling 74 units, each unit with an average value in excess of $450,000, have added only two children in total to our school district.

Over this past year, the Council has authorized funding for road reconstruction and for sanitary sewer improvements, for improvements to municipal facilities, and for various pieces of equipment for all of our departments. This year, improvements to Ridge Ave and Micklejohn Ave were made, with substantial grant funding to offset the costs.

Thanks to the support of the CARES Act, the Township was able to spend roughly $750,000 which was all reimbursed by the Federal Government purchasing sanitizing machines, UV Lighting systems to kill viruses and bacteria in our public buildings, adding glass in our public buildings to keep both the public, and the Township employees safer, and to add a new Computerized Dispatch System to our Police and Fire Departments, to make their responses to homes and businesses as safe as possible, just to name a few.

All of the improvements seen in Little Falls over the past year were made with no local tax increase in Little Falls.

Unfortunately, 2020 registered historically low revenues to the Township due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This is not unique to just Little Falls, and will be something that every town in New Jersey, and likely the Country will need to address as we prepare the 2021 budget. There are substantial shortfalls in anticipated revenues, to the tune of nearly $2 Million that will need to be addressed over the next several years, but this Council and I will do everything we can to ensure that there is as little impact to the residents as possible as we navigate these unprecedented times.

In 2020, we have reached historic progress with respect to funding for the Peckman River project. I have continued to work closely with the Army Corps and our Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill to finalize and fund the plan that will address, and hopefully eliminate flooding caused by the Peckman River. This is relief that many Little Falls residents need to help them sleep better at night, knowing that their homes are not one torrential downpour away from flooding.

On another note, I have continued to meet with the DOT and surrounding Towns to address the issues such as traffic, caused by the Route 46/3 construction project, and have diligently been following up with these meetings to ensure this project continues with as little delay as possible, which I have been happy to see making substantial progress, even through the Pandemic.

Our Little Falls Library has continued to adapt to the times of COVID-19, moving many events virtually, and I am excited to see what events they have in store for wen we can finally all be reunited together in person.

This Council and I, as we have from the onset, remain dedicated to our promise of Transparency. I hosted numerous virtual Town Hall style meetings on Facebook Live, and I hope to continue these into the future as we work to keep the residents abreast of all of the incredible things happening here in town.

I would be remiss if I did not thank the Clifton Health Department who continue to provide services to the Township as we now fight to get everyone vaccinated, and for their guidance though this pandemic.

With respect to our Police Department, in 2020, the Little Falls Police Department, led by Chief Steve Post, continues to maintain its accreditation as a department due to the policies and procedures that have been instituted to ensure the safety of our department and our residents.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Little Falls Police Department was a model for surrounding towns on officer safety and “COVID-Shifts” which kept our officers safe, preventing the spread of COVID throughout the department, while keeping the residents of the Township safe. The Department’s safety policies resulted in no spread of COVID-19 within the Department, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of the members of the Little Falls Police Department for their service, especially this year.

As we progress into 2021, the Council and I continue to keep the safety of the residents in the forefront of our minds, and this year, we hope to undertake the installation of the first speed humps as part of a pilot initiative. In the meantime, the Township has continued to update its ordinances to ensure that stop signs are appropriately placed throughout the Township wherever necessary. I would like to thank Councilman Vancheri for continued dedication to the transportation related issues in this municipality.

In 2020, the Little Falls Fire Department, led by Department Chief Jack Sweezy, Jr., has continued its Full Time Paid EMS Service, which has substantially reduced response times for our Emergency Medical Responders, which was particularly important in these unprecedented times. The Little Falls Fire Department and EMS squads now have one full year of shared services being provided to Elmwood Park, in what could be the most challenging year ever for EMS squads, which continues to generate revenue while employing individuals for the Township.

The men and women of our Little Falls Fire Department and EMS Squad deserve the recognition of the residents of Little Falls more than ever this year. There has been no worse time in recent history to work in this capacity, and the Little Falls EMT’s continued to provide this incredible service for all of the residents here in town. There have been no cases of COVID-19 having been spread to any EMT employed here in the Township while on duty and working in their professional role. Kudos to Chief Sweezy for all he has done in implementing his safety policies for the Department, keeping the men and Women of the Little Falls Fire Department safe.

