Freeholders to Unveil Design for New Main Access Road to Central Park

Frank L. Cahill
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Freeholders to Unveil Design for New Main Access Road to Central Park

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County will hold a public information session on July 27 in Morris Plains to unveil the design of a new main access road for the popular Central Park of Morris County.

The Morris Plains Community Center at 51 Jim Fear Drive is the venue for 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. session. Residents of Parsippany, Morris Plains, and Morris Township, who are most affected by traffic to and from the park, especially are invited to attend.

This new park access road would run from West Hanover Avenue at a signalized intersection on the Parsippany and Morris Township border to Central Avenue, which is the main road through the county park, near the Morris Plains border.

Freeholder Doug Cabana

“We know that the residents of Morris Plains have been seeking relief from traffic that cuts through their neighborhoods to get to what has quickly become a very popular and busy county park,’’ said Freeholder Doug Cabana. “We are working closely with the state and the towns of Parsippany, Morris Plains and Morris Township to ensure this project is properly designed and gets completed as quickly as possible.’’It should divert much of the park traffic for activities, such as soccer and lacrosse matches, cross-country races, inline skating, softball and a busy dog park, from residential roads in Morris Plains. In addition to installing new road signs directing park traffic to the new entrance, the county would work to update GPS data providers to have motorists directed to the new entrance.

The design, done by Boswell Engineering of South Hackensack, includes creation of a new signaled intersection on heavily traveled West Hanover Avenue. The new road has to skirt some existing wetlands and a still-operating sewage treatment plant for the nearby Greystone Park State Psychiatric Hospital as its cuts through to Central Avenue.

The county in 2015 allocated funds for the design and construction of the new road and the new intersection. At that time, it was expected the final design would be ready in the early summer of 2017, with construction to begin in the fall of this year.

Before they could move on the locally anticipated project, the Freeholder Board had to get a deed of easement from the state, to give the county access to the state-owned property needed for the new park entrance. That easement required approval of both the State House Commission and the New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority.

Morris County built Central Park on the former Greystone Park State Psychiatric Hospital campus tract that was acquired from the state in 2001.

Under terms of the management and use agreement, the state would deliver the property to the county in suitable condition for passive public outdoor recreation, such as walking, hiking, picnicking, nature watching, or for conservation purposes. The county could add active recreation uses in the future.

Dog park at Central Park of Morris County

While the park has been a great recreational success for the county, that same success has caused residents in adjacent residential neighborhoods in Morris Plains to become concerned about the increased levels of traffic through their community headed to and from Central Avenue, despite signs that direct traffic around those neighborhoods.

For more information on Central Park of Morris County, click here.

Sabrett Brand Frankfurters Recalled

Frank L. Cahill
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Sabrett Brand Frankfurters Recalled

NEW JERSEY — Rutherford based Marathon Enterprises is voluntarily recalling approximately 7,196,084 pounds of hot dog products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically bone fragments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

The beef and pork hot dog and sausage items were produced on various dates between March 17, 2017 and July 4, 2017. A number of products are subject to recall. [View Labels (PDF only)]

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 8864” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail and institutional locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered through FSIS’ Consumer Compliant Monitoring System (CCMS) on July 10, 2017. Complaints stated that extraneous material, specifically pieces of bone, were found within the product.

There has been one reported minor oral injury associated with consumption of this product. FSIS has received no additional reports of injury or illness from consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website by clicking here.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact John Terminello, Consumer Relations, at 1-800-SABRETT Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Media with questions about the recall can contact Boyd Adelman, President, at 1-800-SABRETT Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

NAI Hanson Team Completes Leasing of Boulevard Commons Office Center

Frank L. Cahill
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NAI Hanson Team Completes Leasing of Boulevard Commons Office Center

PARSIPPANY – NAI James E. Hanson, a leading New Jersey-based full-service independent commercial real estate firm, has brokered a lease for 3,337 square feet of Class-A office space to Huron Valley Financial at Boulevard Commons Office Center located at 1160 Parsippany Boulevard. NAI Hanson’s Josh Levering, SIOR, and Nicholas B. DePaolera represented the landlord, Micro Strategies in the transaction. Boulevard Commons is also currently managed by NAI Hanson Management.

