The Township of Washington Council voted to adopt Ordinance 25‑23 on second reading, authorizing an 18‑month lease with Bethany Church to provide temporary parking and limited operations for the Department of Public Works while the township’s new DPW facility is built. The council recorded roll‑call votes at the meeting; Councilman Ullman voted yes, Councilwoman Velez voted yes and Council President DeSantis voted no.

The action followed more than two hours of public comment from residents living on Woodfield Road, Devon, Oxford and Stratford who said the plan — specifically a new rear driveway and a temporary gate and windscreen at Bethany — would introduce regular DPW vehicle movements onto a narrow, highly pedestrian neighborhood street. “This is a residential area — there are babies, strollers and children walking to school,” said Judy Guma (289 Woodfield Road) during public comment. Multiple speakers asked for written assurances that the arrangement would end after 18 months and pressed the administration to require Bethany Church to allow vehicles to use its main entrance rather than routing them onto Woodfield.

Mayor Pete Calamari and Township Administrator Mike DeCarlo repeatedly described the lease as temporary and defended the selection of Bethany Church as the best available option after the town reviewed multiple sites. “We have an 18‑month lease with Bethany,” DeCarlo told residents; he said that the town’s contractor schedule was for roughly one year and the lease included a six‑month buffer. Calamari said the town would remove the rolling gates, asphalt and windscreen and restore the curb to its prior condition when the lease ends.

Officials outlined operational limits and mitigation steps intended to reduce neighborhood impacts: DPW crews will operate primarily Monday–Friday from about 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; trucks will be directed to use main roads when possible; stop signs and internal signage will be added inside the Bethany lot; no bulk drop‑off or recycling activity will occur at the temporary site and the lot will be used mainly for parking and staging. Administrators said engineers reviewed turn radii and designed a 30‑foot wide driveway at the rear entrance to accommodate DPW vehicles.

Residents pressed several procedural and notice questions. Multiple speakers said they received little or no advanced notice beyond certified letters to a limited set of houses; one resident said certified letters were dated Sept. 29 and that they had no practical opportunity to influence the selection. The town answered that certified letters were mailed to the standard 200‑foot list and that staff also visited some properties in person and discussed concerns.

Several residents questioned whether the town had exhausted other alternatives; administrators and the mayor replied that they had negotiated with multiple property owners and that other options were impractical (e.g., Green Acres restrictions at municipal sites, insufficient space at the previously used OLGC site). “We researched 8 to 10 locations,” the mayor said, and explained cost and legal constraints related to other parcels.

Several speakers raised potential impacts on property values, nighttime visibility behind the windscreen, wildlife, and air and noise pollution from increased truck movements. “Picture living next to trucks when you paid a great value for your home,” said Anna Mateo (250 Woodfield Road). Officials responded the town would enforce operational rules, keep vehicles off neighborhood cut‑throughs, monitor the windscreen, and require the contractor to maintain the site’s appearance.

The ordinance’s adoption completed the second‑reading process. The council also passed other agenda items that night (see “Votes at a glance” below). The administration indicated the town will return excess equipment to OLGC or other leased storage when the new DPW facility opens and that the lease will be enforced according to its terms.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 25‑23 (lease with Bethany Church for temporary DPW operations): adopted (roll call recorded; recorded votes: Ullman yes, Velez yes, Council President DeSantis no).
- Ordinance 25‑20 (site plan/demolition/tree preservation amendments): adopted at second reading.
- Ordinance 25‑24 (Noise ordinance, repealing/replacing chapter 307): adopted at second reading.
- Resolution 25‑345 (acceptance/execution by mayor of Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund grant, not to exceed $83,951 for 464 Ridgewood Blvd. N, Block 2301 Lot 1 and Block 2401, Lot 1.01): approved.
- Resolution 25‑338 (authorize payment of bills, 10/16–11/06/2025): approved.
- Resolution 25‑342 (authorize towing operator services for 2026): tabled for attorney review and further information on a complimentary‑service clause.
- Resolution 25‑346 (decrease change order No.1, Coolidge Avenue Rotary Project): approved.

What’s next

The mayor and administration said they will continue outreach with affected residents, monitor site operations and report back at the next council meeting. The council moved into closed session after the public meeting for an unrelated affordable‑housing litigation matter (Resolution 25‑347).