As we continue into 2021, I am thrilled to announce the purchase of a used ladder truck for the Township that will be housed at Company 1 on Wilmore Road. Company 1 is in the process of remodeling their garage bay to house this truck, which will provide a tremendous benefit and a second ladder truck to the Township’s fleet of Fire Vehicles.

This past year, our Little Falls DPW suffered a tragic loss, with the passing of long time DPW Superintendent Phil Simone. Phil led this department, which has been known for the best roads East of the Mississippi after a snowstorm. We wish Phil eternal peace, and our condolences are shared with the entire Simone family.

As we continue to adapt in 2021, Ron Campbell is the Township’s new DPW Superintendent, and Ron Stell was recently promoted to the Township’s Foreman. Under this new leadership, this year, the Township will continue its road resurfacing program, as we continue to keep the Township infrastructure in working order.

In 2020, and during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Township’s new Senior Bus served to bring residents of Little Falls to ShopRite and doctors’ appointments during these ever-trying times.

As I indicated earlier, our Parks and Recreation facilities have also undergone some major improvements, and I need to thank our Recreation Director John Pace and our assistant Recreation Director Tyler Passero for their oversight of our Recreation Department as these programs continue to expand every season. This year, to quickly adapt to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Township Recreation Department established a virtual recreation program to allow residents of all ages to remain active from the safety of their homes.

More recently, the Township Recreation Department installed its brand new Pixellot Camera System which allows parents, family, and friends to safely watch their children play indoor sports, while limiting the number of people in the building, a system that can be used for years to come, allowing loved ones who can’t make the game in person to watch from anywhere on the new app-based system. I would like to thank Councilman Al Kahwaty for his assistance in spearheading this project and getting the Township up and running for the start of our indoor season.

While a lot was accomplished here in Little Falls in 2020, there’s a lot to look forward to in 2021.

In exciting news, this year, the Township will be breaking ground on the start of its Streetscape improvement project, which we hope to have span the entire length of the Township over the coming years, and I am thrilled to get this project underway. This project will begin to bring the curb appeal back to the Township that has been slowly vanishing over the years with its outdated curbs and sidewalks along Main Street and surrounding streets. I am excited to see the progress on these projects over this next year.

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all of the employees of this Township who work so hard each and every day to keep this Town up and running, especially our Business Administrator Chuck Cuccia, and our Township Clerk, Cynthia Kraus. This year presented unique issues, and the Township’s employees quickly adapted to ensure that the Township remained up and running throughout the entirety of the Pandemic.

I want to thank all of you for placing your trust in me as your Mayor for these next four years, and for your overwhelming support over my first term. While I never imagined having to govern this Town through a Pandemic, what I have learned about the residents of this town since March 2020 is truly incredible.

During the worst of this pandemic, when the facts about this virus remained widely unknown, I put out a call for help for the residents of this town who were unable to shop for themselves. I received an overwhelming number of responses from residents of this town willing to help another who they had never met. This was truly inspiring. So many residents willing to spring into action to make sure that a stranger, whom they had never met before, could remain safe at home. This simple request alone helped restore my diminishing faith in humanity.

While there was so much bad that came from this virus, I hope we can all remember the good that came with it too. Whether it be the extra time with family at home, or the reduction in the hustle and bustle that we were all so accustomed to.

As we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I ask that everyone continue to push through, to do the right thing, and not invite yourself around others if you don’t feel well. I am not okay with this so called new normal. This is not normal. So let’s all do our part and get back to normal. The regular normal. The old normal.

I have truly enjoyed each day that I have been fortunate enough to serve as your Mayor. I look forward to getting back to the “normal” normal, and what the future of this Township has in store.

I know I’m a broken record, but if you ever have any issues, no matter how big or small, no matter day or night, I invite you to contact me by any means.

I look forward to continuing to serve as your Mayor over the next four years, and I wish everyone health and happiness in 2021.

Thank You.

James Belford Damiano
-Mayor, Township of Little Falls

A LETTER FROM MAYOR DAMIANO TO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS
April 1, 2020

Re: Assistance During Covid-19

Dear “Senior” Neighbors:

First and foremost, I hope this letter finds you well and healthy during this Coronavirus crisis. As your Mayor, I want you to know that I am concerned for your wellbeing, and I am writing to you to ensure that you are safe and that you have enough food to sustain yourself during these times.

