PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board – October 21, 2020.
Click here to download the agenda.
A Message from Township Clerk Regarding Council Meetings
PARSIPPANY — Please be advised that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Township of Parsippany Troy-Hills is holding all council meetings virtually through an online platform called WebEx. The Township will conduct public business in an open and transparent manner virtually until further notice in order to eliminate the risk of the spread of the coronavirus.
As a reminder, the Township Council meetings are held every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. and all members of the public are welcome.
On the date and time of the meeting, please follow the below instructions to join a meeting:
- Join WebEx meeting through the following link @ www.parsippany.net;
- Click on “Register for Meeting”;
- A pop-up window will prompt you to fill out your personal information;
Please note that anyone using false information will not be granted access or allowed to participate in the public portion of the meeting.
- Once you have clicked the “Register” button, a pop-up window will appear allowing you to join immediately if the meeting has started. If the meeting has not yet begun, an email will be sent to the email provided instructing you of the meeting time and how to join.
To ensure that a similar level of access is provided to the public, including the ability to participate in the public meeting, the steps below further detail how a resident can participate in the public portion of a meeting while in attendance. Please take notice that public participation is only accessible during the public portion of the meeting and any disruptive conduct may cause a member to be muted or removed from the virtual meeting.
To participate in the public portion of the Township of Parsippany- Troy Hills Council meeting, please follow the steps below:
- Click on the three dots at the bottom and middle portion of the screen;
- A raise hand icon will appear;
- Click on the raise hand icon which will indicate to the moderator that you wish to have a turn to speak;
- All persons are heard on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once it is your turn to speak, the Municipal Clerk will unmute you and you will have 5 minutes to speak.
Morris County Covid-19 Rate Rises With Indoor Activity
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County authorities are reporting a moderate increase in the rate of COVID-19 cases, consistent with a statewide uptick, citing a correlation with increased indoor gatherings prompted by cooler outdoor temperatures.
“New Jersey is seeing moderate increases in community spread of COVID-19 and the New Jersey Department of Health has indicated that it is anticipating a second wave. There has been an increase in a transmission associated with gatherings, especially gatherings held indoors,” said Morris County Health Officer Carlos Perez.
As the weather turns cooler, people need to be reminded that indoor gatherings should be limited to immediate household members, he explained. Additionally, as people plan for seasonal holidays and celebrations, they should limit the number of close relatives and friends in attendance and, if possible, plan parties outdoors around a fire pit or patio heater, according to Perez.
The slight rise in county numbers was first reported at a Morris County Board of Freeholders meeting last week by Scott DiGiralomo, Director of Morris County’s Department of Law and Public Safety. He said the county remains vigilant and poised to assist the community should there be any significant resurgence of the virus, which had its greatest impact on the county back in April.
The County Office of Health Management and local health departments continue to perform essential duties to prevent the spread of infections, including enhanced surveillance and contact tracing, which is the process of identifying and notifying people who may have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19 to prevent further spread of the disease.
“It is important that persons instructed to quarantine and isolate by their local health department and/or healthcare provider do so to prevent the spread of infection,” said Perez.
Contact tracers, he said, will not ask for social security numbers, bank or credit card information, health insurance information, immigration status, or criminal history.
“They are only following up about potential exposure to COVID-19 cases, to determine if a person has symptoms and needs to self-isolate. Report any calls from persons identifying themselves as contact tracers and requesting such information to your local police department,” Perez said.
Health professionals emphasize that COVID-19 is preventable if individuals:
1. Wear a cloth face covering when in public (both indoors and outdoors).
2. Practice social distancing (maintain a 6-foot space between you and others).
3. Follow good respiratory hygiene recommendations.
4. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, not your hands.
5. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or eyes with unclean hands.
6. Get a flu shot.
7. Stay home if you are sick and avoid sick people.
8. If you become ill, call your healthcare provider before going to a doctor’s office or emergency department of a hospital.
Planning to travel during the upcoming holidays?
