Standing Room Only at Parsippany-Troy Hills Council Chambers
PARSIPPANY — During the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council Meeting on Tuesday, September 3, the standing room only crowd cheered for Former Captain James Carifi as the Township Council approved Resolution R2019-177, “Authorizing the payment to James Carifi Unused Accrued Leave with Interest.”
Councilman Michael dePierro, who introduced a similar version of the resolution at the Tuesday, August 20 meeting, re-introduced the revised version. Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani then seconded the motion. Council Vice President Janice McCarthy also voted in favor of the resolution. Councilwoman Emily Peterson abstained and Council President Paul Carifi recused himself. The resolution called to payout $368,482.02 plus accrued interest at the rate of 2.25% from his retirement date of April 1, 2013.
Attorney Christopher Deininger with retired Parsippany Police Capt. James Carifi
Councilwoman Peterson stated “I believe, and I have always believed since my first day in this chair and I have argued behind closed doors that Mr. Carifi is owed this money. (The crowd cheered at this point) Let me finish. However, with the potentially access to the declassified documents… However with the absence of knowing the impact on our insurance pursuant to this case, I’m going to continue to abstain from this.”
Councilman dePierro said, “The money owed to James Carifi is punitive. The township owes him his pay and sick time and the money has been put aside. Also, at no time did legal ever recommend we give Carifi the money we owe him. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do. I haven’t spoken to James Carifi in six and a half years”.
“The motion pays Mr. Carifi the earn contractual obligated compensation when he retired in good standing. And I can’t speak to anyone’s motivation in this matter, but for me, after reviewing the information, in my opinion, it’s the right thing to do. I vote yes.” stated Council Vice President Janice McCarthy.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Attorney James Lott voiced his objections to the resolution.
The prepared agenda included an Executive Session to discuss the resolution, but motion failed to pass with a 2-2 vote with Gragnani and dePierro voting against and McCarthy and Peterson voting in favor. Attorney James Lott said “Just advice for the Council Vice President acting as presiding officer. I’ll note for the record, the Council was advised that we have Mr. Parikh here as well as Mr. Renaut. Mr. Parikh, our special mitigation counsel in Carifi matters. Mr. Renaut currently represents the Township on Carifi 3 and Carifi 4. It’s my advice that, it would be imprudent for the Council to take action on Resolution 2019-177 without hearing from Township Attorneys in closed session. I would respectfully request that we move into closed session and to have the Council reconsider its vote.”
Mayor Michael Soriano stated after the vote “The Friday after your introduction, the ham-handed introduction of this motion, which was against protocol. The attorney released a 50 page memo to Council and to myself detailing all the aspects of that. Since we cannot do this in a closed session, because we have a deadlock in a closed session, I would ask the Council to waive it and release this privilege document to the public. So the public can know exactly what the Township Attorney has been advising everyone and what the council needs to discuss related to this issue. I would ask you to do that now. Second. Yeah, we could settle this now. We could settle this tonight. We have our attorney here for this. We have the attorney for the Carifi case. We could go and take care of this right now.”
Pursuant to the Township’s practices governing the payment of accrued leave due eligible employees, any payment to Captain Carifi shall not exceed his annual base salary when he retired in any given year. The first payment is to be made within seven days of the approval of the resolution, in accordance with the schedule of regular salary payment made to Township employees.
Council Vice President Loretta Gragnani, Council President Michael dePierro, Councilwoman Emily Peterson, Councilman Paul Carifi, Jr., Councilwoman Janice McCarthy
Joe Howell, Kathy Knittel, Joan Bujacich, Joe Bilotti and John Hummel
MORRIS COUNTY — Come spend a late summer evening enjoying a popular classic rock music concert, “Songs at Sunset,” at County College of Morris (CCM) featuring two student and alumni bands and Morris County’s own Heart of Gold band led by CCM Music Professor Joe Bilotti.
The free concert takes place Friday, September 20, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater located in front of the Edward J. Yaw Music Technology Center on the CCM campus, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph.
Opening the concert will be two bands featuring CCM students and alumni: Junkanoo and Friar Fritzl’s Funtime Monastery. Junkanoo consists of CCM student Naomi Smith and alumni Ailed Hernandez, Rebecca Alleman, Nicole Santana and Samuel Fallas-LoManto. Friar Fritzl’s Funtime Monastery includes CCM students Jayce Winant and Kenny Schweighardt.
The Heart of Gold band then will play favorites by Steely Dan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Peter Frampton, Joan Baez and more. Along with Bilotti, the Heart of Gold Band consists of tristate music legends Joan Bujacich, Joe Howell, John Hummel and Kathy Knittel.
Bring your own chair and park in Lots 5 or 6. In the event of rain, the concert will take place in the Dragonetti Auditorium in the Student Community Center.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon announces the promotions of nine Officers who all excelled at their previous ranks, including new Chief Sheriff’s Officer Kelley Zienowicz.