There have been countless residents reaching out to me offering their help and support during this pandemic, whether it be having someone to pick up groceries, cook a meal, or do whatever they can to assist you, their neighbors who may need some help. There are also several programs available which may be able to provide you with assistance with food, deliveries, or small meals if you are in need during these times.

I can assure you that if you would like to remain anonymous, your request will be honored. There is no shame is asking for help -and that’s what residents of Little Falls do – we help each other when needed.

If you require assistance with any of the above, or with anything else, I ask that you contact me at the phone number or email address above, and I will do my best to accommodate your requests.

Stay Safe! We will get through this TOGETHER!

James Belford Damiano
-Mayor, Township of Little Falls

STATE OF THE TOWNSHIP
January 27, 2020

First and foremost, as I‘ve stated each year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the residents of this great Town for providing me with the opportunity to serve as your Mayor. It’s the “Thank Yous” that I receive on a daily basis that continue to motivate me to serve as your Mayor each and every day.

Over this past year, there have been so many incredible things that have happened here in Little Falls, and we have so many great things that we have to look forward to over the next year, all of which I will address, and I ask that you bear with me over these next few minutes as I present the 2020 State of the Township.

Before I begin, I would be remiss if I did not mention that everything that happens in this town would not be possible if it were not for the incredible support that I receive day in and day out from all of the Council Members. They have each taken on so many thankless tasks that have made Little Falls the best place to live, and even better than the year before.

There were a lot of firsts for us here in Little Falls in 2019. The first 5K Run, where we had 239 people sign up to Run Little Falls. The first Movie Night, and although the weather did not cooperate, we had a great turnout and a lot of fun. The first Town Wide Clean Up, where dozens and dozens of bags of garbage were removed from our streets through the assistance of volunteers. The first Green Fair, with hundreds of people attending and learning about all of the ways to become more “green” and cost effective. The first Lunch and Learn series for our seniors who attend lunches and learn about issues affecting them and their fellow seniors in our community. And the first Town Sponsored Halloween (despite the weather that afternoon), as usual, there was an incredible turnout. All of these events were a tremendous success, and only some of the fun events hosted by the Township in 2019.

There were also a lot of highs for us here in Little Falls in 2019. We had the highest enrollment in our youth sports; we had the highest attendance at our Concerts, which are always incredible; we had the highest number of people attend our holiday events at the Rec Center; and we received the largest single grant in the history of the Township of $700,000 for our Downtown Streetscape Project.

In 2019, the Township received what could amount to in excess of $2 Million in grant funding, the highest amount of potential funding received by the Township in a calendar year.

With respect to finances, the Township had its bond rating upgraded this year to AA, an outstanding rating which allows for the Township to receive better interest rates on future loans and ultimately save the taxpayers large amounts of money over time.

In 2019, the Township has also continued to work with developers towards revitalizing, upgrading, and enhancing our township in a positive direction which is simultaneously helping to ensure the financial future of our Township. The Township authorized approvals for the Singac Redevelopment Project and has made strides towards completing the Downtown Redevelopment Project. These are just some of the many ways that we have worked to revitalize our Township and ensure its financial stability. I have also been actively pursuing developers who have interest in our Rose Street Property where good and smart development could further assist the Townships financial future.

Developments such as Autumn Point, and the former Paul O Abbe site have been built, or are in the process of being built. These new developments will bring much needed ratables to the township, and once completed, will assist in expanding our tax base.

In 2019, the Council amended numerous ordinances that provide for safety and quality of life, such as ordinances addressing vaping, smoking, feral cats, littering, pools, and signage just to name a few.

The Council has authorized funding for road reconstruction, for sanitary sewer improvements, for improvements to municipal facilities, and for various pieces of equipment for all of our departments.

As we enter the new decade, the Township has also continued to stay with the times as we modernize our tax map by digitalizing it, and receiving grant funding for the installation of electric charging stations for the Morris Canal Parking Lot, where electric cars will have access to chargers.

In 2019, under the direction of the Townships new construction official, James DiMaria, there were 588 permits issued, 2,393 inspections performed, and $14,006,287.00 worth of added construction here in Little Falls.

