PARSIPPANY — Planning Board Meeting of June 21, 2021.
Click here to download the agenda.
Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills Council Meeting – July 20, 2021
PARSIPPANY — Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills Council Meeting – July 20, 2021.
Click here to download the agenda.
Plastic Bag Ban Returns to Parsippany
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Mayor Michael Soriano announced on Tuesday during the council meeting that Parsippany’s ban on single-use plastic bags will return on September 8.
The township placed a moratorium on enforcing the ban in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Many towns paused their plastic bag bans during the pandemic, because of concerns about the virus clinging to reusable surfaces.
Parsippany’s council had voted in 2019 to ban single-use plastic bags, as well as paper bags that aren’t 100 percent recyclable. The ban went into effect February 6, 2020, as the township encouraged the public to bring their own reusable bags to businesses.
Mayor Soriano Delivers Revised Balanced Budget to Township Council; 2.15% Tax Increase Proposed
PARSIPPANY – Mayor Michael Soriano and the members of the Township administration received a revised balanced budget proposal on Tuesday evening, which continues township services and avoids any layoffs or reductions to the township workforce.
The revised budget includes a municipal tax increase of 2.15%, which complies with both the appropriation cap and the levy cap, and does not utilize monies from either the sewer or water utilities for the first time in over 10 years.
“This budget is balanced, fiscally responsible, and meets both the Council and the Department of Community Affairs requirements,” said Business Administrator Fred Carr. “At the end of the day, it’s our duty as township administrators to continue providing the services that our residents depend on while keeping costs down. This budget meets every one of those requirements.”
The budget includes the $2.3 million Special Emergency Note appropriation, as well as $2.7 million allocated from the American Rescue Plan to offset the budgetary shortfall Parsippany encountered in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting municipal budgets across the country.
Reductions across every department, while difficult decisions to make, help to avoid reducing or eliminating any essential services. The Township also avoids any utility surplus transfers to offset unforeseen budget shortfalls, opting instead to explore canceling appropriation reserves and treating township utilities as self-sustaining entities. This change will ensure that utilities are both responsible for their own budget status, and transparent in the township budgeting in the future.
“This budget process was a challenge, to say the least, but making big decisions are rarely easy,” said Mayor Michael Soriano. “Part of the reason I ran for Mayor is that I felt that the township’s financial discipline needed improvement. Now, with some fine-tuning and precision, our Township’s finances can finally start to improve. This budget is not some overnight fix, but it contains details that will set us on the path to sound fiscal practices. We owe it to our residents to be frank and open about what their local government is doing to improve the quality of life in Parsippany. I think we’ve done just that with this budget.”
“Despite the multiple challenges surrounding it, the budget is well structured, which is rewarding in the end,” added Township Chief Financial Officer Juan Uribe.
Now that mayor has submitted the budget, it will be up to the Council to introduce and approve it.
Local Artist Exhibits “Urania’s Mirror” at County College of Morris
MORRIS COUNTY — Joseph Losavio, a contemporary, visionary painter, is exhibiting, ‘Urania’s Mirror’ at the County College of Morris (CCM) Art & Design Gallery.
The collection of 32 astronomical star chart cards incorporate illustrations based on Alexander Jamiesons’s “A Celestial Atlas,” also known as “a view of the Heavens.” Losavio’s works will be exhibited from July 29, through September 23.
Losavio lives and works in Sussex County. He connects on a deep level with the environment and finds the earth to be “an extension of self, with its glorious diversity and mysterious inner force.” After teaching art in public schools for 27 years, he now pursues painting full-time, “exploring the realms of art, psychology, and spirituality.”
There will be a reception on Thursday, September 9, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission to both the reception and gallery is free.
For more information about the Art and Design programs offered at CCM click here.
Parisi Speed School Opens in Parsippany
PARSIPPANY — You may see people moving a little quicker around Parsippany in the coming weeks with the opening of Parisi Speed School’s newest location. Parisi Speed School of Morris-Parsippany is located at 33 Baldwin Road inside the Parsippany PAL.
This location is the latest franchise in the Parisi Network and they are opening their doors for the first time in the Police Athletic League of Parsippany.
“I have always had a huge passion for fitness, coaching, and helping athletes reach their goals. Now I get to do that every day,” said the Program Director, Luis Silva.
What’s different about Parisi, is that it focuses on building an athlete’s athletic foundation, speed, agility & strength, instead of just the skills for a particular sport. Programming is designed to improve the overall skill level of athletes between the ages of 7-22+ so that no matter what sport they play, they can see improvement and increased results on the field.
Their proprietary methodology, the Parisi Youth Training System, has programs designed to work with athletes of various skills and abilities, starting with the Parisi Evaluation. During the evaluation, the athlete is taught Parisi’s signature Active Dynamic Warm-Up, they’re examined during their Running Analysis procedure, and tested in a battery of physical speed and strength movements. After the evaluation is complete, their Performance Coach reviews the results and selects the appropriate program for the athlete.