Remember: There are 38 states/territories on a state-issued travel advisory list, and the list is updated and changes regularly. Anyone leaving New Jersey to travel to a state/territory on the travel advisory list should quarantine for 14-days upon their return to the state.
More information is available at the NJ COVID-19 Information Hub click here.
Review and follow CDC travel advisories when planning travel abroad click here.
Parsippany Community Update October 20, 2020
PARSIPPANY — “We are all suffering from pandemic fatigue. COVID has altered the way we live for the better part of a year. It has strained every part of our economy, from the personal to global levels.
We can’t do the things we want to do, see the people we want to see or go about our daily lives without taking precautions. Every one of us is tired. It’s tempting, even liberating, to give up on the advice of health experts. It could be as simple as attending one indoor gathering, the leading cause of new outbreaks in New Jersey, or as bold as going on with daily life as if the pandemic doesn’t exist. I don’t think there’s a person alive who doesn’t understand the desire to return to normal.
But the truth is that normal activities can put you and others at risk. COVID-19 not only carries the risk of death but a lifetime of severe complications. It is not the flu. Despite dominating our lives for seven months, it is a virus we know very little about other than its inherent dangers. We don’t know how it could impact you one, two, or five years after recovery. And those risks must give us all pause. We need to beat COVID-19, not ignore it.
We have to meet this moment. And we have to meet it as a community. Not just as a township, not just as a county, not just as a state. We are dealing with a pathogen that does not recognize borders, intentions, or time. If it can spread, it will spread. The sacrifices made by all of us in 2020 can be snuffed out in just a few weeks. Think of the sacrifices made this year by healthcare workers. First responders. Essential employees. Small business owners. Parents.
Your friends and neighbors. You and your family. The thousands of families who have lost a loved one. We all have the power to ensure that those sacrifices were not made in vain. But that power is collective; it requires all of us. And I know we can do it, because we’ve done it before. Our Parsippany community, our New Jersey community, and our American community have it in us to beat this virus.”
– Michael A. Soriano, Mayor of Parsippany-Troy Hills
Panel Approves Bill Permitting Traffic Duty for Trained Community Responders
MORRIS COUNTY — The Assembly Homeland Security Committee today passed a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Jay Webber that permits trained community volunteers to perform traffic duties in emergency situations.
“The coronavirus has sidelined thousands of police officers in New Jersey. At one point, one in 20 officers were unable to work either because they were quarantining or they contracted the virus,” said Webber (R-Morris). “In times of emergency, we need to empower trained volunteers to take over traffic duties while our men and women in blue are responding to more urgent calls for help.”
Webber’s bill would expand the scope of activities that can be performed by Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers to work under the authority of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management to include traffic control duties. Through the existing CERT program, volunteers are trained to provide emergency support such as assisting first responders, helping organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site, and staffing Emergency Operations Centers. During the state’s public health emergency, CERT members have also helped facilitate Covid-19 testing in their communities. CERT volunteers are part of the Citizen Corps Program formed by President George W. Bush following the events of September 11.
“I’m grateful that we have incredible and selfless first responders and community volunteers who have stepped up like never before during the pandemic,” said Webber. “This bill will prioritize public safety and benefit public servants.”
Prior to assuming any traffic duties during an emergency or disaster, a CERT volunteer would be required to pass a physical exam and complete a training course. CERT traffic officers would be appointed for a term of up to five years.
Confirmed COVID-19 Case at Lake Hiawatha School
PARSIPPANY — The following letter was sent to parents at Lake Hiawatha School.
This letter is to inform you that an individual at Lake Hiawatha School has tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The District is coordinating closely with public health officials and following CDC, state, and local health department guidelines in order to assure the health and safety of our community. If you were in close contact with the individual you will receive a separate notification from your local Health Department.
Cleaning and disinfecting of all exposed areas have been completed. Please know that at this time, and in consultation with our local health officials, there is no need to close school or for staff, students, or families to take any additional action.
