Politics & Government

Robert Bicocchi, Republican For Westwood Council

There are four candidates seeking two seats on the Westwood Council this year.

Robert Bicocchi is one of four candidates for two seats on the Westwood Council this year.

Bicocchi, a Republican, is a former member of the historic preservation commission and planning board, a current member of the zoning board and is also a youth sports coach and member of the Westwood Baseball Association board.

He also works as a senior facilities manager for real estate services firm CBRE, a position which Bicocchi said involves managing about 7 million square feet of office space, negotiating contractions, organizing infrastructure work and other work similar to that done by a town council.

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“It’s like managing a small town,” he said.

Bicocchi said he believed the current council and Mayor John Birkner were doing a good job and he hoped to continue that work, pointing to examples like the Broadway resignalization project, opening of the hospital and creation of Westvale Park.

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Exploring more shared services, like courts and dispatching, and joint purchasing opportunities with other towns would likely provide an affordable means for Westwood to continue similar projects, he said.

“We ought to explore all different ways to get what’s best for our dollar,” Bicocchi said.

With ongoing concerns about flooding, Bicocchi said he believed it would be best to work with other area towns for a cooperative de-snagging project in the brooks. He supported the ongoing efforts of Westwood officials to have United Water keep the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir at a lower level and release water ahead of large storms, he said. That, combined with ongoing efforts by the DPW to keep drains clear, could help resolve the flood issue, but it will take some time, Bicocchi said.

The general election is Tuesday.


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