Mahwah December 11, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 23 Hermansen Resident injured A Mahwah resident sustained non-life threatening injuries after losing control of her 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee and hitting a utility pole in front of 555 North Maple Avenue in Ridgewood. Ridgewood police, fire, and EMS responded to the incident. Al- though the utility pole was severely damaged and leaning heavily after the crash, no electric outages were reported in the area. Ridgewood firefighters attended to a minor fluid spill that resulted from the crash. The Jeep was removed by flatbed tow truck just as a PSE&G trouble shooter arrived at the scene to assess damages. (Photo courtesy of Boyd A. Loving.) (continued from page 5) to see that Route 17 weave fixed. It’s something I have been fighting for a long time and I think the county and state and everybody knows that’s something that needs to be done.” As to his alignment on the council, he said he will align himself with the person who has the best ideas and if some- thing makes sense, works for the town, and saves money, he is all for listening to that idea. Hermansen said he thinks that Mayor Laforet’s decision to swear him in was a way to show that they are willing to work together. He said he wants to discuss things with the mayor and to let him know where he stands and to hear where the mayor stands on issues. However, he emphasized that he is not in favor of privatizing the Mahwah Depart- ment of Public Works because, during the storms in the last three Octobers, the DPW helped to get things cleaned up quickly. “Certain things I’m going to agree with the mayor on, and on other certain things I’m not going to agree with him,” Hermansen said. The councilman said he believes that if they can sit down together and discuss their positions they should be able to work things out. One issue Hermansen strongly favors is returning the money that was removed for the senior citizen budget last year. “Our seniors do not take anything from the commu- nity,” he said. “They add to it. “We have nice fields, schools, and other great things for our kids and a phenomenal senior center that is the best in all of Bergen County and we have to maintain that asset and the programs that our seniors deserve.”