Mahwah June 27, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 Governor to hold town hall meeting at school by Frank J. McMahon New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will host a town hall meeting at the Ramapo Ridge Middle School on Ridge Road in Mahwah on Wednesday, June 27. According to Matt Mowers, the regional director of intergovernmental affairs for the governor, the doors to the middle school will open at 10:15 a.m., and the event will start at approximately 11 a.m. Seats will be available on a first come, first served basis. “Town hall meetings provide an opportunity to have an open discussion with Governor Christie about the future of New Jersey,” Mowers said. “We encourage you to invite friends, family, and other residents to be part of this open public forum.” Councilman John Roth advised that the town hall meeting was scheduled in Mahwah as a result of a call from the governor’s office to Bergen County Freeholder Robert Hermansen, who contacted Roth when the governor expressed an interest in holding a session in the township. Roth then coordinated the location of the town hall meeting with the governor’s advance team, took them on a tour of the township’s school facilities, and worked with the Superintendent Karen Lake and her staff to secure approval to use the school gymnasium. “I think it’s exciting for Mahwah that our town has been selected for this event,” Roth said. “This will help to raise Mahwah’s profile statewide and afford our residents a firsthand opportunity to engage the governor on issues of concern to them. Freeholder Hermansen’s effort in helping to bring this about cannot be understated, and I was pleased to be of assistance to the governor’s office and staff in making this event a reality.” Mayor William Laforet reacted to his invitation to join the governor at the town hall meeting saying, “I think this is democracy at its finest and I’m so glad we can bring this opportunity to Mahwah residents.” According to Laforet, the town hall event is significant because it will help establish a direct link between citizens in Mahwah and the governor of the state. “How many times do we all feel like our complaints about statewide issues go unheard?” Laforet asked. “At this meeting, Mahwah residents will have the unique opportunity to get immediate feedback from the governor.” Laforet said he expects a big turnout because “it’s not about personal politics; it’s about the ability to interact with your government, and that’s an important thing for people in Mahwah to do.” The governor has held about 85 town hall meetings around the state and his press office advised that the format of the Mahwah town hall meeting will have the governor make some opening remarks, and will then open the meeting to the audience. Mahwah Museum’s Old Station Museum and Caboose, located at 1871 Old Station Lane in Mahwah, will be open on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. through Oct. 28. Admission is $3 for an individual and $5 for family groups. Children under age 12 are admitted free. For more information, visit www.mahwahmuseum.org. The Old Station Museum was built in 1871 and moved to its present location by the Mahwah Historical Society in 1965. Shortly thereafter, it was opened as a museum. The Mahwah Museum Society operates the venue. The station features a small operating Museum welcomes visitors model railroad and displays of many other items from the railroad’s history. The 1929 caboose was brought to the site and refurbished as a museum, where visitors learn about the importance of the caboose as a nerve center of each train and a place for the crew to relax. The Mahwah Museum at 201 Franklin Turnpike will remain open on Wednesdays and weekends from 1 to 5 p.m. through June 30 and on Sundays through July 29. Exhibits include “Les Paul in Mahwah: A Tribute,” “New Jersey Fights in the Civil War,” and the Donald Cooper HO-scale Model Railroad.