We understand the level of concern regarding COVID-19. We encourage all community members to continue following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promoted safeguards, such as:
• Staying home when you are sick;
• Washing hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds;
• Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues;
• Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drinks and utensils;
• Practicing social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart);
• Wearing a face covering while in school; and
• Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms.
As always, we appreciate our community’s support and cooperation. You can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern. Should you have any questions about this situation, please feel free to contact Mr. Steve Figurelli – (973) 263-4344. Below are some resources that might be helpful.
RESOURCES
a. NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public: Click here.
b. Get the Facts about Coronavirus: Click here
c. Symptoms of COVID-19: Click here
d. Testing: Click here
e. How to Protect Yourself: Click here
f. What to Do if You Are Sick: Click here
Sincerely,
Barbara Sargent, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Letter to the Editor: N.J. Ballot Question #3 May Be Unconstitutional
Dear Editor:
In an obvious attempt to preserve the existing voting districts in New Jersey for as long as possible, the authors of N.J. Ballot Question #3 drafted a proposed constitutional amendment that may have unintended consequences and in fact, maybe unconstitutional.
By law, the voting districts in New Jersey must be redrawn after each census. Ballot Question #3 anticipates that the results of the 2020 census may be very late this year and proposes to change the state constitution permanently to say that if census data arrives after February 15, the state must delay drawing a new map for TWO years, and use the old voting districts during that period. On paper, the proposal may seem reasonable, but in reality, it is fundamentally flawed.
Consider what would have happened if this amendment existed after the 2010 census when New Jersey lost one of its congressional seats. According to the amendment, the 13 voting districts that existed before the 2010 census would then be electing only 12 representatives. Clearly, the math doesn’t work, and the courts would have to be involved.
Population-wise, New Jersey is not a growing state. It is very possible that we could lose another congressional seat after the 2020 census. If not in 2020, then almost certainly we would lose another seat ten years from now. Under the terms of the amendment, 12 districts would then be voting for 11 congressional seats (which district doesn’t get a representative?).
Ballot Question #3 is a permanent solution to a one-time problem. Passing a totally unnecessary amendment that would result in an imbalance between districts and representatives would require court intervention to resolve the dilemma, and would be an embarrassment to the state of New Jersey. The amendment should actually be invalidated and withdrawn prior to Election Day. In case that doesn’t happen, vote “NO” on Question #3.
Bob Venezia
Parsippany
Table of Hope and Morris County Park Police Feed The Hungry
MORRIS COUNTY — Table of Hope Mobile Food Pantry and the Morris County Park Police distributed more than 1000 cases of fresh produce, meat, and food to hungry families in Morris County, on Saturday, October 17.
Table of Hope enjoys collaborating with communities and law enforcement to help neighbors in Morris County from going hungry.
Parsippany Board of Education District Goals Update – October 15
PARSIPPANY — Dr. Barbara Sargent presents “Parsippany Board of Education District Goals Update – October 15”
Council Meeting Tuesday, October 20; Residents Can Join Virtually
PARSIPPANY — Please be advised, the Township Council of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. Formal action may or not be taken, and any other action reasonably related thereto may also be taken. Click here to download a copy of the proposed agenda.
Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic Council Meetings will be held via web conferencing. This program will allow the public to listen to the meeting and to participate during the public portion session only.
Please be advised that in order for a member of the public to participate they must fill out the registration information using their real name and address, anyone not using their real name and address will not be allowed to speak during the public portion.
To join the meeting click here.
Rep. Sherrill Announces Self-Quarantine Following Child Care Provider’s Positive COVID-19 Test
PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) released the following statement:
“We received news that our child care provider received a positive COVID-19 test. Luckily, everyone in our family has tested negative, however, we will be quarantining according to CDC guidelines.”
School Beautification Project at Parsippany Hills High School
PARSIPPANY — The Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) and community sponsors started Phase 1 of a very exciting School Beautification Project at Parsippany Hills High School.
Wall Landscaping, Cerbos Garden Center, Paul Miller Porsche, and Wegman’s sponsored the project.