Some of the world’s best athletes benefited from the Parisi Youth Training System, including Chris Long, former No. 2 overall draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and two time Super Bowl Champ, as well as Tobin Heath, midfielder for the US Women’s National Soccer Team and two-time World Cup winner and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist.
“Whether a child wants to make a team, or just get in shape, Parisi has a program that will help them achieve their goals and increase confidence on and off the field.”
About Parisi Speed School of Morris – Parsippany:
Parisi Speed School of Morris – Parsippany is located in The Police Athletic League at 33 Baldwin Road, Parsippany. For more information about programs and classes, please visit www.parisimorris.com or call (973) 539-2000.
About Parisi Speed School
Founded in 1992 by CEO Bill Parisi, our mission is to strive to be the industry leader in performance enhancement and continue to deliver a positive training experience that improves the speed of movement and strength in character regardless of ability or economic status. Over the past 25+ years, Parisi Speed School has grown to over 100 locations in 35 states and has trained more than 1 million athletes. For more information on joining a Parisi Speed School or owning your own franchise visit www.parisischool.com.
Morris County Honors JBWS on 45th Anniversary
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County honored JBWS for 45 years of service in combating domestic violence and aiding survivors of abuse during an anniversary dinner hosted by the organization in Florham Park.
JBWS, founded in 1976 as a hotline by a small group of domestic violence survivors, has since expanded its services to shelter and assist all people dealing with domestic violence. The organization works to protect and empower its clients as well as to rehabilitate family members, advocate for social change to prevent partner violence, and educate the public about domestic violence and its consequences.
Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen, a liaison to Human Services operations in the county, presented a resolution on behalf of the entire Morris County Board of County Commissioners. It declared that “JBWS be recognized and commended for its 45 years of outstanding service to the community and that all residents support those working diligently to end violence in our lives.”
State Sen. Anthony Bucco and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, both of the 25th Legislative District, also presented honors to JBWS at the event held in the Park Avenue Club.
The Morris County resolution noted that, after the hotline calls increased in 1976, the need to help people find safety became more urgent following the tragic murders of two people who had reached out to the organization for help. The Morris County community responded by raising funds to open the Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter in 1978. The organization later became known simply as the JBWS as its mission expanded beyond a hotline, safe house, and counseling services.
Today, JBWS has more than 200 volunteers and provides transitional living arrangements, support for children and adolescents, and provides batterers’ intervention services. It also provides housing assistance, school-based teen dating abuse prevention programs, professional training, and a multi-discipline family justice center.
More than 113,000 families have been sheltered or counseled by JBWS and 487,000 teens and adults have been educated about domestic violence.
Robert J. Carroll Formally Sworn In As Morris County Prosecutor
MORRIS COUNTY — Robert J. Carroll, appointed in October by Governor Phil Murphy to serve as acting prosecutor in Morris County, was formally sworn into the job on July 9 during a Morristown ceremony after his nomination to the post was cleared last week by the state Senate Judiciary Committee.
Carroll was sworn in by Superior Court Assignment Judge Stuart A. Minkowitz of the Morris and Sussex vicinage, while the prosecutor’s wife, Roseann, and daughter, Kimberly, held the bible in the public meeting room of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners.
“The question that I have been asked by most of my contemporaries is, why did I want to return to criminal justice, yet again, to which I repeated the same answer,” Carroll told the crowd of family, friends, and colleagues who attended. “I was simply not comfortable watching from the sidelines the growing divide between communities and law enforcement — and with the huge added challenge of COVID, which strained and exhausted so many, I believed that with my experience and judgment earned in over four decades of legal practice, as well as law enforcement, I could and should offer to help.”
Among those in attendance were Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and New Jersey’s leading Assistant Attorney General, Andrew Bruck, who will take over as acting attorney general when Grewal assumes a new federal post next week as head of security for the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“This is a great day, not just for this office and not just for the residents of this county, but for the residents of this state as well. Because this is a prosecutor who gets it. He understands what this job is about. He understands that it’s about more than numbers. It’s about delivering justice and it’s about standing up for all of the residents of this county and the state,” said Grewal.
Also in attendance were Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw, Commissioner Tayfun Selen, state Senators Anthony Bucco and Richard Codey, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, Surrogate Heather Darling, former Morris County Prosecutor Frederic Knapp, County Administrator John Bonanni, New Jersey Turnpike Executive Director John Keller and Carroll’s long-time law partner, Guy Michael. Staff from the prosecutor’s office, county offices, and court staff also attended.
Carroll has extensive law enforcement experience.
