PARSIPPANY — Applebee’s, 1057 Route 46, held a fundraiser to raise money for the Gallego family.
They hosted a pancake breakfast, on Sunday, January 3 to raise money for Alex Gallego and his family.
Alex has touched many lives and is an amazing person who is in need of lots of prayers.
Alex suffered injuries and is in the ICU fighting to get better. He and his family will undoubtedly have innumerable medical bills and any support that we can give, especially this time of year, will never be forgotten.
PARSIPPANY — The Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills will meet on Monday, January 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Parsippany Rescue & Recovery Building, 100 Centerton Drive.
The club is a great group of women of all ages and walks of life committed to volunteerism and service to the community. And we have fun at the same time! After a short business meeting there will be a social time, with refreshments, to meet club members.
The Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills is a member of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC (NJSFWC), which is the largest volunteer women’s service organization in the state, providing opportunities for education, leadership training, and community service. For more information call Cathy at (973) 984-0758, e-mail the club at womansclubofpth@gmail.com or check us out on the web by clicking here.
The complete 2016 schedule is below.
2016 General Meeting Schedule: Meetings start at 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Parsippany Rescue & Recovery Building, 100 Centerton Drive.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Monday, April 25, 2016
Meeting schedule is subject to change. Please contact Membership Chairman, if interested in attending a meeting or to confirm date and time. Call (973) 984-0758 or email by clicking here.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany will receive $50,378 along with the other 39 municipalities in Morris County from a total of $805,259 in state recycling grants from a pool of $14.3 million in grants announced this week by the state Department of Environmental Protection, with the money to be used to help implement and enhance local recycling efforts.
The funds, based on 2013 recycling performance, are being awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act.
Topping the list of grant recipients in Morris County are Montville, $59,560; Rockaway Township, $56,534; Parsippany, $50,378; and Madison, $40,905.
“Recycling is a way for all Morris County residents, and our schools and businesses, to make a personal hands-on difference in protecting our environment and enhancing the quality of life in our county and state,” said Morris County Freeholder Director Kathy DeFillippo.
“Recycling not only conserves resources, it conserves energy, saves money for local governments, and creates jobs and economic development,’’ said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin.
The best way to recycle is to follow the guidelines advertised by your municipality and only recycle those materials which are acceptable. Unacceptable materials in the recycling stream cause problems and lower the value of all the materials, said Morris County Recycling Coordinator Kathleen Hourihan.
The state’s recycling grant program is funded by a $3 per ton surcharge on trash disposed of at solid waste facilities across the state. Distribution of grants this year is based on the recycling successes local governments demonstrated in 2013.
The grant program is designed to reward local governments for good performance and to enhance recycling efforts across the state, according to the DEP. Each award is based on materials collected and recycled and can be used in various ways to improved recycling results, such as producing educational materials and paying salaries for recycling coordinators.
In 2013, New Jersey generated more than 10 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW). The DEP documented the recycling of more than 4.3 million tons of recyclable municipal wastes, which includes items such as glass, aluminum and other metals, and paper.
This resulted in a MSW recycling rate of 43 percent. In comparison, the national MSW recycling rate in 2013 was 34.3 percent, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Morris County continues to be one of the leaders in the state with an MSW recycling rate of nearly 50 percent.
Overall, New Jersey in 2013 generated more than 21 million tons of solid waste, which includes municipal waste plus construction debris and other types of non-municipal waste. Of this, more than 12 million tons were recycled, for an overall recycling rate of 58 percent.
Municipal programs in Morris County will receive the following grants: Boonton $10,109; Boonton Township $4,447; Butler $4,941; Chatham $34,911; Chatham Township $10,554; Chester $4,734; Chester Township $8,055; Denville $35,252; Dover $15,962; East Hanover $37,829; Florham Park $20,823; Hanover $31,692; Harding $3,173; Jefferson $27,243; Kinnelon $11,564; Lincoln Park $17,860; Long Hill $9,302.
Madison $40,905; Mendham $7,506; Mendham Township $3,849; Mine Hill $2,178; Montville $59,560; Morris Township $37,871 Morris Plains $16,697; Morristown $37,512; Mountain Lakes $8,449; Mount Arlington $2,841; Mount Olive $36,149; Netcong $4,901; Parsippany-Troy Hills $50,378; Pequannock $22,489.
Randolph $36,382; Riverdale $14,343; Rockaway $13,386; Rockaway Township $56,534; Roxbury $26,762; Victory Gardens $1,222; Washington $19,263; and Wharton $17,631.
“New Jersey was the first state to make recycling mandatory, back in 1987,” said Mark Pedersen, DEP’s Assistant Commissioner for Site Remediation and Solid Waste Management. “The recycling culture is deeply ingrained in most of us and has become a daily habit in most of our homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and other institutions. Every time we pitch a bottle or can in the recycling bucket, we are pitching in to protect our environment.”
For a complete list of statewide recycling tonnage grants by municipality, click here.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Council is ready to begin work, once the ball drops and 2016 is here.
The Inauguration Ceremony for three Parsippany Council members was held in Parsippany-Troy Hills Municipal Building on January 1.
Returning Council President Paul Carifi, Jr., and Councilman Michael dePierro along with newcomer Loretta Gragnani was sworn in to serve a four-year term.
Former Councilman Brian Stanton did not run for re-election this year, but sources told to Parsippany Focus, Stantonwill be running in an upcoming election.
The oath of office was administered to Council President Paul Carifi, Jr. by Assemblyman Jay Webber, Legislative District 26.
Morris County Clerk and former Councilman Ann Grossi administered the oath of office to Loretta Gragnani and Assemblywoman Betty Lou DeCroce administered the oath of office to Councilman Michael DePierro.
Council Vice President Robert Peluso and Councilman Louis Valori along with Mayor James Barberio were in attendance. Peluso and Valori term ends December 31, 2017.
The Council will hold its annual reorganization meeting on Tuesday, January 5.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Business Administrator Ellen Sandman
Invocation by Monsignor Herbert K. Tillyer
Assemblyman Jay Webber administering the oath of office to Paul Carifi, Jr., The Carifi twins held the bible
The Carifi family with Assemblyman Jay Webber
Assemblywoman Betty Lou DeCroce administrating the oath of office to Councilman Michael dePierro
The dePierro family
County Clerk Ann Grossi administering the oath of office to Loretta Gragnani
The Gragnani family with County Clerk Ann Grossi
Council President Paul Carifi, Jr. addressing the audience
Councilman Michael dePierro addressing the audience
Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani addressing the audience
James Gannon, Sheriff Edward Fox, Heather Darling and former Councilman Jonathan Nelson
Parsippany Rescue and Recovery Chief Louis Yuliano
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Chief Stanley J. Hansen of the East Hanover Township Police Department announce the arrest of Giuseppe Iellimo, 32, on two counts of Sexual Assault, crimes of the second degree; one count of Criminal Sexual Contact, a crime of the fourth degree and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a crime of the third degree.
The offense in question allegedly occurred on December 24 2015, at Giulietta & Romeo Pizzeria and Ristorante in East Hanover.
The following day, the alleged victim, a 15 year-old female, reported that the defendant engaged in acts of sexual contact and penetration with her against her will. The defendant was charged on December 30, 2015 following an investigation.
Bail was set by the Honorable James M. DeMarzo, J.S.C. at $60,000, no 10%, with a Nicole’s Law restraining order, and conditions of no contact with anyone under the age of 16.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the East Hanover Police Department, specifically, Detective Brian Stevens, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office – Criminal Investigation Section, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Detective Marshall Wang of the Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200 or Det. Brian Stevens of the East Hanover Township Police Department at (973) 887-0432.
Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Focus presents its annual 2015 in review. Aurora Information Security & Risk, Township Attorney John Inglesino, Mayor James Barberio, Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Captain James Carifi, Parsippany Hills Vikings and Parsippany High School Marching Band top the most read and searched for stories in 2015. Parsippany Focus features some of the most read stories below:
Peter Edward Hebberd, passed away on Friday, January 2 as a result of complications during surgery to correct a malfunctioning Ommaya reservoir.
Peter’s mother, Roxanne Hebberd wrote “Our hearts are heavy, but we know he lives on in us, his immediate and extended family, his friends and as a believer, has eternal life in Christ. Despite the efforts of the team at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, who loved and cared for him these past few years, simply nothing more could be done. He, and we are at peace, knowing he is in the presence of his Father.”
Peter Hebberd, a 17 year old senior attending Parsippany High School, battled a recurrent brain tumor since 2003. He has endured 13 surgeries (seven of which were brain surgeries), three chemotherapy protocols, a feeding tube, shunt placement/failure, a medi-port, a staph infection, over 50 MRI’s, and countless PT, OT, and speech therapy sessions.
Parsippany Board of Education swore in three board members at its meeting on Tuesday, January 6.