Through the PTSA memberships, they were able to fund these types of projects!
Morris Arts Celebrates Pumpkin Illumination with Three Virtual Workshops
MORRIS COUNTY — This year, due to COVID-19, Morris Arts is not able to host an in-person Pumpkin Illumination event, but it’s still determined to celebrate Halloween in the spirit of its annual Pumpkin Illumination. Artist Dan Fenelon of Core Creative Academy will host a series of workshops for children and their families to bring the spirit of Pumpkin Illumination into the community.
The workshops will be:
- Monday, October 19: Miniature Scarecrow Creations
4:00 – 5:00 pm via Zoom
Ages: Best for ages 10-12 but all ages are welcome. Young children should be accompanied by an adult. Create a miniature scarecrow out of a variety of craft materials just in time for Halloween! This class is great for ages 10-12 who enjoy hands-on art projects. Mr. Dan will walk students through the step-by-step process from start to finish - Tuesday, October 20: Mask Making
4:00 – 5:00 pm via Zoom
Ages: Best for ages 13-16 but all ages are welcome. Young children should be accompanied by an adult.Grab cardboard and supplies and let’s have some fun creating one-of-a-kind Pumpkin Illumination inspired masks! Join Mr. Dan, the original creator of our Pumpkin Illumination parade masks, as he teaches you step-by-step how to make an original spooky cardboard mask of your own! Mr. Dan will provide some useful tips and tricks for how you can turn ordinary cardboard into a unique creature, just in time for Halloween! This class is great for high school students who enjoy hands-on art projects. Mr. Dan will walk students through the step-by-step process from start to finish. We can’t wait to start masking with you! - Thursday, October 22: Pumpkin Carving and Decorating
4:00 – 5:00 pm via Zoom
Ages: This workshop welcomes all ages! Young children should be accompanied by an adultCarve your own pumpkin with Mr. Dan in the spirit of Pumpkin Illumination! Grab your pumpkin, carving tools, and paint supplies and join Mr. Dan for an hour of pumpkin carving and decorating in the spirit of our annual Pumpkin Illumination event! Mr. Dan will provide some useful tips and tricks for how you can transform an ordinary pumpkin into a one-of-a-kind Spooktacular creation, just in time for Halloween! This class is great for all ages and younger children who are accompanied by an adult.
If you have any questions please email Kaity DeLaura at [email protected].
Parsippany Spooky Snapshot Photo Contest Begins!
PARSIPPANY — It’s the season of ghosts and goblins in Parsippany! And we want to see photos of your family celebrating Halloween. Send in photos of your decorated house, or your family of trick-or-treaters and we’ll share them on our township’s social media page.
Best of all, our favorite selection will be featured in the 2021-2022 Town Planner Calendar for the month of October.
Send your submissions to [email protected].
We can’t wait to see your spook-tacular photos!
Virtual Haunted Red Mill Museum Village
MORRIS COUNTY — The Red Mill Museum Village has partnered with “Unexplained Cases,” a paranormal investigative documentary web series, to host a #saveHalloween virtual event on the evening of Saturday, October 24 in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Haunted Red Mill.
In addition to a live haunted house attraction, the event will also feature a Halloween costume party and contest hosted by YouTube star Malia Miglino, the creation of Halloween-themed cocktails, and a live paranormal investigation of the Red Mill led by two stars of A&E’s television show “Ghost Hunters” — Daryl Marston and Mustafa Gatollari.
This event will be held on Saturday, October 24, from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. General Admission tickets are $25.00.
For more information and to register click here.
Grossi and Valori put County Election Workers at Risk
Editors Note: Although the press release from MCDC only makes mention of Lou Valori and Ann Grossi in the photo provided, it also shows Former Morris County Democratic Committee Endorsed Surrogate Candidate George Tannous.