As we continue to grow, and as we modernize and revitalize our Town Center, the demand for downtown parking continues to grow. In 2019 the Township completed acquiring the first three homes along Stanley Street, all through private negotiations, and is in the final process of negotiating and acquiring the PNC Parking Lot to make all of this property public parking for our Town Center.

In 2019, I have continued to work closely with the Army Corps and our Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill to finalize a plan that will address, and hopefully eliminate flooding caused by the Peckman River, through bank stabilization and a diversion culvert, which will direct water to the Passaic River prior to it reaching our flood prone areas in Little Falls.

Also, the Township, in conjunction with Woodland Park, through the assistance of the Flood Board, was successful in receiving an excavator to dredge and remove the shoals from the Peckman River. The excavator is already in use and has begun removing debris down river in Woodland Park and is making its way to Little Falls, where we will soon be cleaning our portion of the River with the excavator. Under the direction of our DPW Superintendent Phil Simone, our Little Falls DPW can maintain the Little Falls portion of the river and ensure it runs clean.

Our Little Falls Library has recently had new ADA accessible doors installed and has undergone a renovation improving the flooring in our Library entrance way.

There have been so many great improvements happening here in Little Falls.

This Council and I, as we have from the onset, remain dedicated to our promise of Transparency. I held the first Town Hall style meeting and am in the process of scheduling more in 2020, to keep the residents abreast of all of the Town’s doings.

In 2019, the Township has continued its partnership with the Clifton Health Department who continue to provide exceptional health and animal services to our Residents.

With respect to our Police Department, in 2019, the Little Falls Police Department, led by Chief Steve Post, continues to maintain its accreditation as a department due to the policies and procedures that have been instituted to ensure the safety of our department and our residents.

In 2019, the Police Department has also continued its efforts with Community Policing, and the Township continues to have a full time Community Policing Officer, a benefit which remains immeasurable. The police department also continues to maintain its Police Sub Stations in all of our Schools here in Little Falls, where their presence is noticeable each and every day.

This year, the Township held its 2nd Annual National Night Out, which was an incredible success, and grew exponentially in numbers compared to 2018. The Police Department also continued its Toys for Tots drive which delivered an entire Army Vehicle worth of Toys to those less fortunate families with children in need. A giant thank you to Cpl. Jon Vanek for his continued efforts as our Community Policing Officer.

By way of statistics and numbers, in 2019, two additional Police Officers were hired to complement and fill the Police Departments Table of Organization.

By way of statistics, in 2019, the Little Falls Police Department traveled 144,758 miles patrolling our streets. To put that into perspective, that’s enough miles to travel around the earth 6 times, or make it more than half way to the moon. They performed 464 school walk throughs, over 1,000 school arrival and dismissal safety assignments, over 1,400 park safety checks, and made 332 arrests. Just an incredible job by our Police Department, and I’m proud to have them here in the town I call home. In 2020, our Police department is committed to continue to take the steps necessary to continue its accreditation.

In 2019, the Fire Department, led by Department Chief Jack Sweezy, Jr., has continued its Full Time Paid EMS Service, which has substantially reduced response times for our Emergency Medical Responders, saving lives. This past year, and effective just this past month, Little Falls now provides shared services to Elmwood Park, and generate revenue while employing individuals for the Township.

2019 marked the 115th Anniversary of the Little Falls Fire Department, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone one of our members for all that they do each and every day as they are always prepared to respond to a fire.

Our DPW has also been very busy in 2019, led by DPW Superintendent Phil Simone. In 2019 Duva field had its backstops and batting cages updated through a grant received from the Passaic County Open Space Fund. The Township also reconstructed several roadways, including Woodcliff Ave and Coney Road, and we’ve recently begun reconstructing Donato Drive and Paul Place.

In 2019, the Township has continued its road resurfacing program, which was suspended under prior administrations, and this year, 24 streets in the Township were repaved, many in conjunction with PSE&G and their gas main improvements, saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This year the DPW received its new Compactor Truck which you may have noticed as you drop off your cardboard at the recycling yard, which replaced our former truck which was several decades old.

Just this month, the Township also received its new Senior Bus which has been put into service just this past week, after the old bus broke down past a point of repair last year.

The Township also continued to take active steps to improve our Fairfield Ave Pump Station that services a good portion of the Singac section of town after each storm.