Huron Valley Financial is a Michigan-based mortgage banker specializing in a wide range of loan programs and products. They will utilize the space as a front office for the production and administration of loans and loan documentation.

“Boulevard Commons Office Center was recently acquired by Micro Strategies and is currently undergoing extensive renovations including upgrades to the lobby, bathrooms, common areas and all mechanicals, “said Levering. “We have overseen the building for a couple of years and are very happy to announce we are now at 100% occupancy”.

“Huron Valley Financial was seeking a space that offered them a quick move-in with limited build-out needed to operate their business,” said DePaolera. “1160 met Huron’s requirements perfectly and allowed them to quickly occupy an office with minimal build-out. With the landlord’s assistance, we were able to negotiate a lease to secure this tenant and maintain a high-quality tenant mix within the complex.”

“A focus of the NAI Hanson Management division is delivering a superior and seamless tenant experience at each building we manage,” said Ivette Correa, Chief Operating Officer of NAI Hanson Management. “Through offering each tenant the same high-quality experience regardless of how much space they are leasing, we can build and maintain relationships that enable us to retain tenants and keep vacancy rates low. This lease is emblematic of the success of our focus and a continued testament to the value in hiring the right property manager.”

NAI James E. Hanson’s Property Management Group manages over 6.4 million square feet of space throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Rockland and Orange Counties in New York. To learn more about our property management services, please visit our website or contact, Ivette Correa at 201-488-5800 x157.

Since 1955, NAI James E. Hanson has been a leading independent full-service brokerage commercial real estate and property management firm serving a diverse client list. NAI Hanson offers its clients strategic solutions and provides comprehensive value-added services such as office, industrial and retail brokerage, investment sales, land sales, management, government services and financing expertise.

NAI Hanson is also one of the original members of NAI Global, an international commercial real estate network with over 400 offices spanning the globe. For more information on NAI James E. Hanson, contact William C. Hanson, SIOR, at the company’s Hackensack office at 201-488-5800 or click here.

Parsippany Police Chief Philipps offers Crime Prevention Tips

Frank L. Cahill
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Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Chief Paul Philipps

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Chief Paul Philipps offers crime prevention tips.

Due to the numerous cars stolen or broken into over the last few months here are few simple tips to combat these thefts.

  1. Do not keep spare keys inside your vehicle. Almost every motor vehicle theft committed this year, the suspect had the key.

  2. Lock your vehicle. Thieves go through neighborhoods and parking lots pulling on handles of vehicles to find unlocked doors. Why you ask? The car alarm usually won’t sound and they do not have to smash a window to get into your vehicle. If the vehicle is locked, most of the time they will bypass your vehicle unless you do not follow #3.

  3. Any valuables should be removed from the car during the night or hidden out of sight. To further that, do not leave purses,bags or valuables sitting on the seat of your vehicle when you go into work, a store, or the gym. Criminals will shatter your window and take these items.

To report a crime, call Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department at (973) 263-4300.

Campout on the Beach! Pack Your Bags for Sunrise Lake Beach Club’s Annual Campout

Frank L. Cahill
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Campout on the Beach! Pack Your Bags for Sunrise Lake Beach Club’s Annual Campout

MORRIS COUNTY — Enjoy an activity-filled overnight event on Friday, August 4 at Sunrise Lake in Lewis Morris Park in Morris Township that’s perfect for families.

While Campout on the Beach begins at 7:00 p.m, you can arrive at 4:00 p.m. for free beach admission and swimming.

For an additional fee, you can run, jump, splash and have a blast on the Wibit, an inflatable obstacle course, and explore the scenic lake by renting a paddle or row boat.

Bring your own delicious picnic dinner to eat beachside. As the sun sets, relax and gather around a roaring campfire to listen to stories while making scrumptious s’mores, and playing games. S’more making kits and breakfast will be provided. $45.00 per tent site. Preregistration is required.

For more information, or to register call (973) 326-7616 or email recreation@morrisparks.net.

The Morris County Park Commission features one of the region’s best park systems in the state of New Jersey. It currently protects and maintains 18,927 acres at 38 distinct sites plus offers a year-round calendar of events and activities for all to enjoy.

Phillip Schmitt graduates from Grove City College

Frank L. Cahill
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Phillip Schmitt graduates from Grove City College

PARSIPPANY — Phillip Donald Schmitt is one of 606 seniors to earn their degree from Grove City College on Saturday, May 20. Schmitt earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. He was a graduate of Parsippany Hills High School, Class of 2013.