“The Officers who are being promoted have all had a part, through their vision and leadership, in making the Morris County Sheriff’s Office a stellar agency. Their positive and proactive work will continue elevating this agency to greater heights,” said Sheriff Gannon.
The Sheriff administered the oath of office to the nine Officers who officially were promoted during an afternoon ceremony Tuesday, September 3, in the Historic Courtroom of the Morris County Courthouse. Along with bagpipers, the Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard was present to pay respect to their fellow Officers.
Sheriff Gannon commended the Officers for helping to shape the agency into one that is at the forefront of addressing societal problems, including opioid addiction and threats of violence in schools and at public events.
Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Detective Sergeant Thomas Reilly, Detective Lieutenant Walter Rawa, Detective Lieutenant Laura Flynn, Detective Captain Denise Thornton, Chief Sheriff’s Officer Kelley Zienowicz, Detective Captain Mark Chiarolanza, Detective Lieutenant Aaron Tomasini, Detective Lieutenant Michael Turkot, Detective Sergeant Jamie Rae, and Bureau of Law Enforcement Undersheriff Mark Spitzer
“I want to thank all the tremendous people in the Sheriff’s Office, sworn officers and civilians, who have made it a preeminent law enforcement agency that is a model of discipline, courage, efficiency and compassion,” Sheriff Gannon said.
Chief Zienowicz, an FBI National Academy graduate and crime scene investigation expert, was promoted from the rank of Detective Lieutenant to Chief Sheriff’s Officer. She now is the highest-ranking Sheriff’s Officer in the Bureau of Law Enforcement and is responsible for daily oversight over 120 sworn officers in the bureau’s newly restructured three divisions: Protective Services, Specialty Services, and Criminal Investigations.
Collectively, the divisions encompass security in the Morris County Courthouse, Sheriff’s sales and foreclosures, warrants, professional standards, Community Outreach and Planning, the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team, the Crime Lab and Crime Scene Investigation Unit, K-9 and Bomb Sections, and Evidence, among other areas. The Sheriff’s Office has two bureaus, the Bureau of Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Corrections.
“Throughout my career, I have had an opportunity to work with most of you, either as a peer or as a supervisor, and I have learned from each and every one of you along the way,” Chief Zienowicz said at the ceremony.
“I know this agency is successful because there are dedicated members in every rank and assignment who make us successful. I am honored to be a part of this great agency, and to have this chance to help guide us into a new and exciting chapter with this freshly minted and very capable group of supervisors. I hope that every member knows our mission is to help everyone find their own successes, striving to be the best people they can be, while providing the best services to the citizens of Morris County,” Chief Zienowicz said.
THE PROMOTIONS: CHIEF Kelley Zienowicz. She began her sworn officer career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2001, and spent nearly a dozen years in the Crime Scene Investigation Unit. A fingerprint expert in Superior Court, she also testified at trial about evidence in major homicide cases, including State v. Jose Feliciano, State v. Anthony Novellino, and State v. Carlos Rojas.
Chief Zienowicz is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy, is experienced in the work performed by all divisions, and has risen through the ranks from Officer to Detective Lieutenant before being selected as Chief.
CAPTAIN Mark Chiarolanza. His right leg was amputated below the knee after a motorcycle crash in 1992 but Captain Chiarolanza persevered, took the Law Enforcement Exam, and was hired by the Sheriff’s Office in 1996 and completed the Morris County Police Academy and all fitness requirements with a prosthetic leg.
Captain Chiarolanza has a master’s degree in public administration, is a certified tactical EMT who is a founding member of the Morris County Rapid Deployment Team that went to New Orleans in 2005 on a relief mission to assist after Hurricane Katrina. In 2016, he was promoted to Detective Lieutenant and was assigned as Division Commander of the Legal Services Division and all aspects of the K-9 Section.
CAPTAIN Denise Thornton. She started her career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2002 and worked in the Protective Services Division at the Morris County Courthouse until 2012. Captain Thornton has been responsible for maintaining accreditation for the Sheriff’s Office, and she assisted with security when the 2014 Super Bowl game was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Promoted to Detective Lieutenant in 2016, her duties have included overseeing professional standards in the Bureau of Law Enforcement and community outreach efforts such as the Explorers Post 140, and meetings with area clergy.
b A decorated U.S. Army National Guard Captain who has twice been deployed, he supervises the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Section and is a certified Bomb Squad technician. Lieutenant Tomasini is pursuing his doctorate in organizational leadership. He is a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team, and has been commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the National Guard.
LIEUTENANT Laura Flynn. She joined the agency in 2001 and soon after was assigned to the Crime Scene Investigation Unit and promoted to Sergeant of the Unit in 2015. Lieutenant Flynn has worked on thousands of investigations that include murders, robberies, sexual assaults and other felonies. She testified as a fingerprint expert in several cases, including the 2014 trial of Anthony Novellino, who was convicted of killing his former wife, Judith Novellino, and the trial of Shakur Carasquillo, who was convicted of assaulting and robbing a man in his home in Harding Township.
