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Passaic County Jail Demolition: Video
Caravella Demolition Inc. begins on Monday, October 14, 2024, with the razing of the Passaic County Jail.
Passaic County officials this week approved a $5.3 million contract to convert an underutilized office building in West Milford into a satellite health center.
The planned facility will include a public health clinic, behavioral health services and a senior nutrition program aimed at Upcounty residents, officials said. Construction is expected to begin in early 2025 and be completed by the end of 2026.
The project stems from a comprehensive long-term shared services agreement with West Milford for public health services, which has been amended to include a lease for the council’s Johner Building. The building on Edgar Drive, originally built in 1970 for precision metal production, was later acquired by the municipality and used for municipal storage and emergency services.
Under the shared services agreement, the Passaic County Health Department has provided environmental health inspections, clinics, immunizations and education programs in recent years. Despite these efforts, Charlene Gungil, health officer for both Passaic County and West Milford, has emphasized the need to expand services in the northwest part of the county to better meet residents’ needs.
“This satellite office is a testament to what shared services can accomplish,” said Michele Dale, Mayor of West Milford. “Working together, we are bringing essential health and wellness resources closer to home for our residents.”
The new satellite office will complement shared health care agreements with neighboring Wanaque and, starting in January 2025, Bloomingdale, officials said. In 2011, provincial officials opened a satellite office on Ringwood Avenue in Wanaque to offer social, career and provincial clerk services to residents.
John Bartlett, executive director of the Passaic County Board of Commissioners, said the new office and upcounty partnerships are designed to provide equitable access to critical health and wellness programs that may be missing.
“Our commitment to public health is stronger than ever,” he said.
The Johner Building will undergo renovations under a project labor agreement established earlier this year to ensure skilled local workers can fill construction jobs, including this one, said Brian Jackson, chairman of the Passaic County Building and Construction Trades Council. Project costs will be covered primarily by CARES Act funds, county data show.
“This transformative initiative not only strengthens our community by addressing critical public health and wellness needs, but also creates good jobs for local workers,” said Jackson.
West Milford officials have considered using the Johner Building to house some municipal offices in recent decades, including the health, tax and engineering departments. The idea was shelved when city officials worked with the library board to build an expanded library. This project made the former library available, and city officials have since chosen it over the Johner Building for office space.