Timothy Berrios, who was appointed by the Board to fill a seat vacated by Gary Martin in August, won an election in November along with former member Andrew Choffo and new comer George Blair. All three will hold a board seat until December 31, 2017.
The trio will be joining Mrs. Fran Orthwein, Mr. Frank Neglia, Dr. Frank A. Calabria; Mr. James Carifi; Mr. Joseph Cistaro and Mrs. Alison Cogan on the Board of Education.
Sharif Shamsudin and Susy Golderer lost their re-election bid in November, and their terms expired on December 31, 2014.
Morris County is expanding its use of video conferencing for certain court proceedings in both the superior and municipal courts.
With the approval of the Board of Freeholders, Morris County Chief Information Officer John Tugman has been working the judiciary, municipal officials and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office for more than a year to have the Internet video technology installed, tested and implemented.
The capability can be used anywhere and with any device that has Internet access such as tablets, PC’s and Smart Phones.
Morris County Freeholder Tom Mastrangelo said the idea is to reduce the need to transport inmates from the county correctional facility to the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown or to municipal courts across the county.
At it’s annual reorganization meeting Tuesday night, the Township Council voted against the reappointment of special counsel Todd M. Galante, Esq, Labor attorney, Stephen E. Trimboli, Esq. and conflict attorney, Michael B. Lavery, Esq. Township Attorney John Inglesino was also voted out, but per state statute will remain as a holdover.
Sources say that Galante, a long time supporter of Mayor Barberio, was Barberio’s original choice in 2010 to take over the helm as Township Attorney for Morris County’s largest municipality until then governor-elect Chris Christie and Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette interceded and “squeezed” Barberio into appointing Inglesino for the lucrative position.
“I will remain township attorney in a holdover capacity as I did last year,” Inglesino told the Daily Record on Wednesday. “I can tell you that the other attorneys voted down by three council members are outstanding attorneys who have represented the township’s interests extraordinarily well for many years.”
Honorable Superior Court Judge Esther Suarez, Passaic County, signed an Order allowing the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office to return Sheriff Edward Rochford’s weapons, concluding a six month ordeal.
Previously. the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) filed against Sheriff Rochford by his estranged wife had been dismissed.
Passaic County Superior Court Judge John Selser dismissed the TRO against Sheriff Rochford based upon Diana Rochford’s request and representation that she did not feel threatened by the Sheriff. Despite the fact that the charges were dismissed, when a TRO is filed against a person in law enforcement, a lengthy procedure is necessary in order to regain the status quo.
Parsippany Focus has learned Parsippany-Troy Hills Township will be doling out another $220,000 to township attorney John Inglesino for costs associated with his law firm’s retention of Aurora Information Security & Risk. The information was obtained from documents Parsippany Focus received through OPRA (the state’s Open Public Records Act), court records, and interviews with current township officials and employees and former township officials.
As previously reported in the article, Barberio and Inglesino accused of Bribery and Official Misconduct. AGAIN!, Ingelsino hired Aurora services, without Council approval, at a rate of $200 per hour to assist the township attorney in the defense of a civil lawsuit filed by former Parsippany Police Captain James Carifi. In that lawsuit, Captain Carifi alleged widespread workplace misconduct within in the police department, including that 13 out of 43 police laptops purchased by the department went missing in 2011.
What once began as a simple whistle-blower suit has evolved into claims of political retaliation, criminal investigations, attempted bribery, wrongful withholding of gun permits and pensions, mounting tensions among township employees at Town Hall and within the Parsippany Police Department, and the illegitimate hiring of a company not licensed by the New Jersey State Police to conduct private investigations.
The Parsippany Hills North 2 Group III Championship Football Team attended the Township Council meeting on Tuesday, January 13 and was honored with three proclamations. The first proclamation presented to Coach Albano by Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio. Then the Mayor presented Coach Albano with a “Key to Parsippany.”
Members of the Township Council, Paul Carifi, Jr, Council President; Robert Peluso, Vice President; Michael dePierro, Brian Stanton and Dr. Louis Valori then presented Coach Albano with a proclamation, followed by Senator Joseph Pennacchio with a proclamation on behalf of himself and Assemblywomen BettyLou deCroce and Assemblyman Jay Webber.
After the presentations, the Players, Parents and Coaches joined in a celebration of cake, Jimmy John cookies, coffee and refreshments compliments of Parsippany Focus.
During the re-organization of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment, three new members were sworn in. Mr. Sridath Reddy, Mr. Scot Jaskowitz and Mr. Dave Kaplan was sworn in. Mr. Reddy was appointed to serve a four year term, while the other gentlemen were appointed as Alternates serving two year terms. In addition, Mr. Robert Iracane was sworn in to another four year term.
Immediately after being sworn in, Mr. Robert Iracane was voted in as Chairman, and Mr. George Kimmey as Vice Chairman.
Mr. Peter King, Esq,, was voted in as Board Attorney replacing George W. Johnson, Esq.
The Morris County Board Chosen Freeholders on January 2 selected Kathryn A. DeFillippo to be the board’s director in 2015.
The freeholders then elected John Cesaro as the board’s deputy director.
The actions came during the freeholder board’s Stated Annual Meeting in Morristown, during which incumbent Hank Lyon was sworn in for his first full three-year term as a freeholder.
The Parsippany Council has formally given the green light for a forensic auditor to move in and investigate monies Township taxpayers so far paid to a computer firm independently hired by township attorney John Inglesino without Council approval.
During the contentious regularly scheduled meeting last week (January 13, 2015), Councilman Lou Valori made good on his promise in comments made to Parsippany Focus that he would call for an independent forensic audit of the mounting bills Parsippany has been paying to Aurora Information and Security Risk based in New York City. Aurora was hired in February 2013 to disk image the workplace hard drive of former Police Captain James Carfi. When the council was notified four months after the firm’s hiring, nearly $50,000 had already been billed to the Township by Aurora through Inglesino’s law firm.
Last week, it was revealed that at least an additional $220,000 has been billed by Aurora.
“When I first became a Councilman in January 2014, at my very first meeting John [Inglesino] told us that approximately $80,000 had been spent so far between Aurora and Inglesino’s firm”, Councilman Louis Valori told Parsippany Focus. “Here we are one year later, and we just found out that Aurora billed the town an additional $220,000 and it has been indicated to me that their bills alone are approaching $500,000.”
Michael dePierro, Vincent Ferrara and Loretta Gragnani announce their candidacy for Township Council
During his 32nd Annual Brunch on Sunday, January 25, at the Parsippany Hilton, Michael dePierro announced his candidacy and announced his two running mates, Vincent Ferrara and Loretta Gragnani.
dePierro has been a Parsippany Councilman since 1982, serving 32 years including terms as Council President and Vice President. He was also a member of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Planning Board for 22 years.
He is the only Parsippany elected leader inducted into the New Jersey League of Municipalities Hall of Fame.
Rauchberg Dental Group, a premier healthcare provider in Parsippany, is celebrating 50 years of service this year.
The practice was founded in 1965 by Dr. Joel Rauchberg with the belief that a healthy life starts with a healthy mouth. His son, Dr. Alan Rauchberg, joined the practice in 1993. Together they have built a comprehensive practice that includes family and cosmetic dentistry. With the recent addition of several specialists on staff, including an oral surgeon, gum, and root canal specialist, Rauchberg Dental Group has become one of the eminent practices in Northern New Jersey.
Township Attorney John Inglesino and Aurora owner Matthew Ferrante
Parsippany Focus has learned via open public record requests (OPRA) that computer expert firm, Aurora Information and Security Risk has provided bills to the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills (via Inglesino) for at least $601,678.77 through the end of 2014. This is for work related to disk imaging the workplace hard drive of former Police Captain James Carifi.
To date, Aurora was paid through Inglesino, Pearlman, Wyciskala and Taylor, (“Inglesino Firm”) $20,082.60 (which included $1,902.60 NJ Sales Tax) and $17,835.43 (which included $1,165.15 NJ Sales Tax), $150,000.00 on December 23, 2014 (Check # 99,282) and Inglesino has an agreement with the town to pay an additional $5,833.33, over a 12 month period, which started on January 31, 2015, totaling $220,000.00.
“The Township is chartered under the Mayor-Council form of government pursuant to theFaulkner Act, N.J.S.A. 40:69A-31, et seq. Under the Mayor-Council plan, only the Mayor isvested with the authority to negotiate and execute contracts on behalf of the municipality. See N.J.S.A. 40:69A40(g), (j). The only exception is the employment of a registered municipal accountant by the Township Council to perform an annual audit. See N.J.S.A. 40A:5-4 (emphasis added). However, the special audit requested by Township Council and directed by Councilman Valori is outside the scope of, and in addition to, the annual audit. Accordingly, the Township Council is without authority to negotiate or direct that the Township enter into a contract with your firm for purposes of auditing legal fees, and I will not execute such an agreement.”