LIEUTENANT Michael Turkot. A lifelong swimmer and swim coach, Lieutenant Turkot joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2006. He has worked in the Protective Services Division, Marine Unit, and Process Unit. He was promoted to Sergeant in June 2015, and has served in the Legal Services Division since April 2016, where he conducts Sheriff’s sales as the final step in the foreclosure process. He has reorganized and streamlined the Legal Services Division to better address the needs of the foreclosure crisis, and helped design a class for civilian employees to enhance their knowledge of the complexities of foreclosures, writs, wage garnishments and civil complaints.
LIEUTENANT Walter Rawa. He joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2002, worked in the Warrants Section, Protective Services Division, and in 2006 helped start the Sheriff’s Office traffic support unit. Lieutenant Rawa previously was a detective for the Emergency Services/K-9 Unit, where he trained, handled and certified multiple canines in explosives, search and rescue, patrol, narcotics and arson. He is one of the Morris County-wide instructors for the Sheriff’s Office’s Responsible School Violence Prevention, Preparation and Protection (RSVP-3) program.
SERGEANT Thomas Reilly. Sergeant Reilly was a New Jersey Corrections Officer before joining the Sheriff’s Office in January 2003. He worked in the Protective Services Division, and in 2007, was transferred to the Emergency Services Unit where he was assigned a K-9 partner Koby. Sergeant Reilly is a New Jersey Army National Guardsman who was deployed in 2008 to Baghdad, Iraq, and currently is again deployed. During his career, Sergeant Reilly became a certified Bomb Technician.
SERGEANT James Rae. Sergeant Rae worked for the Morris County Juvenile Detention Center for one year before he was hired by the Sheriff’s Office in 2003. He worked in the Protective Services Division and was reassigned in 2004 to be a detective in the Crime Scene Investigation Unit. Sergeant Rae worked extensively on major crimes, including the 2005 murder of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks by two neighbor brothers, and the 2011 murder of Nazish Noorani in Boonton by her husband and his lover. In 2017, Sergeant Rae left CSI for a full-time assignment to the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team. This highly-trained tactical unit responds to emergencies and patrols Morris County daily to ensure critical infrastructure sites and sensitive facilities are secure.
MORRIS COUNTY —Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp and Acting Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker announce that on September 3, Aldophus Mims, 42, of Charlotte, North Carolina was sentenced to forty years in New Jersey State Prison.
Mr. Mims must serve forty years before he is eligible for parole. Mr. Mims will also be subject to registration pursuant to Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life. Mr. Mims was sentenced by the Honorable Donald G. Collester, J.S.C., retired and acting on recall.
On June 12, 2019, a Morris County jury found Mr. Mims guilty of four counts of first degree Human Trafficking, three counts of first degree Promoting Prostitution, two counts of second degree Sexual Assault, one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and two counts of third degree Distribution of Heroin.
The crimes themselves occurred over a one week span in June of 2015, when Mr. Mims provided heroin to two juvenile females, then aged 15 and 17, and enticed them to engage in acts of prostitution at a Rockaway Township hotel. At the hotel the victims met with several male clients. Mr. Mims would then collect the money received after the sexual acts were completed. The 15-year old victim also disclosed that Mr. Mims engaged in sexual acts with her. Mims then transported the victims to a different hotel in Parsippany to have them continue to engage in acts of prostitution.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Rockaway Borough Police Department, the Rockaway Township Police Department, the Town of Boonton Police Department, the Hackettstown Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit for their involvement in this investigation and prosecution. Prosecutor Knapp would specifically like to thank and recognize the prosecution team of Assistant Prosecutor Laura Magnone, Assistant Prosecutor Elizabeth Beaman, Sergeant Marshall Wang and Detective Craig May of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office for their efforts in this case.,
Prosecutor Knapp stated, “Assistant Prosecutors Magnone and Beaman did an outstanding job trying a very complex case. Additionally, the investigation by Sgt. Wang and Det. May was exemplary”. “All are to be commended”, he said. Prosecutor Knapp added, “AP Magnone and Sgt. Wang have been specially trained to investigate and prosecute the heinous crime of human trafficking and are leaders in statewide efforts to do so”.
PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills is holding an informational session regarding the 2020 Census.
The Township has partnered with the Census Bureau and local non-profit organizations, to speak to our community about what to expect in the coming months. Your partnership is vital to making sure the 2020 Census reflects an accurate population count for Parsippany. This session will cover topics such as outreach, too Hard to Count Populations, data collection, and education.
We ask for your participation Thursday, September 5, at 7:00 p.m.
The meeting will take place at Parsippany Hills High School, located at 20 Rita Drive.
If you have any questions call the Mayor’s Office at (973) 263-4262.
Nick Santangelo, Nana Agyemang, Joe Stull, and Anthony Colasuonno
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany High School Redhawks named their Senior Captains: Nick Santangelo, Anthony Colasuonno, Nana Agyemang and Joe Stull! Good luck to all the coaches and players this season.