I said this last year, but I would be remiss if I did not say it again, the Little Falls DPW continues to be second to none when it comes to cleaning roads after a snowstorm. The Little Falls DPW consistently has the roadways in Little Falls down to the blacktop before other towns even had a plow on the road.

Our Parks and Recreation facilities have also had some major improvements made to them, and I need to thank our Recreation Director John Pace and our assistant Recreation Director Tyler Passero for their oversight of our Recreation Department.

This year, the Township Rec Department implemented the Community Pass Program which allows all residents to register their children online for all events and sports.

The Rec Department also started a Pickleball Program in anticipation of the Pickleball courts which will be installed in the upcoming warmer months.

The Rec Department has also been approved to provide the SAFETY program for coaches and volunteers which the Township was previously required to contract with outside agencies.

And in their first “Camp Kindness” day, our summer campers brought in over 300 cans of non-perishable food to our rec center, which was donated to a local shelter.

In 2019, there were new ceiling fans installed at the Rec Center to help circulate the previously stagnant air, and in 2020, we look forward to the installation of new air conditioning in the Rec Center. In 2020, the Township will also be replacing the floor in the Rec Center to more modern, and more aesthetically pleasing flooring. We will also be adding a storage facility at the Rec Center, and we will be installing Pickleball Courts with Open Space funding. Another thing that I am particularly excited for, is that the Township will be installing a Turf field in 2020 for our youngsters to play on in anticipation of the Fall Season.

We’ve had a great 2019, and a lot to look forward to in 2020.

That said, I would like to take this opportunity to publically thank all of the employees of this Township who work so hard each and every day to keep this Town up and running, especially our Business Administrator Chuck Cuccia, who is my right hand on a day to day basis here in Town Hall, and our Township Clerk, Cynthia Kraus, who keeps our clerk’s office running smoothly.

Finally, I want to thank all of you for placing your trust in me as your Mayor, and for your overwhelming support over the past three years. I have truly enjoyed each day that I have been fortunate enough to serve as your Mayor. I look forward to the final year of this term, and what is in store for the Township.

As I have stated in the past, if you ever have any issues, no matter how big or small, no matter day or night, I invite you to contact me by phone, email, text, Facebook, or whatever means of social media you would like.

I hope everyone is proud of the 2019 that we have all had here in Little Falls, and I look forward to continuing to serve as your Mayor in 2020.

Thank You.

James Belford Damiano
-Mayor, Township of Little Falls

Message from the Mayor (November 20, 2019)

Please be advised that a contractor for the Water Company will be milling and paving the trenches on Main Street starting Wednesday evening, and over the next several evenings. The contractor intends on milling and paving the areas milled on the same evening. Please be advised that Main Street will be closed from 8pm to 6am in the area of the work. Please plan accordingly and avoid the area if possible, or follow the detour in effect. I understand this is an inconvenience, but repairing our roadways before winter is a necessity.

Message from the Mayor (November 14, 2019)

Earlier today, Mayor Damiano met with NJ American Water to discuss the road conditions on Main Street in Little Falls which occurred as a result of the installation of the new Water Main (between Paterson Ave and Lower Notch Road). After walking the entire length of the roadwork, and after some discussion, NJ American Water has agreed to mill and pave (with topcoat asphalt) the entire length of the trench work (approximately 6 inches wider on each side) as a temporary solution to get through the winter. NJ American Water is hopeful that this work can be completed as soon as next week, dependent upon the contractor’s availability and the weather conditions. This work will be completed in the evening but should be completed within just a few days. As more information becomes available and the work is confirmed with the contractor, additional information including road closures will be provided.

Once the spring arrives, the entire roadway will be repaved from curb to curb. Additional information will be provided in the spring regarding the timing of the milling and paving.

James Belford Damiano
-Mayor, Township of Little Falls

STATE OF THE TOWNSHIP
January 22, 2018

First and foremost, I would like to thank the residents of this great Town for providing me with the opportunity to serve as your Mayor. This is easily one of the highest personal honors that I have ever had.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Councilman Chris Vancheri and Councilwoman Tanya Seber on the success of their election this year, and I wish them well as they serve their term - the residents of Little Falls have chosen wisely. I would also like to congratulate Councilman Anthony Sgobba on his selection to serve as Council President. I would also like to acknowledge Councilman Bill Liess, who brings years of supervisory and financial background to this Council, as well as Councilwoman Maria Cordonnier for her endless hours of work that she spends making this Town the best place to live. This Council works tirelessly, day in and day out, on behalf of all of the taxpayers in this Town. I would first like to acknowledge all of their accomplishments over this past year, and discuss some of the things that we have to look forward to in the year ahead.

