Villadom Times Weekly Local Newspaper

Wyckoff March 31, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Wyckoff Chamber rallies to save DMV location by John Koster Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce President Matt Brogowski and other members of that organization are asking their legislators and the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles to allow the local DMV office to remain in operation in Wyckoff. The office is currently located in the strip mall near the proposed Shop Rite supermarket, and plans currently call for that mall to be razed. Brogowski said that DMV employees told him they might be relocated to other offices in the state in three to six weeks, but that he could not find anyone in Trenton to confirm that the local office would be closed. The rumored closing of the Wyckoff office has been decried by people all over Northwest Bergen, because of the convenience of location, helpful staff members, abundant parking, relatively short lines, and because the inperson renewal of driver’s licenses in particular has put a burden on many people’s schedules. “According to my sources, the Wyckoff office is profitable to the state, so they can’t claim any cost savings as they are making money there,” Brogowski said. “It will be said to see it go, as it drew considerable business traffic to our town center every day that it was open.” Wyckoff’s township officials have refrained from commenting on the DMV office, though talks with Inserra, the supermarket construction and management company, are continuing. The Shop Rite site plan was withdrawn from a Wyckoff Planning Board hearing schedule earlier this year for revision after the Wyckoff Design Review Committee asked for changes, and the hearing on this matter had not been rescheduled at press time. Wyckoff Township Committeeman Kevin Rooney said he does not see much chance of saving the DVM office at its present location because saving the strip mall would leave Inserra short of parking and buffer space. Rooney said, however, that he and the Wyckoff Township Committee supported the initiative by the Chamber of Commerce to sway DMV officials to keep an office somewhere in the township. “It was a big concern for us that people from Wyckoff and the surrounding towns, and the auto dealers as well, wouldn’t have a place to get their registration work and inperson license renewals taken care of, and I’ve just learned (continued on page 14) Award-winners take break to address emergency Award-winners from Wyckoff Protection Company #1 and the members of Engine Company #2 and Sicomac Engine Company #3 left their celebratory dinner early because their demonstrated skills were needed to protect residents from downed trees and fallen wires during the height of the storm that left large parts of Wyckoff without power. Volunteer firefighters from all three companies, joined by members of the Wyckoff Township Committee and Township Administrator Robert Shannon – who is also a volunteer fireman – cut the festivities short and took off to do what they do best. Deputy Chief Mike Rose and his firefighters from Wyckoff Protection Company #1 won the annual inspection award against solid competition from the other two companies. “The inspection is an intense competition among Wyckoff’s three fire companies,” Wyckoff Fire Chief David Murphy acknowledged. The inspection was conducted by a team of inspectors who are firefighting officials in other municipalities. The lead inspector was John McLaughlin, a captain on the Englewood Fire Department; Englewood Fire Department Captain Mike Marino; Maplewood Fire Department Captain Kevin Hayes; retired firefighter Gilbert Bias, who had (continued on page 16) We are OPE N SUN DAYS 12-5 ! 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