The Parsippany varsity football team has a home conference game vs. Kinnelon on Friday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m.
In support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Redhawks has joined high school football teams across the country in Touchdowns Against Cancer 2019!
Pledge for every touchdown they score this Friday, September 6 to September 29 to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and help the 16,000 children and adolescents that will be diagnosed with cancer this year.
PARSIPPANY — Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, a life-long supporter of improving education and maintaining quality teachers in Garden State schools, was endorsed by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) in her re-election to the 26th District covering Morris, Essex and Passaic counties.
“I’m honored to be among the state legislators supported by the NJEA this year. Even before I came into the Legislature in 2012 and landed on the Assembly education committee, I had always been supportive of our hard working teachers and deeply interested in how we are supporting our education system,” said Assemblywoman DeCroce.
“Our teachers deserve our strong support, and that requires the state maintaining public confidence in how we spend more than $13 Billion each year on education services. We must continue to demand transparency and accountability on how the state is spending those tax dollars, most of which are allocated in direct aid to our local school districts,” she added.
Assemblywoman DeCroce serves on the state Joint Committee on the Public Schools, which provides an ongoing review of public schools, school financing, administration and operations, often resulting in the committee making recommendations for legislative action. She also has served on the Assembly Education Committee, Assembly Higher Education Committee and Assembly Women and Children Committee. Assemblywoman DeCroce has championed transparency and accountability for all education expenditures, including the Schools Development Authority, where recent investigations uncovered the unethical hiring, at exorbitant salaries, of more than 30 people connected to the now-former director.
“I have always taken a bipartisan approach to resolving issues that come before the Legislature, particularly when it involves our public education system, our students and our teaches. We are at our best when we work to reach consensus to solve problems in this state,” she said.
MORRIS COUNTY — Mark your calendars to come to this one-of-a kind Halloween outdoor festival, Morris County Park Palooza, on Saturday, October 5, at Lewis Morris County Park in Morris Township. Park Palooza will feature 20+ food trucks, a biergarten, live music, and Halloween activities for adults and children, carnival games, face painting, and so much more. It is set to run from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Come in costume and grab a bite to eat from a variety of 20+ popular food trucks, or throw back a few of the hand-crafted brews, wine and sangria from the biergarten, all while listening to one of the two live featured bands! Pack a blanket and chairs, and enjoy live pop to rock music from Jazmyn Adelle & Company and Guy Smiley Band.
Enjoy Halloween lawn games for adults and kids, moon bouncer, magician, face painter, and much more.
Tickets can be purchased online beginning on September 4 at discounted rates of $5.00 per adult and $2.00 per child by clicking here. Day of the event for $10.00 per adult and $5.00 per child.
There will be FREE parking, and admission allows for re-entrance throughout the day. All foods and beverages are sold separately.
For more information and directions to Lewis Morris County Park click here.
Proceeds from this event, hosted by Garden State Food Truck Festival, will benefit the Morris County Park Commission.
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 20,197 acres at 38 distinct sites plus offers a year-round calendar of events and activities for all to enjoy!
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano will host another town hall meeting as part of his Town Hall series for the Hills of Troy neighborhood on Monday, September 23. The meeting will take place at Brooklawn Middle School, 250 Beachwood Road.
The doors to the Cafeteria at Brooklawn Middle School will open at 6:30 p.m. and the Mayor and his panel will begin at 7:00 p.m.
If you have any questions, please call the Mayor’s Action Center at (973) 263-4262.
Morris County Thomas A. Zelante, is retiring effective December 31, 2020
MORRIS COUNTY — On Monday, August 26, a seminar focusing on house of worship safety and security, and active shooter response was held at the Chabad Center of Northwest New Jersey Early Learning Center.
Director Owens
The seminar was presented by Morris County Prosecutor’s Office First Assistant Prosecutor Tom Zelante, Morris County Director of Critical Infrastructure Patrick Owens, Training Coordinator from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness Ed Moore, and Lieutenants Peter Reilly and Michael Dachisen of the Rockaway Township Police Department. Rabbi Mordechai Baumgarten, numerous teachers, and office staff from the center were in attendance.
Following First Assistant Prosecutor Zelante’s opening remarks, Director Owens and Training Coordinator Moore provided information concerning important security practices to ensure the safety of their houses of worship, including specific warning signs to be aware of. They also covered the federal and State of New Jersey grants available to houses of worship to help fund new security measures, as well as the security assessments that are available through the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. After the informational session of the program, a question and answer session was held for those in attendance.
Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp stated, “Education is the important first step in ensuring that all houses of worship and schools throughout Morris County are properly secured. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office will continue providing these trainings and security assessments to ensure that all facilities are as safe as possible”, he said.
The trustees of the Rainbow Lakes Community Club in Parsippany, a voluntary membership club for over 90 years, unilaterally decided in 2017 to require all Rainbow Lake residents to join their club.