Grove City College is a highly ranked, nationally recognized private liberal arts and sciences college that equips students to pursue their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christ-centered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to affordability and promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of a free society and the love of neighbor.

Established in 1876, the College is a pioneer in independent private education and accepts no federal funds. It offers students degrees in 60 majors on a picturesque 180-acre campus north of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Grove City College is routinely ranked as one of the country’s top colleges by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and others based on academic quality and superior outcomes.

Morris County’s Triple-A Financial Rating Is Reaffirmed

Frank L. Cahill
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Morris County’s Triple-A Financial Rating Is Reaffirmed

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County had its top-ranked Triple-A bond rating reaffirmed and it’s financial stability again ranked as better than the federal government, with a strong and stable financial outlook issued this month by Moody’s Investors Services and Standard Poor’s, the nation’s two largest bond rating agencies.

The Triple-A rating, awarded to the county for the 42nd consecutive year, allows the county to take advantage of optimum interest and financing rates, saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

Morris County will be able to almost immediately reap the benefits and savings of the Triple A rating when it issues $34.9 million of bonds for construction and equipment purchases at the County College of Morris, Morris County School of Technology, Central Park of Morris County, and for various road and bridge projects.

The county’s Triple A rating for this $34.9 million bond sale will cost Morris County taxpayers about $930,000 less in interest than a county with a Single A rating and roughly $$325,000 less than a county with a Double A rating.

Freeholder Christine Myers

“This is great news again for Morris County taxpayers because it allows us to get the best rates on the refinancing of general obligation bonds, saving our county a lot of money each year,’’ said Freeholder Christine Myers, chair of the Freeholder Board’s Budget Subcommittee.

“Even though the county has a Triple A history that dates to the 1970s, no one should take this top rating for granted. This is still big news and a real plus for our county,’’ Myers added.

Moody’s touted the county’s history of conservative budgeting, mixed with initiatives designed to improve the financial position of the county, as reasons for the top ranking. It also anticipates that the county’s tax base and finances will remain stable for the foreseeable future.

“The highest quality Triple A rating reflects the county’s substantial tax base, strong and diverse economy, well managed financial operations, healthy reserve levels, and modest debt burden,’’ Moody’s said in its report.

Standard & Poor’s, in its summary, said the county has a very strong economy, with strong budgetary performance, very strong budget flexibility very strong liquidity, and strong management.

“Morris County general obligation bonds are eligible to be rated above the sovereign (federal government) because we believe the county can maintain better credit characteristics than the U.S. in a stress scenario,’’ said Standard & Poor’s.

Read the Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s by clicking here.

Morris County has had a Triple-A rating since 1975. It was the first county government in New Jersey to obtain the prestigious rating and is only the 11th in the nation to achieve it.

The 2017 renewed Triple A ratings were made after a county finance team, comprised of  three Freeholders, the County Administrator, Assistant County Administrator, County Treasurer, County Auditor, County Bond Counsel and County Financial Advisor, made presentations to the ratings agencies last month at the Morris County Public Safety Academy.

Freeholder Director Katheryn A. DeFillippo

“It is extraordinarily difficult to achieve a Triple A rating,’’ said Freeholder Kathy DeFillippo, a member of the Freeholders’ Budget Subcommittee. “The bond rating agencies are, in effect, signaling that our government and financial practices are exceptional and that our taxpayers are well protected.’’

“We are proud to continue a longstanding tradition of responsible government here in Morris County which provides effective services and programs to our county residents while being prudent about our spending and debt practices,’’ said Freeholder Deborah Smith, also a member of the Budget Subcommittee.

“I would like to acknowledge County Administrator John Bonanni and County Finance Director Joe Kovalcik for their excellent leadership, prudent approach to financial risk, and disciplined budgeting process, which facilitated the attainment of the Triple A bond rating,’’ she added.

A Triple A bond rating, in effect, means the county has exceptional credit worthiness because the county can easily meet its financial commitments. The county can get the lowest interest rates when borrowing because a Triple A rated government entity is viewed in the financial world of having the smallest risk of defaulting on its debt.

That equates to lower borrowing costs, which allows for lower costs to finance capital projects.