Starting as an Essex County Investigator in the early 1970s, Carroll becomes an Assistant Prosecutor. He initially worked in the Trial and Appellate sections, and later served as Assistant Prosecutor/Supervisor of Organized Crime and Special Prosecutions section in that agency.
In 1980, he was selected to become a state Deputy Attorney General in the elite Special Prosecutions Section of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, a unit he later headed. Carroll was subsequently appointed in 1986 to Supervising Deputy Attorney General, Organized Crime and Racketeering Task Force (OCRTF) at the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
He was later promoted to Chief/Assistant Attorney General of the task force in 1989, when he investigated and prosecuted major New Jersey criminal enterprises and public corruption, including organized crime members, associates, and their criminal “crews.” Carroll’s cases included the infamous “Iceman” killer, Richard Kuklinski, who was convicted of several brutal murders that have been the subject of many news and history programs.
Carroll also led investigations into five La Cosa Nostra crime families and personally prosecuted the hierarchy of the New Jersey Lucchese Crime Family, achieving a major RICO-murder conviction.
Carroll has acted as an instructor for a number of law enforcement institutions, including the New Jersey State Police Academy and Essex County Police Academy, and has educated hundreds of state and tribal leaders in law enforcement and anti-corruption methods.
Before becoming Acting Morris County Prosecutor, Carroll served as Director of the Law Department for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the largest toll road authority in North America. He also had served as Acting Sussex County Prosecutor and had supervised thousands of background investigations while serving as a Chairman of a Gaming Commission and Compliance Officer for major Native American Gaming Facilities.
Carroll earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Wake Forest University, where he was a scholarship football player. He holds a J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law. He also holds an Executive Certificate for Leadership Development from Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations.
Carroll also has been recognized and received commendations from numerous federal and New Jersey state law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, ATF, Secret Service, Federal Organized Crime Strike Force, US Marshalls, US Attorney’s Office, NJ State Police, NJ DCJ, and numerous Prosecutor’s Offices for his leadership work on organized crime and effective inter-agency team building.
CCM Builds Upon Its Mission as the Community’s College
MORRIS COUNTY — Coming through the other side of the pandemic, the County College of Morris is poised to continue changing lives and strengthening communities with more momentum than ever. As the community’s college, CCM’s strong student success rates and innovative career-focused programs provide pathways for anyone aspiring to secure a better future and be part of something exceptional.
CCM’s advances in becoming a comprehensive community college have not gone unnoticed. This year alone, CCM gained several new rankings, including:
- Placing in the top 1.8% of community colleges in the nation
Academic Influence
- #1 in New Jersey for Associate Degrees
Intelligent.com
- #1 in Alumni Salaries in New Jersey for the fourth year in a row
Payscale.com
- #1 Choice for Online Business Associate Degree in New Jersey
Business Degree Central
- #5 Business School in New Jersey
Business Degree Central
The college’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion similarly is evidenced by the increase in the number of scholarships and other aid it awards – now totaling more than $20 million a year, allowing students to graduate with minimum to zero debt. The CCM Foundation also created an emergency fund for students needing money for unanticipated expenses. In addition, CCM obtained grant funding to help students to pay for childcare. The college also operates on-campus food pantries in partnership with nourish.NJ.
“I love the mission of community colleges. We were built for impact by ensuring life-changing opportunities for members of our communities,” says Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. “We change lives and strengthen communities in ways that have a profound impact on our social, cultural, and economic systems. CCM takes great pride in serving individuals from all backgrounds with various needs and interests while being central to helping make Morris County a great place to live, work and play.”
Throughout the pandemic, CCM continued to focus on becoming a comprehensive school that provides clear pathways for all students to pursue their dreams. CCM’s pathways include helping learners who seek an associate degree, preparing those who desire to earn a bachelor’s degree, and providing certificates and other industry-recognized credentials to gain a well-paying and rewarding career.
Partnering with industry and community leaders and listening to their needs has been a major focus at CCM. The result has led to new programs including paramedic science, built in partnership with Atlantic Health System. Since 2016, CCM has launched 16 new programs, 132 new classes, and dozens of new certificates. With a $4 million USDOL grant, CCM has launched an expansive Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship program that leads to rewarding careers throughout the region. These apprenticeships are developed with industry professionals and offered in CCM’s new regional Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Center. Over the past year, apprenticeship programs were also developed to train certified nurse aids and pharmacy technicians. CCM also launched a paralegal program and a data analytics certificate that can be completed in eight months. The college is also preparing to offer a packaging design program. In addition, CCM launched its Dover College Promise program to provide middle and high school students with free afterschool tutoring and mentoring, along with scholarships to attend CCM upon graduation. This initiative will be expanded throughout Morris County to provide maximum opportunities for community members.