They sent invoices for dues to all 300 property owners in Rainbow Lakes regardless of whether the owners had chosen to join the club.
For a year they threatened to file liens on the properties of those who did not pay the “mandatory dues”. In December of 2018 they filed liens on the properties of the owners who did not choose to join their club. They did not file lawsuits and obtain judgments against those owners first as required by law, but instead they told the County Clerk’s office that they had the right to file liens automatically as if they were a condominium association.
Several homeowners dug out their title insurance policies, contacted their title companies, searched their full chains of title and determined that there are no documents recorded anywhere that give any notice to a purchaser in Rainbow about the existence of the club or membership in it. There is no master deed or declaration of covenants or restrictions in the chains of title. The trustees of the RLCC say that they have bylaws but those bylaws are not recorded in any public records anywhere.
In 2017 the RLCC trustees told the property owners that they had amended their bylaws to take advantage of the Chapter 106 amendment to PREDFDA. That 2017 amendment to their bylaws is not recorded anywhere.
The RLCC was trying to apply PREDFDA (Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act) to the residents of Rainbow Lakes. PREDFDA has nothing to do with association fees and dues for lake maintenance. PREDFDA is the law in NJ that controls creation and management of condominium and homeowner associations. The Chapter 106 amendment to PREDFDA in 2017 was solely intended to provide transparency and access to voting rights for all residents within legally established, validly-created condominium and homeowner associations. It was never intended to create a right to demand membership in clubs that were previously voluntary.
Our NJ legislators saw the need and took swift action to correct the obvious misuse and misinterpretation of PREDFDA. Residents in several lake communities were suddenly being bullied. Our legislators stepped in and stopped it. Six different legislative districts played a part in sponsoring these bills. 111 out of 120 legislators voted to approve. It was a pleasure to see that politics played no part in the bills. This was a completely bipartisan action to remedy a series abuse of the law.
S3661/A5043 only releases the obligations and removes the illegal liens for those who were previously non-members. It does not take away any membership status or dues from those people who voluntarily join the club. It is intended to ensure that a voluntary club remains voluntary and that people are not forced to join.
Rainbow Lakes Community Club has been a Voluntary lake club for 95 years . . . .
MORRIS COUNTY — Washington Monthly has placed County College of Morris (CCM) 12th in the nation in its 2019 ranking of community colleges that best serve adult learners. This is the third year in a row Washington Monthly has ranked CCM as one of “America’s Best Colleges for Adult Learners.”
The publication notes that adult learners “are students who make big sacrifices of their time and resources to pursue their goals. They deserve a different kind of college: the kind that designs programs and services to ensure that returning adults succeed.” Adult students are defined as those over the age of 25.
Metrics considered in the ranking included the ease of enrollment and transfer, program flexibility, services for adult students, the percentage of adult learners at the college, the graduation rate of part-time students, and the median earnings of adult students 10 years after entering the college.
Earlier this year, PayScale ranked CCM number one in New Jersey for the third consecutive year for associate degree holders who earn the highest salaries in the state. That report noted that CCM alumni by mid-career, with more than 10 years of work experience, earn an average of $70,700. PayScale provides the largest on-demand salary database in the world. In yet another ranking, CCM is rated a top community college in New Jersey by Best Colleges.
MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco, the Republican Conference Leader, called out the Democrats today for not addressing property taxes. The Assembly met to expand a vote-by-mail law and didn’t consider any other bills.
Bucco said that if the legislature spent time on the number one issue for voters, turnout wouldn’t be a problem. A Monmouth University poll found that property taxes were far and away the most important issue to voters. That was followed by a Rutgers-NJBIA poll, where eighty percent of respondents said they pay too much in property taxes for the services they receive, and that state government isn’t doing enough to address cost of living and affordability.
Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco, the Republican Conference Leader, called out the Democrats today for not addressing property taxes. The Assembly met to expand a vote-by-mail law and didn’t consider any other bills.
PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill met with local officials and organizations yesterday as part of a swing through the 11th Congressional District focused on the opioid epidemic. In 2018, more than 3,000 people died in New Jersey of an overdose, higher than the national average. Throughout the 11th District, healthcare providers, non-profits, local governments, and law enforcement are working together to combat the high rate of overdose in our communities.
“Today I saw the scope and scale of the community partnerships among local healthcare providers, non-profits, and members of law enforcement to fight this disease as the public health crisis it is,” said Representative Sherrill. “Addiction can take over someone’s life, and our solutions to this challenge need to be equally as comprehensive. As a member of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, I have worked to secure grant funding for our local providers, combat the importation of fentanyl, and promote scientific research on the epidemic.”
Representative Sherrill discussed the need for grant funding with staff from the Center for Prevention and Counseling in Newton, which serves residents across Sussex County, including the five towns in the 11th District. Along with staff, Representative Sherrill spoke to the Sussex County Prosecutor and the Sparta and Newton Police Chiefs.