Two Parsippany Residents Graduate from Emerson College

Frank L. Cahill
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Two Parsippany Residents Graduate from Emerson College

PARSIPPANY — On Sunday, May 14, 2017, the two Parsippany residents graduated from Emerson College in Boston.

Caroline Giercyk of Lake Hiawatha received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Writing for Film and TV and Ryan Barnhart of Parsippany received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Writing, Literature & Publishing. Both graduates are a 2013 graduate of Parsippany High School. 

During the College’s 137th commencement ceremony, approximately 975 bachelor’s degrees were conferred during the undergraduate exercises and nearly 270 master’s degrees were conferred during the graduate exercises.

Bestselling novelist and TV writer Dennis Lehane received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and delievered the undergraduate commencement address. Associate Professor Emeritus John Dennis Anderson, who retired last summer after teaching in Emerson’s Communication Studies Department for 27 years, gave the graduate address. Also awarded with honorary degrees were civil rights advocate Anita Hill, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough, and 2016 MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” winner and poet Claudia Rankine.

Emerson College is based in Boston, Massachusetts, opposite the historic Boston Common and in the heart of the city’s Theatre District, Emerson College educates individuals who will solve problems and change the world through engaged leadership in the liberal arts, communication, and the arts.

The College has approximately 3,500 undergraduates and 670 graduate students from across the United States and 50 countries. Supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a renowned faculty, students participate in more than 90 student organizations and performance groups.

Emerson is known for its experiential learning programs at Emerson Los Angeles, located in Hollywood, and at its beautifully restored 14th-century castle in the Netherlands.

The College has an active network of 37,000 alumni. For more information, visit emerson.edu.

You Can Become a Volunteer Morris County Master Gardener

Frank L. Cahill
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You Can Become a Volunteer Morris County Master Gardener

MORRIS COUNTY — The Rutgers Master Gardener program of Morris County is now accepting applications for its next class, which begins in September of 2017.

Any Morris County resident with an interest in gardening and a commitment to volunteer service – from Parsippany to Long Hill to Jefferson Township — can become a Rutgers Master Gardener. No previous education or training in horticulture is required.

Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who assist the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station through the Morris County Cooperative Extension Service in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information to the public.

Volunteers learn to diagnose common plant and pest problems, suggest appropriate cultural practices and advise as to the best care for the home landscape and garden. Once trained, they can provide assistance with home gardening questions to residents of Morris County.

They handle only “non-commercial” community gardening questions.

For more information about the program click here. For an application or questions about the program, please contact Dave Los at (973) 285- 8307 or e-mail dlos@co.morris.nj.us.

Morris County residents seeking gardening assistance can call the Master Gardener service at (973) 285-8305.

To get the most accurate diagnosis there are a few simple questions you should to be prepared to answer before you call.

Plant Problems:

  • What is the reason you need a diagnosis?
  • If known, what is name of the plant; if not known what type (tree, shrub, perennial)?
  • Does the plant produce flowers or fruit?
  • Where is the plant located? Is location sunny or shady, wet or dry?
  • How long has plant been in its current location?
  • What chemicals or fertilizers have been used? Is mulch used?
  • Inspect entire plant for symptoms, problems can be more complex then they first appear
  • When did symptoms first appear?

Insect Pests:

  • Are pests just a nuisance or are they causing harm to people or property?
  • Where is highest concentration of pests?
  • When did pest first appear?
  • Describe pest (size, wings, number of legs, color, etc.)

Maya Rudolph named to Dean’s List at the University at Albany

Frank L. Cahill
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Maya Rudolph named to Dean’s List at the University at Albany

PARSIPPANY — The University at Albany congratulates Maya Rudolph of Lake Hiawatha who was among more than 3,400 students who were named to the Spring 2017 Dean’s List. Students named to the Dean’s List earned at least a 3.5 GPA. She was a graduate of Parsippany High School Class of 2015.

A comprehensive public research university, the University at Albany-SUNY offers more than 120 undergraduate majors and minors and 125 master’s, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs. UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as atmospheric and environmental sciences, business, criminal justice, emergency preparedness, engineering and applied sciences, informatics, public administration, social welfare, and sociology taught by an extensive roster of faculty experts. It also offers expanded academic and research opportunities for students through an affiliation with Albany Law School. With a curriculum enhanced by 600 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers.

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