PARSIPPANY — On the evening of Wednesday, October 14, Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi and Lou Valori, Republican candidate for Parsippany Mayor, attended a maskless kickoff event for the Trump campaign in Randolph. Pictured here are Grossi, Valori, and others disregarding the basic advice of public health officials, by refusing to wear masks or maintain six feet of social distancing.
Grossi and Valori, to the best of public knowledge, do not reside in the same household or have any other relationship of proximity that would render their contact safe, particularly not at a crowded campaign event.
This reckless display of irresponsibility is a slap in the face to the over 300,000 Morris County voters who are relying on the Clerk’s office and Board of Elections to remain healthy in order to keep the offices running through Election Day. The fact that this arrogance is being displayed by Morris County’s chief election official and a politician seeking to lead Morris County’s largest municipality should be disturbing to all Morris County residents.
Just yesterday, Grossi issued a statement proclaiming her employees overwhelmed by the volume of calls her office is receiving about the election. Instead of looking out for her employees, she has potentially put them at risk of contracting a deadly virus in the middle of the election they’re overseeing.
Grossi and Valori must take the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by self-quarantining and being tested at the appropriate time. Anything less is a disservice to the residents and employees of Morris County, as well as the election process.
This press release was submitted by Morris County Democratic Committee (MCDC)
Governor Murphy Announces Launch of COVID-19 Transparency Website
MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy announced the launch of New Jersey’s COVID-19 Transparency website, providing oversight and public confidence in the expenditure of federal recovery funds as the State continues to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement of the website follows the Governor’s signing of Executive Order No. 166 on July 17, 2020, which established the Governor’s Disaster Recovery Office (GDRO) and COVID-19 Compliance and Oversight, Task Force.
“New Jerseyans deserve to know how the State is addressing the COVID-19 crisis and how their taxpayer dollars are being spent,” said Governor Murphy. “This website represents a crucial step in our commitment to transparency during the ongoing pandemic.”
“The COVID-19 transparency site will centralize information for the public on federal funding data and federally-funded contracts to ensure New Jerseyans that the State is properly stewarding coronavirus recovery funds,” said Daniel J. Kelly, Executive Director, Governor’s Disaster Recovery Office. “The site is emblematic of Governor Murphy’s commitment to transparency and oversight in order to guard against fraud, waste, and abuse in the expenditure of desperately-needed COVID-19 recovery funding.”
“The new COVID-19 Oversight website is designed to shine a bright light on how federal money is being spent on New Jersey’s recovery efforts, and to serve as a resource for New Jersey residents,” said Acting State Comptroller Kevin D. Walsh. “Publicly posting contracts that pertain to New Jersey’s recovery from COVID-19 means that our recovery from this crisis is proceeding with maximum transparency and accountability to taxpayers.”
“As a person within Information Technology, it’s always a moment of pride when a project with a specific delivery deadline and specific budget is delivered on time and on budget,” said Chris Rein, Chief Technology Officer for the State of New Jersey. “Leveraging existing assets and technologies, this application was substantially less expensive than prior data transparency projects. Working with Dan Kelly, Poonam Soans and Julie Veffer on this was a special effort.”
The GDRO, with the assistance of the New Jersey Office of Information Technology (NJOIT) and the Office of the State Comptroller, developed the transparency website within ninety days of the date of the Executive Order. The website tracks the State’s eligible and planned uses of any funds disbursed by the federal or State government to help New Jersey residents, businesses, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and other entities respond to or recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. It will provide a list of the contracts involving the allocation and expenditure of recovery funds, in addition to providing information on the various disaster recovery resources available to residents, businesses, and government entities.
Click here to access New Jersey’s COVID-19 Transparency website.
Cycling to help find a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes
PARSIPPANY — Lake Hiawatha resident Brian Donlin continues to fund-raise to help to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Even though this year’s in-person events have been canceled due to the Coronavirus, thousands of cyclists across the nation have still shown their support of JDRF research with their 2020 “My Ride to Cure T1D” event, raising almost $5 million so far. Some are kids and adults with T1D, and some are the friends and family that support them. Brian has known many people in his life that live with T1D, but it really hit home when the diagnosis came to his nephew Zach.