The Center for Prevention and Counseling is a state opioid response grant recipient. One of the first bills Representative Sherrill authored in Congress was the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act, which would fund a five-year authorization to provide additional treatment beds, expand treatment and recovery options, bridge gaps identified in systems of care, support robust prevention campaigns, and other actions taken by the states to address the opioid epidemic. Sherrill and her fellow sponsors secured $1.5 billion to the State Opioid Response Grant program for the next fiscal year in the House-passed Appropriations bill, a $500 million increase from the previous year.
Representative Sherrill visited with the opioid response unit at St. Clare’s Hospital in Boonton, and she and her staff completed NARCAN training with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris. She also met with Donna Andelora, founder of Lost Angels Bereavement Group, ahead of the Wayne Alliance’s 2nd Annual Overdose Awareness Day Vigil on August 31. Donna lost her son Joey at the age of 22 to a heroin overdose, and started the Lost Angels Bereavement Group to help local families cope with loved ones struggling with opioid addiction or overdose.
Representative Sherrill is a member of the bipartisan Freshmen Working Group on Addiction and leading on the issue of opioid addiction in the House of Representatives. In addition to the SOR Grant Authorization Act, Representative Sherrill co-sponsored the EFFORT Act to direct the National Science Foundation to conduct research into the opioid epidemic, which passed in the House last month with bipartisan support. To combat the flow of fentanyl from overseas, she co-sponsored the Fentanyl Sanctions Act, and voted for its passage as part of the House defense authorization bill. Sherrill also voted in May to appropriate $159 million for the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP), which provided grant money to launch Morris County’s Hope One mobile resource vehicle.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio is calling for the enactment of “Mallory’s Law” to toughen NJ’s anti-bullying laws. Pictured: the Senate honors Mallory’s Army on Dec. 18, 2017 for its fight against bullying
MORRIS COUNTY — After a recent television news investigation into school bullying found the danger may be more prevalent than state statistics show, Senator Joe Pennacchio urged the General Assembly to pass his Mallory’s Law legislation bolstering New Jersey’s anti-bullying statutes.
The News 12 New Jersey report indicates school districts may be significantly under-reporting bullying cases. One district reported nine incidents to the state in three years, while school board minutes showed 27 in the same period.
“We need to stop this nonsense and prevent the under-reporting of bullying that is going on, and my bill will help do that,” said Pennacchio, whose bipartisan bill (S3433) passed the Senate in June with unanimous support, although the Assembly version has not moved. “We’re going to force schools to keep better records.”
The bill requires written reports be filed on numbered forms developed by the Department of Education, and requires school districts to provide parents with an online form for reporting harassment, intimidation or bullying. After a report is filed, principals must submit the form to the school superintendent, the executive county superintendent, and the parents of students involved.
According to the News 12 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention find each year one in five students are bullied at school. New Jersey’s numbers are just one in 200, and 174 school districts, with 88,000 students, reported no bullying at all.
“This investigation makes a strong case for enacting Mallory’s Law as soon as possible,” said Pennacchio. “It’s obvious we can’t trust self-reporting by the school districts. We must be more concerned about the welfare of our children than the reputations of our schools.
“For the sake of our children, I urge the Assembly to pass this bill, and the governor to sign it into law as soon as possible.”
The legislation – named for Mallory Grossman, a 12-year-old bullying victim from Rockaway who committed suicide in 2017 – strengthens the state’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, signed into law in 2010 and considered one of the toughest anti-bullying laws in the nation. Under the bill, each school district’s anti-bullying policy must include specific penalties for bullying, and ensures school officials take preventative actions before tragedy strikes.
“We must do more to protect kids now that texting and social media make bullying possible 24/7. By requiring school and county officials to address bullying situations before an incident escalates, Mallory’s Law can help prevent the loss of more young lives,” Pennacchio said, noting that suicide is the second leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14.
MORRIS COUNTY — The National Endowment for the Humanities announced its award to the Morris County Park Commission of the prestigious Preservation Assistance Grant for their project, ‘Sustainable Management of Collections Environments with Limited Controls.’
This $10,000 award will support the assessment and monitoring of storage environments for collections maintained in three Morris County Park Commission sites. Maintaining optimal collections environments is a key to the long-term preservation of Morris County’s valuable artifacts, but for many historic structures with limited controls, there have not been many options to intervene.
Working in partnership with the Image Permanence Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology the Morris County Park Commission can now explore sustainable and low-cost solutions for maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity conditions for artifacts in buildings without HVAC, and in some cases, no electricity. The grant funds will support a three-day site visit to assess and survey 10 buildings with varying environmental controls. It will also support the purchase of e-Climate Notebook monitoring equipment, and the training of staff in using this data analysis software.
According to Melanie Bump, Curator of Collections and Exhibits of the Morris County Park Commission, “This award is important to the people of Morris County as valuable assets, which include a collection of artifacts relating to the 300 years of Morris County history, will be preserved.”