“Ensuring all members of the community have access to a great education that leads to rewarding careers and fulfilling life is our mission. Increasing diversity and advancing equitable practices is now the cornerstone of CCM and it is upon this foundation that we build our next, and, I believe, most powerful chapter in our college’s history,” says Iacono. “We are the college for the community, the whole community. We have a seat for everyone with a dream. Our goal is helping you to achieve yours.”
To learn more about all CCM has to offer, visit www.ccm.edu/. You also can follow the college on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Morris County Renters and Landlords: Rental Aid is Still Available
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County announced that federal rental assistance remains available to qualified families and can assist landlords, as Legal Services of New Jersey additionally warned renters not to ignore court notices related to the settlement of eviction actions.
The announcements come as New Jersey’s COVID-19 moratorium on residential evictions prepares to end in January.
The Morris County Department of Humans Services has received more than $14.6 million in rental assistance to disperse among qualified families. The aid can assist landlords as well as qualified families.
At the same time, Legal Services in New Jersey is warning renters not to ignore notices of mandatory settlement conferences if their landlords already have filed eviction notices. (read more below)
RENTAL ASSISTANCE
“Rental assistance funds are still available in Morris County and the State of New Jersey to people from low- and moderate-income households who had a substantial reduction in income, have qualified for unemployment benefits, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kasey Errico, Director of Morris County Human Services.
As of last week, 1,541 applications were submitted, with 513 applications being approved to date and those households receiving more than $4 million in aid.
Morris County is urging renters to determine if they qualify and to apply.
Renters may inquire about the program by simply checking the criteria provided at the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) COVID-19 Information website. Some of the qualifications also are listed further below.
To apply click here.
The federal Emergency Rental Assistance funding is designed to help avert a housing crisis for tenants in critical need of such support. The funding also will bring needed relief to landlords, who have been challenged by the financial impacts of the pandemic as well, according to Errico.
Morris County partnered with the DCA, as have other counties, to utilize the state’s program vendor and eliminate confusion for those in need by using one online portal to access the assistance application.
KNOW OF EVICTION ACTIONS & YOUR RIGHTS
While Governor Phil Murphy’s pandemic moratorium on evictions does not expire until January 2022, it does not prevent landlords from initiating eviction court proceedings before then – and New Jersey courts may summon renters for “mandatory settlement conferences” well before the eviction moratorium deadline.
The conferences are only designed to determine whether an eviction case may be settled without going to trial and do not obligate any renter or landlord to enter into an agreement.
But appearances are mandatory.
“If you do not appear, a default judgment will enter against you, meaning you will lose the case,” Legal Services warned in a new flyer.
The agency also advised renters that they do not have to agree to settle the case, just appear for the conference.
“You do not have to agree to pay any money. You do not have to agree to move out. Landlords and tenants who do not make an agreement will have a trial scheduled when the court starts holding trials,” said Legal Services.
Legal Services in New Jersey has a hotline and website application for families facing eviction to determine if they are eligible for free legal advice:
Call (908) 231-0840 or apply online by clicking here.
MORE ON RENTAL ASSITANCE
The umbrella name for the federal rental assistance program is the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program Phase II or CVERAP PHASE II. The first phase was launched in July 2020, using $91.75 million in federal funds, which assisted about 15,000 New Jersey residents. New Jersey has been provided $353 million for the second phase.
The program covers two areas:
Emergency Rental Assistance for Arrears: Applicants may be eligible for up to a maximum of twelve months of emergency rental assistance to help pay for rent arrears and future rent to the extent that funds are available. Families that have already received funding through Phase I of the program, that need additional rent support, and have not yet received the maximum twelve months of emergency rental assistance can apply for additional funding.
Emergency Rental Assistance for Current and Future Rents: Financial assistance is limited to three months based on the application submitted, except that the household may receive additional assistance for additional months subject to the availability of remaining funds and eligibility, not to exceed 12 months (plus an additional three months if necessary to ensure housing stability).
Persons applying must meet all applicable income and eligibility requirements. You must be eighteen (18) years of age or older to apply or be an emancipated minor. Only one (1) application per household will be accepted. Applications will be accepted until enough applications have been received to ensure the distribution of all available funds. A computerized selection (lottery) process will be used to select residents who have been impacted by COVID-19 for eligibility determination.
Eligibility Criteria: Selected households must meet the following eligibility criteria to qualify for assistance:
- Qualify for unemployment or have experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability;
- Have a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median income (please see income limits below);
- Have a lack of assets and savings to pay rent arrears or current and future rent;
- Be a New Jersey resident; and
- Obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling.
The program will only pay for rent arrears incurred after March 13, 2020.
Property managers or owners of a residential dwelling may apply for assistance on behalf of a tenant.
The landlord must:
- Obtain the signature of the tenant on the application, which may be documented electronically; and
- Must provide documentation of the application to the tenant to notify the tenant that the application has been submitted.