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education meeting on Thursday, February 19 will include a presentation by the architect and engineer about the proposed turfing of the high school fields, the rebuilding of the Parsippany High School track and the construction of lights towers at Parsippany High School and the refurbishment of the light towers already at Parsippany High School.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m., but the BOE will be interviewing candidates to fill the two vacant seats. It is estimated they will start discussion on the fields at approximately 7:00 p.m.
With a unanimous vote and encouragement by the township business administrator, the Council in late January passed a resolution which authorized an independent audit of the billing records of attorney John Inglesino and computer “expert” Aurora Information and Security Risk (see story).
After a meeting with the auditor, Councilmen Valori and DiPierro, and Business Administrator Ellen Sandman, it appeared that the parameters of the audit were settled and ready to go. However, Parsippany Focus has learned that Mayor James Barberio has recently and unilaterally quashed the audit. In a letter to the auditor, Barberio in part wrote that
Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce (PACC) prepared “welcoming packages” for the employees of GAF.
On Tuesday, February 10 Board Members Frank Cahill and Nicolas Limanov set up in the lobby of the cafeteria at GAF’s new corporate headquarters at One Campus Drive.
PACC distributed over 600 “Discover Greater Parsippany” booklets containing information about Parsippany, its history and important telephone numbers. Also included in the book is a directory of all PACC’s members.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Chief Anthony DeZenzo
New Jersey’s $100K Club of retired public officials has more than doubled in the past four years, according to a New Jersey Watchdog analysis of state Treasury pension data.
Parsippany-Troy Hills has 14 former employees in the top $100K Club. Included were the past three Police Chiefs, six other Police personnel, and five from the board of education. Only one Parsippany female was included in the top $100K Club.
As 2014 ended, 1,988 retirees were collecting state pensions in excess of $100,000 a year — the elite “1-percenters” among New Jersey’s 285,000 retirees. (Click here for the list) That number has grown quickly since 2010 when the count was 971.
Declaring his crime “one of the most callous acts I’ve seen,” a Superior Court judge on Friday sentenced a 43-year-old East Rutherford man to 25 years in state prison for locking a 71-year-old woman in her car trunk during a carjacking in Parsippany.
Joseph DeFreitas, who pleaded guilty to a single charge of carjacking on November 18, admitted that he spotted the unnamed New Hampshire woman driving around, followed her, “flagged her down” and then “forced” his way into her car on December 29, 2012.
DeFreitas stole her jewelry and her credit cards, drove the car to an ATM and withdrew money from her account, and then locked her in the trunk and went on a shopping spree, authorities said.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Rotary Club hosted their 51st Annual Distinguished Service Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 28.
This year’s, “Outstanding Citizen” award was presented to Dr. Frank Calabria. Calabria went to Seton Hall where he received his Bachelors in 1963 and his Master’s in Education in 1965. He received his PhD from Fordham University in 1991. Most of his professional career was spent at Sparta High School.
This year, three “Outstanding Educators” awards were presented. Rebecca Lilienthal, Debra Seftel and Doreen Worthington received these honors.
The “Outstanding Business Person” award was presented to Frank Cahill, Parsippany Focus. Frank has been the editor and publisher of Parsippany Focus since it started twenty-five years ago. Focus is now an on-line news source which covers everything that goes in Parsippany, including Town Administration, school system functions, meetings and sports, the good news about residents and the sad which includes accidents and crime, etc. Focus is the first place many residents go daily to see what is happening in our Township.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Council President Paul Carifi, Jr.
Paul Carifi, Jr. officially announced his candidacy for the Republican Party’s nomination to run for the Parsippany-Troy Hills township council for a second term. Carifi also introduced Parsippany residents and running mates Aida Visakay and John Beehler for the Tuesday, June 2 primary to a large crowd of supporters at a March 5 event at il Villaggio Restaurant in Morris Plains.
In attendance and supporting the candidates were Freeholders Dave Scarpichio, Doug Cabana, John Krickus and Tom Mastrangelo, Freeholder Candidate Debra Smith, Council Vice President Robert Peluso and Councilman Lou Valori. Also attending was Sedgefield Civic Association President Carlos Guzman.
Sheriff Edward Rochford celebrated 50 years in office along with his annual St. Patrick’s Day Extravaganza on Monday, March 2 at Zeris Inn, Mountain Lakes.
Ed is serving his 8th term as Morris County Sheriff. The Morris County Sheriff’s Office is celebrating its 275th year and Sheriff Rochford is celebrating his 50th Year in Law Enforcement.
As part of the event, many officials gave Ed proclamations and awards. Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio presented Ed with a proclamation naming March 2 as “Sheriff Edward Rochford Day” and a key to Parsippany. The proclamation appears at the end of this article.
Last year the Morris County Sheriff’s Office earned the Prestigious 2014 Triple Crown Award.
Former Police Captain James Carifi and his attorney Edward J. Bilinkas
In front of a packed courtroom this morning, Morris County Superior Court Judge Ahto ordered that retired Parsippany Police Captain James Carifi be issued a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
At issue, Parsippany Police Chief Paul Philipps had not submitted Part 2 of form SP-232 to the New Jersey State Police. This form required Philipps to affirm whether or not Carifi had retired in good standing. By not submitting the form, the State Police had to deny the issuance of Carifi’s permit.
But in a surprising turn of events, the Morris County Prosecutor’s office provided the signed and dated form for Judge Ahto. On March 10, 2015, Chief Philipps confirmed that when Carifi retired from the Parsippany Police Department on April 1, 2013, he did in fact retire in good standing.
“We are extremely happy with the Judges decision today,” said Carifi’s attorney Edward Bilinkas. “We consider this an unconditional surrender. I have been saying from day one that Captain Carifi retired in good standing and by the chief submitting the certification today vindicates James Carifi in this matter.”
The state Office of Attorney Ethics has dismissed ethics charges filed by the majority of the township council against its own municipal attorney.
Township Attorney John Inglesino said in a news release Wednesday state investigators found no evidence to corroborate allegations his law firm had circumvented state or municipal campaign finance laws.
A resolution passed by Councilmen Paul Carifi, Lou Valori and Robert Peluso last March accused Inglesino and his law firm of directing political contributions to the campaign account of state Sen. Kevin O’Toole, who in turn contributed to the campaign fund of Mayor James Barberio. The councilmen effectively accused Inglesino and his firm of “wheeling,” a practice where political contributions are directed through an intermediary and then into the campaign account of the intended candidate.
The Morris County Freeholders have again developed a county budget with a zero percent increase in county taxes and that maintains critical county government services.
The freeholders, during their public meeting in Morristown on March 11, introduced a $329.53 million budget for 2015 with a total tax effort that is the same as last year’s $217,899,755 figure.
“This is the third budget in a row that has a zero percent tax increase,” said Freeholder Director Kathy DeFillippo, who chairs the Budget Subcommittee.
“In the midst of difficult economic times, we are continuing to give the taxpayers of Morris County the relief they deserve, while maintaining vital county services.”
Controversial developer RD Realty, through it’s attorney, Robert Kasuba, of the law firm Bisgaier Hoff, recently wrote a threatening letter to the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council, Mayor, Township Clerk and members of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Planning Board. The letter dated March 20, 2015 in part states:
“Please accept this letter as formal notice that RD Realty is an interested party in the municipal compliance with its affordable housing obligations and proposes that Parsippany-Troy Hills and its planning board, including any attorneys, staff members, and consultants of each of the foregoing (collectively, “Parsippany”), include RD Realty on the service list for any communication with the court regarding any litigation concerning affordable housing issues….In addition, RD Realty hereby proposes that Parsippany include an inclusionary development totaling 666 residential units, of which at least twenty percent (20%) shall be affordable to low and moderate income households in accordance with the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (“UHAC”), N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1, et seq., on the above-referenced property as part of any compliance plan. For your consideration, we have included a concept plan depicting the proposed inclusionary development on this property.”
Accompanying the letter was a fully realized concept plan. The plan for the Waterview lot includes 666 apartments, 1283 parking spaces and three entrance/exit onto the property.
After two years, nearly $800,000 was charged to the Township for disk imaging the hard drive of former Parsippany Police captain James Carifi.
Last month Township Business administrator Ellen Sandman told Council members and the public that she had arranged for the Township to reimburse John Inglesino’s firm $220,000 in addition to nearly $50,000 that had already been paid by the Township. This amount, a fraction of the total amount billed, was, per Sandman, an agreement that Aurora Information and Security Risk and Mr. Inglesino’s firm agreed to as “paid in full.”
Parsippany Focus has learned via OPRA requests that Mr. Inglesino’s firm continues to seek reimbursement for Aurora. On March 1, 2015, the Township was billed an additional $1400 for data preservation of the hard drive for January and February 2014.