She added, “It will also inform new sustainable practices in environmental management of collections storage, impacting collections stewardship around the world.”
Dave Helmer, Executive Director of the Morris County Park Commission, added, “We should celebrate that Morris County received this most competitive and sought-after grant as it demonstrates the critical importance of this project and the Park Commission’s stewardship responsibility of local, regional and even national historical and cultural artifacts.
The National Endowment for the Humanities received 102 eligible applications, and 45 Preservation Assistance Grants were awarded across the country. The Morris County Park Commission is one of only two institutions in this year New Jersey to receive this grant, and were funded at the full amount. The Endowment awards grants to top rated proposals examined by panels of independent, external reviewers. There are four levels of review before a grant is officially supported, including a final review by the NEH chairman.
Cultural institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges and universities, public television, and to individual scholars are all eligible for grant funding through the NEH.
Morris County Sheriff James Gannon and Chief Kelley Zienowicz
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon has selected Kelley Zienowicz as the person to lead the Sheriff’s Office into the future.
Kelley Zienowicz, a graduate of the elite FBI National Academy, will be promoted to the rank of Chief Morris County Sheriff’s Officer, the highest-level Officer position in the Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Law Enforcement.
Chief Zienowicz’s promotion will formally take place on Tuesday, September 3, during a swearing-in ceremony, making her the highest-ranking woman in the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and the sole female chief in Morris County.
“I am so proud to announce the promotion of Kelley Zienowicz to Chief Sheriff’s Officer of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office,” Sheriff James M. Gannon said.
“Chief Zienowicz has a temperament that motivates and energizes others. She is highly-educated, a graduate of the elite FBI National Academy, and a true leader with an impeccable work ethic.”
“With Chief Zienowicz at the helm of day-to-day operations overseeing all divisions in the Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Law Enforcement, we will accomplish great things which the people of Morris County deserve,” Sheriff Gannon said.
“Not only am I proud to have the backing of the Sheriff, I know this is an important time for the agency as a whole. I hope to bring positive motivation to the agency, from the top to the bottom,” Chief Zienowicz said.
As Chief, she will be responsible for management and day-to-day oversight over the Bureau of Law Enforcement’s four divisions: Support Services, Protective Services, Legal Services, and Special Services, which includes the Crime Lab and Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
Chief Zienowicz – who has received multiple awards, including the New Jersey Women in Law Enforcement Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award – will be promoted to Chief from her previous rank of Detective Lieutenant.
Chief Zienowicz grew up in Chester and attended Villa Walsh Academy. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Boston College in 1999, and a master of arts degree in forensic psychology from John Jay College in New York City in 2003.
She began her career with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office in 1999 as a civilian clerk-typist assigned to the Internal Affairs Section. Within a year, she was hired as a Sheriff’s Investigator and in 2001, she attended and completed training at the Morris County Police Academy.
Chief Zienowicz was first assigned to the Protective Services Division, which provides security and judicial protection at the courthouse complex.
In August 2001, she was assigned to the Criminal Investigation Section – now called Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) – and spent 11 years in the Unit, assisting in multiple criminal investigations throughout Morris County.
She was called as a witness for the prosecution in several high-profile criminal cases in Superior Court between 2003 and 2014. She was qualified as an expert fingerprint witness in the sexual assault trial and retrial of Andrew Pena, and testified about evidence in the murder trials of Jose Feliciano, convicted of murdering the Rev. Edward Hinds in Chatham in 2009; Anthony Novellino, convicted of killing his former wife, Judith, in Denville; and Carlos Rojas, found guilty of bludgeoning Esteban Hernandez Vazquez and leaving his body in the trunk of a car abandoned in Lincoln Park.
Chief Zienowicz was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in April 2012 and assigned to the Legal Services Division as the Executions and Foreclosure Section Supervisor. That promotion was followed on March 1, 2016, by another advancement to the rank of Detective Lieutenant.
She was assigned the post of Division Commander in the Administrative Division, overseeing Internal Affairs and the Special Operations Section. She then was transferred to the Protective Services Division in September 2016, where she oversaw the courthouse complex and operations and security at the Dover Probation Office.
One of her most profound pleasures was her nomination to attend the 273rd Session of the prestigious FBI National Academy, a 10-week course of study in Quantico, Virginia, in the summer of 2018. Sheriff Gannon, who backed the nomination, is an FBI National Academy Graduate, as well.
The FBI National Academy is a professional course of study for U.S. and international law enforcement managers who are nominated by their agency heads because of their demonstrated leadership abilities. The program provides coursework on intelligence theory, terrorism, terrorist mindsets, management science, law, behavioral science, communication and forensic science to improve the administration of justice in police departments and agencies.
Upon returning from the FBI National Academy, Chief Zienowicz in September 2018 was transferred to the Special Services Division, overseeing CSI, Evidence Section, and the Bomb Unit.
