July 31, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 5 Ho-Ho-Kus VFW, borough consider exchange of property by Jennifer Crusco The Washington Elm VFW Post 192 (Ho-Ho-Kus-- Ridgewood) and the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus are discussing an exchange of property at the borough’s municipal park- ing lot near the train station. The exchange would allow the veterans to construct the new building the group approved several years ago. After the new building is in place, the borough would receive the VFW’s building and property on Cliff Street. Although the VFW already owns a building and prop- erty, a lease with the Ramapo Valley Railroad Club has An artisit’s rendering of the proposed VFW building. restricted the veterans’ access to that building. The original lease was signed in the 1990s, before the VFW underwent a significant revitalization eight years ago. Once the VFW became more active, limited access to the building became a significant issue. Under the terms of the lease, the veter- ans are allowed to use the building once a month and once a week before Memorial Day. Several years ago, the VFW planned to raze the Cliff Street building and construct a new home for Post 192, but the railroad club did not support those plans. The VFW then approached the borough to buy the neighboring prop- erty for a construction project. When that matter was close to a vote, the state VFW said the local post’s lease with the club was invalid, and the project was put on hold. Post 192 later attempted to evict the club. The VFW claimed that the club violated the lease, and asked the club to remedy the violations. The case went to court and was (continued on page 10)