Over the next several minutes I hope that everyone will humor me as I present my first State of the Township.

I am proud to announce that in 2017, after close review of the budget, this Council and I were able to reduce spending for the municipality, while setting aside an additional $500,000 for improvements to our Town Center. Unfortunately, due to poor planning of prior administrations, the revenue streams that the township had previously become accustomed to no longer existed, and taxes had to be slightly increased, resulting in an increase of approximately $5 per month on the average home in Little Falls.

It is my goal over the next several years to continue to reduce costs and expenses incurred by the municipality, while continuing to provide the same, or better services to our residents.

Over this past year, there have been an incredible number of accomplishments here in Little Falls. Let’s face it; while many of us LOVE this Town, it can use a modernization, and continuing to strengthen the curb appeal in Little Falls is one of my primary goals. In 2017 we launched our new and improved website which launched just a few weeks ago. While we continue to make improvements to the site daily, it is just the beginning of Township’s modernization.

We have revised our outdated Ordinances which now permit minor Municipal Court Violations to be paid online, rather than requiring individuals to appear in Court, missing a day’s work, just to pay a minor parking ticket. Again, just one of the many ways this Council and I are looking to modernize this Town.

This year, for the first time in Little Falls, we have also successfully introduced our online payment of everyone’s favorite thing, Taxes, by ECheck to assist our residents with an instant, and hassle free payment of their taxes right from the convenience of their home.

This Council and I also remain dedicated to our promise of Transparency, and have reinstated the second public comment portion of meetings, which now allows residents two separate opportunities to address this governing body with questions. We have also reinstated two meetings per month throughout the entire year to ensure that municipal business is completed as efficiently, and effectively as possible.

I am pleased to report that in 2017, both the Teamsters and PBA contracts have been settled, both of which come at a substantial savings per future employee to the Little Falls Taxpayer.

The Little Falls Debt Service was down $400,000 in 2017 due to the renegotiation of our previous bonds, while the Assessed value of the Township was up almost $7 Million in 2017, and up an additional $16.5 Million dollars as we head into 2018, the first increases the Town has seen in almost 10 years. This mean the Town continues to grow despite all of the houses having previously been demolished.

I am also happy to report that this year, an engineering firm was retained to perform a structural study on the site of the former municipal building, after sitting vacant for the past 10 years.

The Township has also engaged a new Joint Insurance Fund, which provides better coverage, and now includes environmental and most importantly, cyber coverage, especially in light of all of the recent cyber-attacks.

We have also partnered with our businesses who have expressed concerns over the parking issues in our Town Center. This Council has instituted 3 hour parking in the Town Center, and is looking to move towards metered parking so that residents and customers alike do not take the Town Center Parking spaces in the front of our stores for extended periods of time, causing harm to our businesses. We have also persisted in addressing our Town Center parking by entering into negotiations with PNC Bank and Verizon to acquire their property to create additional parking for our Town Center.

In 2017, the Township has continued its partnership with the Clifton Health Department who continue to provide exceptional health and animal services to our Residents.

With respect to safety – the council finalized the truck route ordinance, which will require transient trucks to stay off of many of our local and county roads.

We have also installed most of our State of the Art flood gauges along the Peckman River which will not only monitor storms as they occur, but will assist in predicting the severity of the anticipated storms so that we can properly, and effectively advise the residents of how to ensure their, and their families safety.

In the upcoming months with the warmer weather ahead, soon Duva field will be displaying its new, state of the art LED athletic lights which will not only more adequately light the fields, but will do so at a cost savings to the town with the new LED lighting. This project was largely funded with grants from Passaic County Open Space Trust Fund dollars, which this council and I will continue to pursue to assist in providing upgrades and improvements to our parks and open space, at no increased cost to the taxpayer.