John Sette (middle) sitting next to Parsippany’s Township Attorney, John Inglesino, at a press conference for Governor Christie
In a letter dated March 10, 2015, the four Commissioners on the Board of Elections have formally requested an investigation into voting irregularities that purportedly occurred during the 2013 Primary Election in Parsippany. The four Commissioners are Chairman George Hanley; John Sette, Morris County Republican Party chairman; John Fox and Helen O’Connor.
Allegations of absentee ballot improprieties are nothing new in Parsippany with murmurings beginning when James Barberio defeated incumbent Michael Luther in 2009.
The letter written to the Attorney General’s office in Whippany states:
Over the last several years, we have spent a tremendous amount of time and effort in the courtroom due to questions raised regarding mail-in ballots used by local candidates and their representatives in the Township of Parsippany Troy Hills.
In 2011, Superior Court Judge Weisenbeck heard complaints from then-incumbent Morris County Freeholder Margaret Nordstrom that irregular absentees from Parsippany had robbed her of a Primary win. Weisenbeck’s ruling initially gave Nordstrom the nomination, though a series of other legal and political challenges eventually landed her challenger, Hank Lyon with her seat.
NJ political news website Politickernj.com is reporting that a Super PAC with ties to President Obama and Hillary Clinton has entered into the Parsippany GOP primary race for Town Council.
The PAC, called New Jersey’s Future Fund, has put out a flyer endorsing long time GOP Councilman Mike dePierro, Vincent Ferrara, and Lorretta Gragnani, is not listed on the Federal Election Commission website yet, but it’s Treasurer, Jennifer May, is a high-powered fundraiser for Democratic candidates, organizations and PAC’s across the country. She was once the Finance Director for the late Congressman John Adler from Camden County.
“That Republican candidates would call themselves ‘true conservatives’ and then secure the backing a liberal Super PAC that is aligned with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, as well as other liberal candidates and organizations across the country, is offensive to every Republican voter in Parsippany,” said Paul Carifi, Jr.
More than three hundred protesters rallied on Sunday, April 12th through central park in Parsippany in a last-ditch effort to stop the demolition of Morris County’s largest and most controversial historic building at the old Greystone psychiatric facility. The rally was organized by Preserve Greystone, a nonprofit group that is trying to halt the demolition. Last August the state treasury department awarded a 34.5 million dollar contract to demolish the main building and other structures. The demolition process began late April on the 675,000 square-foot main Kirdbride building of the old Greystone park psychiatric hospital.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council, at last weeks agenda meeting, voted to formulate a resolution to designate 1515 Route 10 (Lot 1.2, Block 200) as an Redevelopment Area pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq.
The property known as Intel Corporate Center, located at 1515 Route 10, was recently sold to Stanbery Development, LLC.
The sale was arranged by Colliers International. It was reported Stanbery Development, LLC., paid $14.1 million for property. The three-story buildings, which total 288,742 square feet, are currently triple net leased to the Intel Corporation through December 31, 2015. Intel, a global company and maker of semiconductor chips, has vacated the property.
Council Candidates Janice McCarthy, Greg Elbin and Nick Kumburis
Nick Kumburis, Janice McCarthy and Greg Elbin have been endorsed by the Parsippany Democratic Committee to run for Town Council on the Democratic Committee Line.
The team of Kumburis, McCarthy and Elbin will work to build consensus on the Town Council to support an open and transparent town government that advocates for spending accountability and responsible development.
A 71-year-old retired Essex County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant was sentenced to eight years in jail for robbing a bank in Boonton last year, according to a report in the Daily Record. Harry Schnitzer pleaded guilty in December to second-degree robbery, a charge stemming from an April 30,2014 incident in which he entered the Santander….
Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council President Paul Carifi, Jr., wants to remind residents that a special meeting for the 2015 Budget Hearings continues this evening, Tuesday, May 5. In addition to tonight, there is a meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 14 starting at 6:00 p.m.
In a related matter, Parsippany Focusfiled and was denied an OPRA request for the Mayors Proposed Budget Worksheets 2015, which historically has been given out prior to the start of the Budget hearings, and has been posted on www.parsippany.net under “Transparency” section. Click here to review previous years.
It causes concern as to what the Barberio Administration must be hiding. In previous years, Parsippany Focus, posted the proposed Budget Worksheets to keep the public informed and so the public had an opportunity to review the Budget prior to the hearings. Actually, budget worksheets are available on the township website for years 2008-2014.
Township Clerk Yancy Wazirmas stated “We are in receipt of your OPRA request for “the Mayors Proposed Budget Worksheets 2015.” The document you are seeking is an exemption under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1: “Inter-agency or intra-agency advisory, consultative or deliberative material” so your request is denied.
Insurance goliath John Graham and his son, Ryan are no stranger to local politics. In March, the elder Graham was honored and inducted into the 2015 Essex County Democratic Committee Hall of Fame. In addition to being heavily involved in Essex County politics, Graham has also previously served as national finance co-chair for Hillary Clinton when she ran for president in 2008, and also as state director for John Kerry, when he ran for president.
Fairview Insurance, the agency Graham started in 1970 also happens to be the broker of record for the Township of Parsippany. As the largest municipality in Morris County, Parsippany provides Fairview with hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in commission for directing the township into self-funding it’s own employee health and dental plan.
It was reported that life-long Barberio friend and supporter, actor, Daniel Margotta, has received at least $87,878 in compensation from Fairview and possibly as much as $324,529 beginning in 2011. Mr. Margotta’s Linkedin page makes no mention of being in the insurance industry.
The calls comes over police dispatch. A man and his ex-girlfriend have called police, because the new girlfriend’s standing in the man’s driveway, and they’re screaming at each other. Someone needs to de-escalate this situation. Here comes Chris Hayes. Wait … that Chris Hayes? The political commentator and host of MSNBC’s “All In with…
A onetime Parsippany resident who formerly taught music at a high school in Paterson is scheduled to be sentenced this morning in a sex case from 2010. Scott Van Hoven, now 48, pleaded guilty last month to performing sex acts with a 16-year-old female student in 2010. Van Hoven, who has recently been living…
The consolidation of GlaxoSmithKline’s and Novartis’ consumer health care businesses have cut 350 jobs of GlaxoSmithKline at their Littleton Road and Kimball Road locations.
“In March 2015, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis combined their consumer health care businesses into a joint venture,” the notice specifies. “The need to meet established financial and synergy targets and eliminate duplication is critical to the success of the joint venture and will necessitate a reduction in headcount at the Parsippany locations.”
Coach Albano on the fields of Parsippany Hills High School
The first award presented was the team award. The announcement of the team award from the Daily Record:
Matt Joyce turned and threw his arms straight up into the air. Angelo Gallego ran up to Ryan Shaw and lifted Shaw high off the MetLife Stadium turf. Coaches hugged. Players high-fived. Fans stood up and screamed. Before long, the stadium’s field was a sea of black, white, and blue. The Vikings concluded the 2014 season in a way that they never have before: with a state championship. Parsippany Hills held on for a pulsating 20-13 victory over Cranford in NJSIAA North 2 Group 3 for the first sectional football title in school history.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment will be hearing an application for MCRT Investments, on Wednesday, June 17, at 7:30 p.m.
MCRT is seeking preliminary and final site plan in connection with a previously granted use variance to construct to construct 212 residential dwelling units on Interpark Boulevard. Interpark Boulevard is located off Route 46, near the newly opened Houlihans Restaurant.
The application is a companion application to use variance approved under Case # 14:30 on April 1, 2015.
The New Jersey chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists awarded Parsippany Focus and it’s publisher Frank Cahill the prestigious ‘Courage Under Fire’ award on Saturday, June 27 at the NJ Historical Society in downtown Newark.
Cahill successfully fought a subpoena issued by Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio and Township Attorney John Inglesino to reveal his sources for a then unpublished article involving Former Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Captain James Carifi.
The Courts found that Parsippany Focus, an online news site, was awarded the same “shield law” protection afforded to print media (see NJ.com). In his ruling, Judge Honigfeld stated that “newspersons are allowed to protect the confidentiality of sources and news or information gathered during the course of their work.” He went on to say that Frank Cahill “is a credentialed newsperson,” and “the record demonstrates that the Focus is dedicated to disseminating information regarding the political activities of the Township.”
The New Jersey Department of Corrections concluded their annual independent inspection of the Morris County Correctional Facility this week and again, the Correctional Facility received a perfect score of 100%.
This came just after the American Correctional Association (ACA) gave the correctional facility a score of 98.6%, making this the twelfth year in a row the correctional facility was nationally accredited.
The review was conducted by three out-of-state independent correctional professionals.
The Parsippany Township Council and Mayor James Barberio were back in Superior Court on Friday, July 10. At issue, a resolution which the Council had passed in 2014. The resolution authorized the hiring of an attorney to aid in the Council’s investigation of Barberio and the prosecution of township attorney John Inglesino over their refusal to turn over unredacted bills from his law firm as well as to investigate the unilateral hiring of computer expert Aurora Information and Security Risk. Aurora had previously invoiced the township upwards of $1 million. The hiring of all township contactors require Council approval for amounts over $17,500.