But it all hasn’t been smooth roads for Brian, who in late June suffered a compression fracture in his back while doing yard work. He was forced to stop training since then while recovering in a brace but has since gotten the okay from his doctor and therapist to begin light training again. With the brace now in the closet, he is ready to get back in shape and continue his support of the JDRF.
With in-person events being canceled, so too was his $3,500 goal for the ride he was preparing for. Instead, Brian changed his goal to $2,020 in order to make something good come out of this year. He has met this goal and surpassed it, and continues to show his support for the JDRF. While his return to cycling will be mostly indoors for the rest of the year, keep your eyes open for him on the roads throughout Lake Hiawatha and Montville! You can show your support through his JDRF page by clicking here.
In light of the current COVID-19 health situation, the JDRF has published some great information for those with T1D and how you can keep yourself safe, and how to care for yourself in case you feel sick. While having T1D does not increase your chances of developing the disease, there are some things to stay on top of should you get it. These tips and a wealth of more information can be found by visiting their blog by clicking here.
Acme Markets Buys 27 Kings Food Market, Balducci’s Locations
PARSIPPANY — Malvern, Pa.-based Acme Markets, which is owned by Albertsons, announced plans this week to buy 27 Kings Food Market and Balducci’s Food Lovers Market stores.
The expected purchase price is $96.4 million, and the transaction should close later this fiscal year, pending the standard regulatory approvals, according to a news release.
Acme said Wednesday that it expects to finalize the transaction later this fiscal year, pending customary closing conditions and regulatory and court approvals. KB US Holdings, parent of Kings and Balducci’s, put the chains up for sale in August upon filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
At the time of its Chapter 11 filing, Parsippany-based KB Holdings — whose majority owner is GSSG Capital Corp. — said it had accepted a $75 million stalking-horse bid for the Kings and Balducci’s stores from New York investment firm TLI Bedrock. But in an October 14 bankruptcy court filing, the stalking-horse bid was designated as the backup bid.
Plans call for the upscale Kings and Balducci’s grocery stores to retain their banners and become part of Albertsons’ Mid-Atlantic division, which operates Acme and Safeway supermarkets on the East Coast.
Letter to the Editor: Reelect Mikie Sherrill
Dear Editor:
Freshman Congresswoman, Mikie Sherrill, in CD11, is one of the most hard-working representatives I’ve ever encountered and it’s been difficult recently to watch lies and misinformation being spread about her.
Sherrill’s predecessor held his seat without much opposition for two dozen years, barely engaging constituents. Our current representative stands in sharp contrast as a public servant. The Congresswoman has held 22 town halls in 22 months! Access to her and her staff is easy, and they work diligently to serve the district.
Upon arriving in DC, Mikie became Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Environment (on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee) and Vice-Chair and co-founder, of Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus.
Sherrill has shown the ability to work in a bipartisan fashion. Part of her training in the Navy, as she likes to say, never included “partisan missions”. They were just missions and that is how she performs in DC. She has:
- Introduced 12 bills, 9 of which were with a Republican lead
- Co-sponsored 345 pieces of legislation
- Held COVID telephone town halls to make sure she continued to remain accessible during the pandemic
- Successfully helped pass bills in the House to:
- Restore the SALT Cap
- Lower the cost of prescription drugs
- Bipartisan background checks legislation
- Fund the Gateway Tunnel Project
- And legislation that became law:
- Great American Outdoors Act
- Permanent 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
- Provide healthcare for Blue Water Navy Veterans
- Accreditation for the Graduate School at Picatinny Arsenal
- Reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program
- Reauthorized and extended autism research and services
These are astounding achievements for anyone but remember, she is a freshman Congresswoman in a particularly contentious political climate. That takes skill and building bridges, not chasms.
Please re-elect our committed, fair, and honorable Congresswoman.
Laura Fortgang
Verona Resident,
Former Candidate for NJ State Assembly LD26