The Council also approved lighting upgrades with state of the art LED lights throughout Wilmore Park so that Summer Concerts will have some additional light in the early evening, and to enhance the Morris Canal Greenway that runs parallel with the park.

Inwood Field has also recently seen a complete makeover, which it was in such desperate need of, and has been improved to a point where baseball and softball games can actually be enjoyed by both the players and the fans.

In 2017, the Township has continued its road resurfacing program, which was previously suspended under prior administrations, allowing our roads to fall into disrepair. This Council and I are dedicated to ensuring that our damaged roads are repaved, and that our infrastructure does not fail us.

This year, the Township has also seen the first of many anticipated redevelopment projects that will assist in bringing the curb appeal back to Little Falls, and moving forward with the modernization of our streets and our landscape.

With respect to our Police Department, we have continued to diligently work on our accreditation. Becoming an accredited department means that the Township can soon look forward to reduced insurance costs, in addition to a reduced liability. This is achieved by performing continuous research and adopting policies which will assist in best preventing and defending the potential for future lawsuits.

In 2017, the Police Department also introduced its first ever Junior Police Academy, which lasted five days, and provided the children of our community with educational and exciting insight into how Police Officers spend their hours on the job.

The Police Department has also continued its efforts with Community Policing, and the Township now has one full time Community Policing Officer. The success of this program can easily be measured by new and continuously improving partnerships that have been formed with the youth, schools, seniors, and businesses throughout the community, and these relationships will continue to grow in 2018.

By way of statistics, in 2017, the Little Falls Police Department traveled 145,044 miles. To put that into perspective, that’s enough miles to travel around the earth 6 times. They have made 619 arrests, issued 4,705 summonses, responded to 967 crashes, made 138 DWI arrests, walked through our schools on 386 occasions, and checked our parks 1,251 times. Just an incredible job by our Police Department.

In 2017, the Fire Department has also continued its Full Time Paid EMS Service, which has substantially reduced response times for our Emergency Medical Responders. Previously, response times were often upwards of fifteen to twenty minutes, and have even been as long as forty-five minutes. When the issue is a matter of life and death, that is entirely unacceptable, and since the implementation of our full time paid EMS, response times average well below the five minute mark.

In an effort to ensure that our residents remain as safe as possible, the Township purchased two new ambulances in a package deal with Paterson which greatly reduced the cost of each ambulance due to the large quantity ordered.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Chief Jack Sweezy, as I am proud to announce that The State of New Jersey has recognized Little Falls’ Paid EMS program, and recently announced that municipalities throughout the State should utilize Little Falls as a template on how to effectively commence a full time paid EMS program.

While we have had much success in 2017, there have also been some shortfalls; for example, the Street Scape application where we requested Federal Funds to improve our Town Center was rejected. Rather than beat ourselves up, this Council and I have learned from our letdowns, and have continued to research how to maximize the possibility of receiving funds in 2018. We will actively pursue a new grant in 2018 with the hopes of receiving funding.

Finally, after two years, I was able to have a meeting with NJTransit to discuss our Transit Village application which was submitted in October 2015. While I am frustrated that it took two years to schedule a meeting, I am hopeful that the results of that meeting will be telling as to its success and the completeness of the application submitted. This Council and I will continue to pursue the Transit Village designation that this Township so rightfully deserves.

The Council and I have also learned the need to better communicate with residents of projects that will directly affect their homes and properties. While I am active on Facebook, I acknowledge that many residents are not, and sometimes the good ole hand delivered letter is the best way to advise residents of the towns’ doings that may affect their homes, and I vow to adapt to resident comments and concerns.

2018

In the year ahead – the Township has many things to look forward to, the first of which is the final round of home buyouts in our flood prone areas. The remaining homes which were approved dating back to the SRL 2015 program will be demolished. This will allow for a complete plan to be formulated for future improvements to Louis Street Park, and will permit adequate parking in close proximity to the field. The Council and I will pursue funding for improvements to Louis Street Park so that it becomes a more viable field for all sports and extracurricular activities.

Speaking of our flood prone properties, this Council and I remain dedicated to ensuring that any action that can be taken to minimize flooding will be, and within the next several months, Little Falls, along with Woodland Park and Totowa, yes, I said Woodland Park AND Totowa, will work together to memorialize the new and improved Passaic Valley Regional Flood Board so that flooding issues pertaining to both the Peckman AND the Passaic Rivers can be spearheaded in an effort to minimize, and god willing eliminate the possibility of flooding once and for all.

