Westwood Officials Support HUMC Hospital Petition, Criticize Opponents

The fight for a hospital in Westwood continues with Westwood officials blasting the opposition and supporting Hackensack University Medical Center's efforts to reopen a hospital on the former Pascack Valley Hospital site. The mayor and members of the council say the hospital is "the most important issue" for the borough.

Council members unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday throwing their support behind asking the state's Department of Health and Senior Services to consider a new hospital in Westwood.

Government officials also had some harsh words for the opposition, which has mainly come from Englewood and Valley hospitals. Officials said they believed the other hospitals are putting profits before people.

Councilman John J. Sciara relayed to the council that members of the borough's continue to report overcrowded conditions at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, which he said proves a full acute care facility in Westwood is necessary.

"The people at Valley who are making all this noise are doing it to just make money for themselves," Sciara said.

Council President Robert Miller agreed. "I believe the lives and safety of 200,000 people far exceeds the profitability of an already profitable organization," he said.

No matter what the critics say, Mayor John Birkner Jr. said Westwood officials will continue to fight for a hospital. "Not one person sitting up here is willing to retreat because a spokesperson from some competing hospital says they have enough beds," he said.

Support for the facility isn't coming just from Westwood. The Pascack Valley Mayors' Association sent a letter to the health department's commissioner last week expressing their support for HUMC's application. The 10 towns included in the letter are Emerson, Hillsdale, Montvale, Old Tappan, Oradell, Park Ridge, River Vale, Washington Township, Westwood and Woodcliff Lake.

Birkner said there will be a meeting with the Pascack Valley and Northern Valley mayors next week where he expects Northern Valley mayors to "mirror that effort."

Councilwoman Cynthia Waneck said that while it may seem like officials are continuing to ask for resident support without many tangible results, the issue is extremely important.

"This is the make or break year," she said. "It’s going to happen this year or it’s not going to happen."