Petition may halt Verona land deal, stop squad move

A petition will likely stop the Verona Rescue Squad's move to Grove Avenue, according to the township manager.

Signed by more than 250 residents and submitted on May 24, the document objects to the municipality's nearly $1 million purchase of the Congregation Beth Ahm property.

Because it was signed by at least 15 percent of registered Verona voters who participated in the last election and submitted in time, it would force the Verona Township Council to put it before a public vote, if the governing members want to proceed, according to Township Manager Matthew Cavallo. 

“My understanding is the congregation is looking to move forward with the sale quickly and is going to be seeking a private sale not to the township,” Cavallo said. “So that pretty much leaves the township with the only option to rescind [the ordinance to buy the land].”

Cavallo said he will recommend that option to the council during a scheduled June 5 meeting. 

One of the petition's organizers, Trish Calandra, said she was thrilled about the change in plans.

“I live on the corner so I’m pretty much an expert on that corner, so I know it’s a bad spot for [the rescue squad],” said the Grove Avenue resident of 17 years.

The council on May 1 approved the nearly $1 million purchase, as the synagogue intends to merge with another religious institution. The rescue squad then could have potentially relocated to the property .

The current Verona Rescue Squad building on Church Street has limited parking and space for the vehicles, as well as issues with handicapped accessibility, according to Cavallo.

The building also lacks a proper training area for the crew, a decontamination area for the equipment, and no place for the volunteers to sleep when covering overnight shifts.

According to Calandra, safety is one of the main concerns of the Grove area residents. 

“This is an extremely busy corner, where the three largest Verona schools' foot traffic intersects,” she said. “Between heavy traffic, reckless drivers and droves of vulnerable pedestrians, safety is already a huge issue at this corner, especially at morning drop-off and afternoon pickup.”

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Other issues could be sirens, horns and flashing lights of the Verona Rescue Squad vehicles, as well as the potential decrease in property values and cost to taxpayers, noted Calandra.

Calandra said she and some of her neighbors plan to attend the June 5 meeting when the property is expected to be discussed.

Verona Mayor Kevin Ryan said he did not expect the temple to wait for them to settle this matter before selling the property.

“I don’t see that there’s anything we can do about it,” Ryan said. “We’ll just let the temple sell it. They had multiple bidders so I assume it will turn into another type of religious institution." 

"Let the chips fall where they may and we’ll keep our eyes open for another space for the rescue squad. That problem doesn’t go away,” he added.

Email: jongsma@northjersey.com