Barberio contends that Councilmen Carifi and Valori were conflicted from voting on matters relating to Inglesino, a conflict both Councilmen deny.
A 58-year-old Parsippany man went to trial Monday on charges that he sexually assaulted a girl in Mount Olive and later in Roxbury over a nine-year period. Guy Parker faces a 14-count indictment that accuses him of six charges of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and eight charges of second-degree sexual assault. The incidents started…
Dawn King wasn’t exactly lovin’ it. The Lake Hiawatha resident said she was surprised Friday, after picking up lunch at the McDonald’s on Route 46 East in the Troy Hills Shopping, to find a so-called “finger cot” stuck to the bottom of her sandwich. And she was more surprised to see how much attention…
Political insiders across New Jersey look to the Observer Media Group owned website PolitickerNJ.com for daily insights on what is happening in politics across the Garden State. PolitickerNJ recently created a list of 13 well known mayors and asked it’s readers who they thought was the most effective mayor of the group.
Mayor Brian P. Stack of Union City overwhelming won the vote with 30% of the vote with Mayor Jon Hornik of Marlboro coming in a distant second.
Parsippany’s own Mayor James Barberio came in tenth place with 2.12% of the vote just edging out Mayor Vauss of Irvington, and Mayor Guardian of Atlantic City.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council adopted the 2015 municipal budget on Tuesday, July 14, a month after the budget had been approved on first reading.
The 2015 budget contains a slight decrease in total anticipated revenue at $93,194,939.93, and an increase of $363,784.69 in total Appropriation for Service (i.e. general government, land use administration, public safety, health and human services).
With regards to total property taxes, the estimated amount raised by taxes is $196,504,780.63. Last year’s total tax levy was $193,896,015.39.
A 58-year-old Parsippany man was found guilty on all counts Tuesday in the sexual assault of a girl in Mount Olive and later in Roxbury over a nine-year period. A jury in Superior Court in Morristown convicted Guy Parker on six counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and seven counts of second-degree sexual assault.…
Par-Troy East 8u All Star team won the tournament championship on Tuesday, July 28, 19-7 against Randolph.
The team finished the tournament with a perfect record of 10-0. The game ended in the bottom of the 4th inning as the teams youngest All Star, 7 year old Trevor Nussbaum crossed home plate, after a bases loaded walk, giving Par Troy a 12 run lead, ending the game due to the Little League mercy rule. (12 run lead after the 4th inning).
The team steamrolled through the tournament under the brilliant coaching of Mike Plescia and the true dedication of his assistant coaches, players, and their families throughout the five week tournament.
The case against a former Parsippany Boy Scout leader, who is accused of sexually abusing three Scouts when they were teenagers in the 1990s, is moving forward again with his representation by a new defense attorney. Stephen Corcoran, 47, of Morris Plains, is now represented by attorney Blair Zwillman of the Parsippany firm Weiner…
The national political newspaper and website POLITICO recently published a scathing article which links township venders circumventing local Pay to Play laws by donating money to a Super PAC supporting a local slate of GOP Council candidates.
Confirming what was previously reported in Parsippany Focus, POLITICO reports that IRS filings reveal that the Super PAC, America’s Future First, raised almost $88,000 in 2014. Of that, about $48,000 came from Fairview Insurance, while another $32,000 came from the engineering firm Adams, Rehmann and Heggan (ARH). Earlier this year Fairview Insurance, Parsippany’s health insurance broker, was voted out by the Council to be the broker of record for 2015.
The Lake Parsippany Property Owners Association held a meeting on Monday, August 3 to explore the feasibility of assessing all Lake Parsippany residents. Over the past five years there has been a decline in membership.
Of the 56 voting members in attendance they voted 49-7 to allocate $1,080 to hire Attorney Eileen Borne, from Dolan and Dolan to explore the feasibility of an assessment.
Contractors are aggressively tearing down the old Weichert Realtor building on the corner of North Beverwyck Road and Route 46 to make room for a new Bank of America.
In December, CP Management received a conditional use variance and preliminary site plan approval from the Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Adjustment to construct a Bank of America facility with two drive-thru lanes and a by-pass lane with associated parking at the front and rear of the building on Route 46 at North Beverwyck Road.
State and Federal filings from the Super PACs at the heart of the 2015 Parsippany GOP Primary are beginning to appear on NJ ELEC and IRS Websites, albeit very late. NJ’s Future First (NJFF) and it’s parent PAC, America’s Future First (AFF) submitted their first filings just days before the June 2015 Primary.
Alan Zakin
While both Super PACs incorporated in July 2014, the Internal Revenue Service did not receive AFF‘s first filings until May 11, 2015, just days before the June 2 Parsippany Primary. Per law, reports are due to the IRS quarterly; April 15, July 15, October 15, and January 31.
Fairview Insurance donated an additional $540.20 during this reporting period, but the Director of Business Development for Fairview Insurance and liaison to the Township of Parsippany, Ryan Graham, son of the founder of the firm, donated $12,000.00 to the Super PAC during this reporting period.
Among the Super PAC’s biggest expenses was Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio’s former political consultant, Alan Zakin. According to ELEC filings NJFF has paid Zakin $26,550 with what appears to be additional $3440 still due to him.
Although Councilman dePierro has steadfastly denied any involvement with either NJFF or AFF and denied that he had ever visited the Super Pac’s headquarters in Lake Parsippany, two witnesses have told Parsippany Focus that they witnessed both Mr. dePierro and his running mate former Councilman Vincent Ferrara at the Super PAC’s office.
“These Parsippany Super PACS are becoming a political cancer which must be stopped from spreading.” Councilman Louis Valori told Parsippany Focus recently. “These Super PACs are corrupting the foundation of honest government and it must stop now.”
In June 2013, a sewer pump station located in the Skyview section of the township failed. Constructed in 1988, the pump station was designed to pump sewage through a force main which traveled up Meadow Bluff Road and over the western slope of Watnong Mountain to a gravity main on the other side of the mountain near Route 10. The pump station handled an average of 50,000 gallons of wastewater each day by servicing 194 townhomes, 66 single family homes, and a bath house located in Skyview Heights.
According to Township officials, the failure was the result of a collapsed force main which was over one mile in length. The collapse caused severe pressure which resulted in multiple failure modes for pump station operations.
Tension has been high at Morris County, Parsippany, and Board of Education offices, and in many homes this week after hackers released lists of millions of email addresses that were used to access the Ashley Madison online dating site for married people.
The website, whose tag line is, “Life is short. Have an affair,” was hacked by a group called the Impact Team in June. Earlier this week, it exposed the names, email addresses, credit card numbers and sexual preferences of upwards of 37 million users of the site.
The Board of Education released the following information: “All Middle School students were given updated copies of their schedules this morning. A small percentage of students still needed assistance in completing their academic core (Language Arts/Reading and Writing, Math, Social Studies, Science) schedules. For the balance of this week students will be given updated schedules that may or may not contain schedule changes. The Genesis student information portal is fully working as expected. We have focused all of our resources on our students and their schedules, said Joan F. Benos, Chief of Staff/Public Information Officer.”
Over the weekend, the district released another statement, claiming the Genesis portal is not the issue, rather a longer-range problem: “We would like to inform you that the issues we are having with our middle school schedules do not have anything to do with our student information system software, Genesis. The design of the middle school schedule presented our district with various problems when it came time for implementation. When solutions were chosen as a means to correct the problem, the staff at Genesis was completely supportive and willing to help. They came to our district, conferenced with key personnel on the phone, and answered questions as they arose. Genesis remains fully capable of handling all of our student information needs, including scheduling, and we are grateful to them for their assistance throughout our efforts to correct this problem.”
The 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Tour honored Brianna Kelley during a special recognition ceremony before her fellow band members, classmates, fans, family, Dr. Denis L. Mulroony, Mayor James Barberio and Councilman Michael dePierro. In addition, Band Director Mr. Greg Dalakian received a special plaque to display at Parsippany High School for Brianna’s accomplishments.
The U.S. Army All-American Marching Band performs at halftime of the nationally broadcasted U.S. Army All-American Bowl. By becoming a U.S. Army All-American Marching Band Member, these students join an elite group. Only 125 high school band members among the millions in the United States are selected each year. Band members are chosen not just because they excel in music, but because they possess some of the same skills as our Army Soldiers – skills such as versatility and agility.
At the Board of Education meeting held on Thursday, September 24, 2015, the members of the Board of Education passed a resolution accepting the resignation of Scott Rixford, effective January 26, 2016.
The resolution states that it “Further approves the related agreement with Mr. Rixford in accordance with the terms and conditions therein, which the Board President is authorized on behalf of the Board.”
Rixford who was hired by the Board effective July 1, 2014 and the term of the contract was through June 20, 2019.