In 2018, I look forward to continuing to improve our parks, civic center, and recreation facilities by installing modern audio systems at Duva Field, the Recreation Center, Wilmore Park, and the Civic Center. No more will a bingo number be missed by our Senior Citizens at the Civic Center. No more will our Star Spangled Banner be played at our recreation facilities with people not paying our Flag the respect it deserves, not because they are intentionally doing so, but because they cannot hear the song playing over the inadequate speakers.

This Council and I will also address the heat issues at the Recreation Center, and install an Air Conditioning system there to provide cooling during the warm months for our sports and camp programs.

I am also excited to announce that this Council has approved a new Grant Writing Firm that will work full time to secure grants for Little Falls. I have already discussed with them new and exciting grants over and above the regular run of the mill grants such as fully funded electric car charging stations for our municipal lots, in addition to so many more.

I look forward to working with the Grant Writers to secure funding to assist our Township in making strides to become more ADA accessible as we continue on our theme of modernization.

I am proud to announce that no longer will residents put out their cardboard on the fifth Wednesday of the month without it being picked up, because this year, recycling will be picked up every single Wednesday on an alternating business – the best part, this comes at no increased cost to the taxpayer. Better services, without any additional burden on the taxpayers.

This Council and I will continue to ensure the safety of our residents, as soon as tonight, where this Council will vote to introduce a speed limit Ordinance which will reduce the speeds on our busiest streets, which border all of our school districts, to 25 MPH. The safety of the residents always remains in the forefront of our minds.

With respect to our Police Department - in response to the increased traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, I am happy to announce that starting just this year, the Township now has a full time traffic officer whose sole job is to monitor and address traffic, parking, and pedestrian safety issues. Not only will this make Little Falls a safer place to live, but it will also generate revenues for the township, at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

The Police Department will also be extending the Junior Police Academy to 10 days to allow for more children to participate based upon its tremendous success in 2017.

As many of you may recall, the Police Department purchased Tasers in its 2017 calendar year budget. The Department is also currently concluding its Taser training and awaiting confirmation from the Prosecutors Office to become the first department in Passaic County permitted to carry Tasers.

I am also excited to announce that our Police Department will be Going Green in 2018, based upon a fuel savings study conducted by the Chief in 2017. The results were impressive, so much so that the Chief has instituted a “no idle” policy in 2018, and has properly fit the vehicles with batteries capable of maintaining all of the vehicles electronics for extended periods of time. It is anticipated that fuel usage will be cut nearly in half, resulting in both a cost savings to the Township, as well as a reduction of pollutants being released into the air.

I would like to thank Chief Post for all of his hard work and dedication to this Township and this Police Department, as well as all of our officers who come to work each day to keep us safe.

In 2018, I also look forward to continued smart and appropriate redevelopment which will assist the Township in generating additional revenues which we are so desperately in need of after suffering the loss of what will likely total upwards of 140 homes, while minimizing the burden on our schools. This redevelopment will not only relieve some of the tax burden from the existing taxpayers, but it will stimulate our local economy and our local businesses, bringing the buzz back to our Town Center and the streets of Little Falls that we so desperately desire.

I would like to take this opportunity to publically thank all of the employees of this Township who work so hard each and every day to keep this Town up and running. I would also like to thank all of the First Responders, not only in Little Falls, but in this County and State.

Finally, I want to thank all of you for placing your trust in me, for without your trust I would not have had the privilege of sitting here before all of you today.

I believe that leadership is more than just good management. It is more than staying true to yourself. It requires inspiration, creativeness, and most importantly, trust. For this town to be a better place to live when I am done serving as Mayor, I believe that my leadership requires me to conjure participation from all around me, larger than the job description.

As I have stated in the past, if you ever have any issues, no matter how big or small, no matter day or night, I invite you to contact me by phone, email, text, Facebook, or even Snapchat for the new generation.

I hope I have made everyone proud of the 2017 that we have all had here in Little Falls, and I look forward to continuing to serve as your Mayor in 2018.

Thank You.

James Belford Damiano
-Mayor, Township of Little Falls

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