County plans to lease building

The Passaic County Board of Commissioners and the West Milford Township Council have ratified a letter of intent to extend their shared services agreement for public health services for 20 years

The officials plan to begin negotiating the details of a long-term lease agreement to convert a township building into a satellite public health services office.

The county now acts as West Milford’s health officer, providing administration of public health services, health education and promotion, public health emergency response and preparedness, public health nursing, and occupational health services.

“This partnership between the county and township represents a prime example of partnership and cooperation between local and county governments to expand services for our shared constituents,” county Commissioner Bruce James said.

“Together, we are going to re-purpose a township building into a satellite county office to service up-county residents, making public health services more readily accessible for our residents.

“By pooling county and township resources - and working together - everyone is going to benefit as public health services ... are more readily accessible to residents in West Milford, Ringwood, Wanaque, Pompton Lakes and Bloomingdale.”

According to the letter of intent, West Milford will lease the building at 13 Edgar Drive to the county for 20 years.

The county plans to use state and federal grant funds to renovate the building to include office and clinical space for the county’s Department of Health Services as well as the township’s Office of Emergency Management Command Center and back-up communications system.

“West Milford residents are now going to have county services directly in the township, making it more convenient and accessible,” Mayor Michele Dale said.

“The shared services agreement with the county for public health services has been a tax savings for the township, decreasing costs while increasing programs and services to our residents,”
she added.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the county to get this township building rehabilitated so it can become a community resource.”