He was hired at a salary of $175,000 per year, for each of the five years of his contract.
The Morris County Freeholders are expected to vote in a new County Parks Commissioner at their next meeting scheduled meeting set for October 14. At a prior meeting of the Freeholders, a majority including Hank Lyon, David Scapicchio, John Krickus and Thomas Mastrangelo indicated that they would be in favor of appointing Parsippany Councilman Dr. Louis Valori to the post.
Former commissioner Judith Schleicher vacated her position in July and Valori’s appointment will fill her unexpired term which ends December 31, 2017.
“I feel honored to be considered,” Valori told Parsippany Focus.
Former Morris County Sheriff John M. Fox, Sr., 73, passed away peacefully at his home Saturday, September 26, surrounded by his loving family.
John was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved to East Orange as a young child. He lived in Livingston before settling in Parsippany in 1955.
John began his career in public service as a police officer in 1965 with the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department, later rising to the rank of detective. In 1975, he was elected Sheriff of Morris County and spent the next 18 years turning the office into a support center for local enforcement. His accomplishments include creating the Crimestoppers program, Sheriff’s Labor Assistance Program (S.L.A.P ), K-9 unit, Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T.) and the criminal investigation division.
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is an experience that’s meant to be shared, so before they start rehearsals for the 2015 production, they visited Parsippany to kick off the holiday season.
Megan Levinson, North Caldwell, and Christine Sienicki, Clifton, were the two Rockettes visiting the Parsippany Library. The children and their parents as well as other residents had the opportunity to meet, ask questions and take photographs with the Rockettes.
Parsippany Economic Development Advisory Committee presented Zinburger with a certificate of appreciation for choosing Parsippany as their new flagship restaurant. Pictured is Zinburger Vice President of Operations Chris Crawford, Parsippany Economic Development Advisory Committee Chairman Frank Cahill and Corporate Chef David Maini.
The longest-serving member of the board of directors of the Brookside Housing Corporation is Susan P. Strechay. She started on the board in 1975 and served until August 2015 when she and her husband, Bob, moved to be near her son and grandchildren.
Susan P. Strechay addressing the audience
In appreciation for all of her years of service, on September 26, 2015 the board of directors of Brookside named the community room in her honor. On hand for the recognition ceremony were her two of her sons, Rob and Dan along with their wives and children. Also present were members of the board, as well as Alan Rich who has served as the attorney for the board since 1978, as well as the PRD Management team who oversee the management of the building.
Her husband, Bob Strechay, served as the Township’s business administrator for many years.
On Tuesday, October 6, Mayor James Barberio presented the Township Council with an attorney to represent the Governing Body in a lawsuit they filed against Barberio per a Superior Court Judge’s order.
Michael Lavery, a partner with the firm, LAVERY, SELVAGGI, ABROMITIS & COHEN was chosen by Barberio, and even though some Council members indicated that the mayor’s selection was acceptable, the Council will still need to vote on whether or not to accept the mayor’s selection.
Lavery has worked for the Township as a ‘conflict attorney’ for several years but along with several other attorney appointees, he was not re-confirmed by the Council this past January.
Outline in red is the approximate area which was to be deeded to Parsippany. Area in blue is the location where 52 Townhomes are currently being built.
At the October 20 Par-Troy Township Council meeting, local resident Julia Peterson questioned members of the Governing Body, Mayor Barberio and Township Attorney John Inglesino, on the status of approximately 130 acres of land the Township was to acquire from a local developer as part of a global lawsuit settlement.
In 2013 the Township Council authorized Mayor Barberio to settle a long standing lawsuit brought on by real estate developer Ed Mosberg. The settlement in part permitted Mosberg to build 52 Townhomes along Smith Road. In exchange, Mosberg was to deed over approximately 130 acres of land including the historic Forge Pond area and the surrounding woodlands.
Pathmark Parsippany is located at 1157 Route 46 in the Troy Hills Shopping Center
The rumors have been flying for months. When Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (parent company of Pathmark) announced their bankruptcy, Pathmark Parsippany wasn’t on any of the lists of locations being purchased. It was just a matter of time the store would end up on the list of stores being closed.
Parsippany Pathmark liquidation started this morning with discounts up to 30% off (although most items are 10% off).
More than 80 employees will be released from their jobs on November 26 – Thanksgiving Day according to WARN notices filed by the company late August.
Today is Election Day. Did you get your sample ballot? Apparently residents in Morris Plains and Florham Park did not receive their sample ballots.
Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi in an unofficial email, stated the “sample ballots were delivered to the Post Office on October 28, as required by law.”
Parsippany Focus has received several emails regarding residents in Morris Plains and Florham Park not receiving their ballots. Approximately 5,000 homes located in Parsippany-Troy Hills receives their mail through Morris Plains Post Office.
For almost a year, Parsippany Focus, was told of a Starbucks opening in Parsippany, but until now we couldn’t disclose information. Soon you will be able to drive-up and order your Iced Carmel Macchiato or Caffè Americano in Parsippany, instead of driving to Denville or elsewhere.
Our source, a Starbucks Manager, stated “A Starbucks with a drive-thru will be opening on Route 10 East in the Octagon Building sometime in 2016.”
When Parsippany Focus conducted a reader survey in 2014 our readers wanted a Starbucks and Trader Joe’s.
Parsippany High School Marching Band wins First Place in the Group IV 2015 National Champions and 2015 Espirit DeCorps Award held today in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
They are coming home with first place with an impressive score of 96.36.
As we receive more information, we will update this story. In addition, we have photos and video from Parsippany High School special motorcade leaving the school this afternoon.
On March 10, 2015, because the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) failed to create ‘Third Round Obligations’ in regards to each municipality’s fair housing share, the New Jersey Supreme Court empowered the courts and not COAH, to make initial determinations regarding municipal compliance with its housing obligations.
First, municipalities will now be afforded an opportunity to affirmatively seek a declaration from the courts of compliance with affordable housing obligations, prior to being declared “noncompliant” or being subjected to lawsuits alleging exclusionary zoning, including a builder’s remedy.
Second, the Court’s ruling will permit low and moderate income citizens, and those acting on their behalf, and developers the right to challenge, under certain circumstances, any municipality that fails to develop an adequate housing plan to bring the town in compliance with its fair share of regional and prospective housing needs for affordable housing.
Late Assemblyman Alex DeCroce, a former Morris County freeholder and a former CCM Trustee
It’s official. Route 53 has been renamed “Assemblyman DeCroce Memorial Highway” at a dedication held, on Tuesday, November 10 in front of Verde Restaurant.
Joining in the dedication were members of the NJ Assembly and Senate and included BettyLou DeCroce, John Bramnick,Assemblyman Jay Webber, Assemblyman Anthony Bucco, Senator Thomas Kean, Senator Orojo to name a few. Also present were Sheriff Edward Rochford and Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro.
Sheriff Edward Rochford said “This is a fitting Tribute for a person who dedicated his life to public service especially transportation issues.”
“Pride in Parsippany”, boasts the great township sign at the intersection of Route 46 and Vail Road.
The teachers of Parsippany’s public school children however, are not to be afforded the opportunity to exhibit that pride according to an edict issued by the school district’s chief administrator.
Teachers have been ordered to remove a simple black and white sign that says only “I am Proud to be a Teacher” in plain block letters, followed by a smaller tag line, “Parsippany-Troy Hills Education Association”.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education appointed Dr. LeRoy Seitz as interim superintendent.
Seitz was appointed effective December 1 through June 30, 2016, or sooner pending release from his current contract, at the rate of $682.00 per day, subject to the terms and conditions of his contract.
Upon approving Dr. Seitz’s contract, the crowd full of teachers and parents, cheered loudly. Seitz is replacing Former Superintendent Scott Rixford, who took a 30-day medical leave of absence on September 4. Dr. Nancy Gigante has been acting Superintendent.
A judge denied a motion Tuesday to dismiss two charges of child endangerment against a former Parsippany Hills High School teacher. Jenna Leahey, a former English teacher and field hockey coach at the school, is accused of sexual conversations and sexual contact with a 16-year-old male student. Her attorney, Judson Hand, had asked Judge…
Parsippany Focus has learned that Aurora Information Security & Risk, the computer firm hired by Township Attorney John Inglesino and which billed Parsippany nearly 1 million dollars for imaging the hard drive of a Parsippany Police Captain, was operating under a suspended business registration in the State of New Jersey from the period of January 16, 2014 through May 13, 2015.
A judge in Passaic County Superior Court threw out an official misconduct indictment against a suspended Morris County sheriff’s officer, Jason Campbell, stating the charges were the “fruit of a poisonous tree” after he was entrapped by a State Police trooper, according to Bergen Record.
Campbell, 36, was accused of flashing his sheriff’s badge to avoid being ticketed during a traffic stop in March 2012.