Assisting in the implementation of new technologies at the Sheriff’s Office, Chief Zienowicz was a member of the Evidence Unit start-up team for the BEAST evidence tracking system, guided implementation of the CivilServe civil process database system in the Executions and Foreclosure Unit, and coordinated use of the new Computer Aided Dispatch System within the Protective Services Division.
Chief Zienowicz has logged a voluminous number of hours on training, including intensive courses on crash reconstruction, supervision of police personnel, shooting analysis and reconstruction, and interpretation of bloodstain patterns.
She has received the Sheriff’s Achievement Award, Exceptional Duty Award, Unit Citation Medal, Professional Service Medal, Educational Achievement Medal-Masters Degree, Morris County Detective’s Association Distinguished Achievement Unit Award, and the NJ Women in Law Enforcement Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award, which is awarded to women who achieve a law enforcement rank of lieutenant or higher.
Chief Zienowicz is a three-time Police Unity Tour rider and participates annually in the Special Olympics Torch Run.
MORRIS COUNTY — Whether it’s getting a job, obtaining a better job or getting better at the job you’re in, County College of Morris (CCM) is here to help individuals achieve their career goals. The Center for Workforce Development at CCM will be hosting an Open House on Saturday, September 7, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The Open House takes place in the Student Community Center’s Davidson Rooms, 214 Center Grove Road, in Randolph. The Open House provides an opportunity to meet instructors and staff, learn about education and training opportunities, sign up for courses and receive answers to questions pertaining to the courses and industry needs.
During the Open House, informational career workshops will be offered for free. At 10:00 a.m., it’s Strategies To Land Your New Job, Emerging Trends in Technology; and at 11:00 a.m., Data Analytics – Skill Set of the Future and Strategies to Land Your New Job.
CCM has been serving the greater Morris County region for over 50 years, including offering workforce development programs and customized training for businesses. Thousands of individuals each year are trained through these programs by leading industry experts.
CCM offers a variety of non-credit training, courses and certificates in the areas of Information Technology and Computer Training, Business Programs, Health Occupations Professional Development, English Language Learning, Career Education for Businesses and Professionals, and Online Learning.
To learn more about courses being offered through the Center for Workforce Development click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Board of Freeholders will hold the 18th Annual Remembrance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against our nation on Sunday, September 8, at 6:00 p.m.
The ceremony will be take place at the Morris County September 11th Memorial on West Hanover Avenue in Parsippany, near the Morris View Healthcare Center and Morris County Public Safety Academy. It will be held rain or shine.
Welles Crowther
Alison Crowther and Honor Crowther Fagan, the mother and sister of Welles Crowther (“Man in the Red Bandana”), who gave his life to save others at the World Trade Center on 9/11, will speak at the event.
The county’s 9/11 event will include a march with a color guard up West Hanover Avenue to the 9/11 Memorial by police, fire, rescue and emergency personnel from across Morris County. They will be led by flag bearer Expedito C. Santillan, father of the late Maria Theresa Santillan of Morris Plains, who perished on 9/11.
The observance will include a special invocation, a lighting of candles, reading of the names of each of the Morris County victims, a 21-gun salute, keynote remarks, and music by the Morris Choral Society, Bethel AME Church of Morristown Ensemble, and Police Pipes and Drums of Morris County.
“It is an honor to have the Crowther family at the Morris County 9/11 Remembrance this year,” said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana. “We gather at the county memorial each year on the anniversary of 9/11 to recall every single one of the nearly 3,000 innocent people who were lost to our nation that day, like Welles Crowther, and that includes 64 of our Morris County residents, plus so many police, fire, EMT and other rescue workers.”
“We want their families and friends to know their loved ones are not forgotten, that we will never forget their sacrifices,” Freeholder Cabana added.
Welles Remy Crowther was a 24-year-old rookie investment banker working on the 104th floor of the South Tower at WTC when the attacks occurred on 9/11. Using training he received as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown, he rescued other workers trapped in the burning tower.
He was last seen working with members of the FDNY just before the South Tower collapsed.
Crowther became known as the “Man in the Red Bandana’’ for the red handkerchief he wore as a protective mask while taking on the role of rescuer. His story has been told in the documentary film, Man in the Red Bandana. Click here.
The Rockland County, N.Y. resident is annually honored by his alma mater, Boston College; he posthumously was named an honorary New York City firefighter; and his efforts were cited by President Barack Obama in the 2014 dedication of the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Click here.
Morris County’s September 11th Memorial pays tribute to all of those who died in the terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C., on September 11, 2001, with a special emphasis on the 64 victims from Morris County whose names are etched in plaques affixed to the Memorial.
The names of all of the nearly 3,000 people who died that day are engraved in ruby-colored paving stones that have been set in the ground as a walkway surrounding the Memorial.
Since seating at the Memorial is limited, the public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs to the outdoor observance. Parking will be available at the Morris County Department of Human Services building at 340 West Hanover Avenue, in Morris Township – directly across from the Academy. Shuttle buses will be available to transport those in need the short distance to the Memorial.
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