A former Parsippany police sergeant who successfully sued his department for harassment, recently had drugs charges in Florida dismissed due to alleged police entrapment, the Sun Sentinel reported. Kevin Pisano was arrested in December 2011 while on duty as a Fort Lauderdale police officer on charges of possessing and delivering prescription drugs…
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Parsippany High School Marching Band performed the half-time show on Sunday, December 27 at MetLife Stadium during the Jets vs. New England Patriots game.
The Jets organization sent coach buses to Parsippany High School to pick up the band, at 8:00 a.m. to head to MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford.
The members of the band also ate lunch in the AT&T pavilion and was provided with tickets to see the game.
On October 25, 2015 the Township’s Hearing Officer, retired Rockaway Township Police Chief, Joseph Devine, Devine Leadership Concepts, ruled in favor of Captain Carifi and stated that Parsippany lacked jurisdiction to proceed against an officer who retired over a year and a half ago and retired in “Good Standing.”
However, Parsippany’s Town Council was never made aware of Chief Devine’s ruling.
Devine Leadership Concepts was hired by the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills to serve as a “Hearing Officer” in disciplinary proceedings/employment matters within the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department.
United Way of Northern New Jersey invites winter sports enthusiasts to its one-of-a-kind, family-friendly golf event in Sussex County that takes place in any kind of weather at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on Saturday, January 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The 13th annual United Way Chili Open Golf Classic combines a spirited golf outing with the serious work of raising money to help area residents who are struggling to make ends meet.
Golfers can play 18 holes — sometimes in the snow and freezing temperatures — and warm up afterward with a chili sampling fest as well as a variety of other fare from local restaurants and caterers. Golfers also can take part in dozens of raffles featuring prizes from local businesses and community members. In addition, Sussex County band R.E.N.O. will be on hand to play its signature brand of acoustic rock music.
The event will help ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families and individuals — those who are working and paying taxes but still unable to afford the basic necessities of housing, food, child care, health care and transportation. United Way research shows that more than 12,000 households or 23 percent of Sussex County households are ALICE.
“This winter golf event not only offers participants a unique and adventurous time, it also serves as a way to assist our neighbors in need,” said United Way Community Relations Manager Monica Lemperle. “Through the United Way Chili Open Golf Classic, we are helping area residents achieve financial stability.”
The event raises funds to help provide ALICE households with access to free tax preparation, financial education and other supports, putting ALICE on the path to financial independence.
To date, event sponsors include Name A Nine Sponsors Selective Insurance, Sussex Bank and Thorlabs. Additional sponsors include Ames Rubber, Coastal Financial, Eastern Propane, Intercar Mercedes-Benz, Kohler Distributing Company, Lakeland Bank, Newton Medical Center, and Title On Demand of NJ; and In-Kind Sponsors New Jersey Herald and New Jersey State Fair.
Tickets are $65.00 per golfer before January 11 and $75.00 per golfer after January 11. Tickets for lunch only are $10.00 per person.
About United Way of Northern New Jersey United Way of Northern New Jersey is a nonprofit organization working to improve people’s lives and strengthen communities by focusing on Education, Income, and Health. These are the building blocks for a good life – a quality education that leads to a stable job; the tools needed to achieve financial stability; and good health. We lead caring communities to create long-lasting changes that transform people’s lives. Together, united, we can inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow. United Way of Northern New Jersey serves Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties as well as portions of suburban Essex County, including the Caldwells, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Millburn-Short Hills, Montclair, Roseland, and Verona. Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED. To learn more, call 973.993.1160 or visit www.UnitedWayNNJ.org.
Investors Bank is a Platinum Sponsor of our 2016 Hearts and Hammers Gala! Thomas McMinn, Investors Bank and Honorary Gala Committee Chair, presents sponsorship donation check to Blair Bravo
RANDOLPH — On February 27, 2016 Morris Habitat for Humanity will celebrate its’ Eleventh Annual Hearts and Hammers Gala at the Meadow Wood Manor in Randolph. The Hearts and Hammers Gala is Morris Habitat’s signature fundraiser and a wonderful evening event.
Join Morris Habitat for an elegant evening–all while supporting their work of building houses and creating homes for families in need throughout Morris County. Come raise a glass and feast on exotic hors d’oeuvres, a delicious full-course meal and tempting desserts. Take time to shop at the silent auction, featuring unique gift ideas for you and your home. There will also be live music and dancing, too.
This year awards will be presented to three members of the Morris Habitat family who have given generously of their time and expertise:
Founders Award: Peter Wentworth, Wentworth Associates
Corporate Partnership Award: Travelers Insurance
Beth Everett Award: Jim Mullen, Esquire
Corporate sponsorships have always had a big impact on how much Morris Habitat can accomplish and they are still available for the event. Several that have already signed up to support the gala are:
Silver – Stage It 123, Donald and Teeny Kuhn and Jeannie and Andrew Tsukamoto, Esq.
Morris Habitat serves the community in a very special way. As explained by Morris Habitat’s CEO, Blair Bravo, “Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials from individuals all the way up to corporations, Morris Habitat for Humanity builds and rehabilitates houses in partnership with families in need. Every dollar raised helps local hardworking families achieve the American dream of homeownership. Our yearly gala celebrates this commitment and those who support us.”
Individual tickets to attend are just $250.00 per person and donating to the Morris Habitat’s Hearts & Hammers Gala will help to achieve the bold plan to serve 200 new families in the next four years. Visit the Morris Habitat website by clicking here for further information or to register for the event. Support Morris Habitat even further by considering becoming an event sponsor!
The gala will be held at the Meadow Wood Manor on February 27, 2016 from 6-10 pm and tickets are now available. Visit the Morris Habitat Gala by clicking here for further information. Those interested can also contact Kathy Ritchey at (973) 891-1934 ext.122 or email her by clicking here for details.
About Morris Habitat for Humanity
Morris Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization operated on Christian principles by building homes, communities and hope. Morris Habitat is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; advocating for fair and just housing policies; and providing training and access to resources to help families improve their living conditions. Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all. Morris Habitat welcomes volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds and serves people in need of decent housing regardless of race or religion.
Since 1985 Morris Habitat has served 280 households though home ownership opportunities, home preservation, and international home building programs. Morris Habitat has set a goal of 9 housing starts for 2014, completing 19 homes at 8 different sites during the year. In addition, proceeds from the ReStore, opened May 2007, have built 11 homes and diverted almost 4,000 tons of useable material out of landfills. Located at 274 South Salem Street, Randolph. Store hours: Tuesday 12:00 to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
PARSIPPANY — Mayor James Barberio and Chief of Police Paul Philipps swore in eight new police officers in front of a standing room only crowd full of families and about a dozen of off-duty police officers.
The new officers are: Wandely Torres-Czaka; Christopher Konysc; Jao Paulo Domiciano; Sean Abrusci; Shussler Ferguson, Jr.; Scott Baker; Denis DeMuro II and Ryan Taylor.
As mentioned during the ceremony, these new officers are “the cream of the crop” and Mayor Barberio expressed his gratitude for their employment in Parsippany.
Newly appointed officer Jao Paulo Domiciano with his parents
Newly appointed officer Ryan Taylor with his family
Mayor James Barberio pictured with the eight newly sworn in officers
Ryan Taylor being sworn in
Denis DeMuro II being sworn in
Scott Baker being sworn in
Shussler Ferguson Jr. being sworn in
Wandely Torres-Czaka being sworn in
Christopher Konysc being sworn in
Jao Paulo Domiciano being sworn in
Sean Abrusci being sworn in
Mayor James Barberio and Chief of Police Paul Philipps congratulating the newly appointed officers
Families, Police officers both on and off duty came to congratulate the new officers
PARSIPPANY — Learning to draw is learning to see. Drawing is a skill that deconstructs everything our brain take for granted. Students will learn how to capture the shape, detail and shade their subject using pencils, colored pencils, blending tools and erasers. Classes will consist of long duration sketch projects, short exercises and homework assignments resulting in a sketchbook filled with ideas.
Airbrush Weekend Workshop! Winter registration includes an introduction to some fun and easy painting technology! Beginner students will paint a scene in layers highlighted with an airbrush, a machine that sprays a fine stream of paint for a misty effect. Learn the properties of this amazing tool while creating a stunning 12″x16″ piece of art for your wall!
Classes will be held on Tuesdays, Session 1: January 5 to 26, Session 2: February 2 to 23. Kids (age 6-11): 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Adults and Teens: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(Kids are welcome in the adult class with a parent…draw together!)
All supplies provided, materials fee $20.00. Classes taught by PAL artist and instructor John Darvie, please call or email with any questions, please call (973) 335-7332, or email apollo1jd@gmail.com, or for more information visit spaceageart.com.
Was the so-called “special”/emergency meeting called on November 24, 2015 a Violation of the Sunshine Law?
This meeting somehow negated the Council decision of October 2013 in which RD developer was denied their proposals.
Mayor James Barberio also in front of hundreds of people stated he would have Waterview landscape as open space. Shall we consider this corruption as it overturned a grassroots movement in which overwhelming public opposition defeated a developer’s plan to change forever our master plan, for something which is unneeded, and favors a corporate applicant private economic concern over the public values of community and environment?
The former POD zone will now become a RC zone; and is being called a “minor change” in our municipal master plan’s goals and objectives. This new retail commercial zone is not a minor but a major change and is in direct opposition to several goals, objectives and policies as now written in our Master Plan Update of 2014.
This is what the Sunshine Law says concerning emergency meetings. Emergency meetings, which may be called by a three-quarter vote, may be held only if substantial harm to the public interest would result from a delay and the need for meeting could not have reasonably be foreseen. Discussion must be limited to the matter which prompted the emergency meeting. The original meeting was scheduled for December 8; suddenly the date was moved up. Subject RD new threatened lawsuit, and their ultimatum to Parsippany, either the rezoning of the former Planned Office District (POD) or they would construct public housing units of 666-478 units.
Let it be stated that NO EMERGENCY existed to warrant this special meeting, and that the threat of public housing was a deliberate precipitation of the threatened event, public housing; without any due diligence in the matter of the very nature of the thing that must or possibly may take place in Parsippany. Waterview landscape would be highly unlikely; or near impossible to fall to such a proposal; and despite Waterviews rezoning to Retail/Commercial public housing responsibilities; if existing must still be forthcoming. Why would Waterview not be such a candidate; because of its recognition as an “existing community zone-environmentally constrained sub-zone. Instead RD along with our Planning Board caused a situation undesirable for their entrusted community, by prematurely and deliberately allowing RD a right of preemption over the people of Parsippany and the grassroots outcome of the No Vote in October 2013.
By corporations being people; RD has usurped all the citizens of Parsippany, by simply being a property owner; somehow not clear in how they exactly came to own and subvert an “existing area” of stability in the community and to undermine, rather than serve and protect prevailing residential character and existing density of the immediate neighborhood. This great undermine was certainly brought about by SuperPac politicians and a Planning Board favoring private economic interest over the community. A planning board that simply amends and makes changes to what they deem a phony and fluent master plan, that easily transforms itself against the benefit of the community and the environment; the so-called “minor change” which adoption of Ordinance 2015:26; rezoning of the Planned Office Zone to Retail Commercial will bring about. (Even the language is deceptive and false.)
This emergency/special meeting appears to be a method of fast tracking a corrupt method employed by the developer and in collaborations with Parsippany’s Planning Board and certain political cronies in their camp. No harm to the public interest existed; builders remedy courts which RD would need to petition if their public housing threat was to be manifest will even be in session until sometime in 2016, in fact the very harm was imposed by the Mayor and his administration beginning in October 2013.
In October 2013 after overwhelming opposition and sound reasoning the Council voted NO to RD proposal, and may it be emphasized not undermining our own Master Plan. Here is what happened next. Mayor James Barberio states he will have to acquire Waterview as Open space; this before the Mayoral Elections. A step further back; in July 2010 Parsippany began its idling within regional conformance of the Highlands Master Plan; volunteering Parsippany to higher standards and protections in its land use policies and standards. Parsippany’s main reason for beginning conformance was the expected lower public housing obligations then thought to be pending.
Under this “conformance” Parsippany apparently did little to improve its Master Plan. However in October 2013 we were still in a state of conformance; under this state a Memorandum of Understanding between the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council and the Council on Affordable Housing was in effect.
This document dated October 30, 2008 is still valid to this day to conforming Townships, states that environmentally sensitive land should be recognized preserved and encourages redevelopment and economic growth in appropriate areas. Parsippany being in a state of conformance could simply have guarded Waterview landscape by implementing a “checklist approach”. This would have given Waterview a higher status of recognition as an environmentally sensitive landscape; of which it is; making it harder for any such development proposal that threatened it by RD. The very fact that RD used public housing as a threat and a method of moot circumstance at the time; being the higher courts were deciding and costing Parsippany tax-payers may not have been allowed to play out.
Mayor James Barberio also did not activate the open space, environmental or transparency committees. Rather in June 2014 using the breakdown of the Skyview pumping Station which occurred in June of 2013as a reason opted out of regional conformance. The Engineering firm which received the contract in 2014 became part of Parsippany’s SuperPac donation pool to local candidates. Using this Skyview incident as a reason to end conformance is suspicious to say the least; from October 2013 after the Mayors word he would have waterview landscape as open space; we went to an attempt to commandeer County open space funds to supply RD with a paid for buffer zone, they would be required to provide anyway, calling it open space. The County wisely chose to turn it down and with a reprimand, stating it was one of the worse open space proposals ever. This was the first light that Mayor James Barberio intended not to keep his word concerning Waterview as open space; all 26+ acres of it.
So all the advantages that the Mayor had he tossed away in favor of RD’s interest. Now Rd is positioning itself to gain $3.5 million dollars of our Municipal open Space tax-dollars for their buffer zone; after they are being allowed to make major changes in our master plan, and without just cause or need rezone a former POD zoned area and forever change the character of that immediate neighborhood. Our so-called master plan is not protecting us; and is an ambiguous ‘date dump” of deception favoring large corporate landowners against the benefits is allegedly offers to the community.
Regional Planning Conformance would have simply settled all this brought stability and transparency and most of all if completed to full conformance legal protections, saving tax payers perhaps millions.
Corruption is the word that must be used here; from a definition of the word:Therefore, a critical mass of excessively individualistic agents may have an amplifying effect on corruption as it increases the average value of observed individualism beyond the level consistent with the preferences of the representative agent.
We have RD right above the right of all; and a grassroots democratic organic process that actually occurred turned on its head; in the name of a tax-ratable. What administration can justify changing its master plan; and disregarding its citizens for dollars; the same administration that wastes our tax dollars on frivolous lawsuits like Captain Carifi and the Aurora Securities Bills?
Wake-Up people this is a clear case of taxation without representation. Throw in the BOE and the $2.5+ million for the fields of dreams. We are being used and our Town is not our own.
PARSIPPANY — The victim contacted Parsippany Police Department to report a theft at 7:17 p.m. on Saturday, December 19. Patrol Officer C. DeLoatch responded to the victim’s office on New Road at which time he was advised that someone stole the lawn sign advertising their business.
After a brief investigation on Tuesday, December 22 Detective J. Keiling arrested and charged Don Kim, 36, East Hanover, for Theft of Movable Property (4th Degree).
Mr. Kim was released on his own recognizance pending his court date.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Police Department received phone call reporting a possible disturbance at the Hyatt House, 299 Smith Road at 6:27 p.m. on Sunday, December 27.
Upon arrival of multiple patrol units they were advised that Ryan Kelly, a former hotel guest, had a verbal argument with the hotel staff over the sale of alcohol.
After a brief verbal argument the victim advised that Mr. Kelly stole the bottle of liquor and left the building.
Patrol Sergeant M. LaManna, along with Patrol Officers J. Hughes, and R. McGinnis located Mr. Kelly in the parking lot.
After a brief investigation Mr. Kelly was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property. Mr. Kelly was released on his own recognizance pending his court date.
Editors Note: Criminal complaints are merely accusations. Despite these accusations, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Mayor James Barberio enters the race for Mayor. File Photo
PARSIPPANY — Mayor James Barberio’s administration submitted an ordinance to the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council requesting $1,363,584.60 for paying contractually required severance liabilities resulting from retirement of employees.
The ordinance was approved on second reading at the December 15 council meeting.
The authorization to finance the appropriation shall be provided for in the 2015 budget and in succeeding budgets by the inclusion of at least 1/5 of the amount authorized.
The following employees were included on the list:
PARSIPPANY — On Tuesday, December 8, at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Rafael Polanco-Caraballo, 28, was driving a 2003 Freight Liner Tractor Trailer westbound on Route 46, when a vehicle driven by Mr. Mohajit Vaishanav, 67, Piscataway, came too close to the trailer and cut in front of the trailer causing the accident.
Mr. Vaishanav was driving a 2008 Lexus ES350, which was towed from the scene by Eagle Towing.
Rockaway Neck Volunteer First Aid Squad provided assistant at the scene, although no one was transported to the hospital. There were summons were issued.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Officer David Roman investigated the accident.
For New Jersey commuters, the December fun is over — at least for one day. Drivers could face slick, and dangerous, road conditions Monday night and early Tuesday morning in northern and western counties, thanks to a storm that will be delivering a nasty mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain before changing to all rain…
LACEY — A popular holiday gift that has had problems with catching on fire struck a home in the Lanoka Harbor section of town on Sunday. Fire department officials said the hoverboard went up in flames while it was charging — which is consistent with reports of hoverboard fires across the country. “Be careful when charging…
Former Police Captain James Carifi and his attorney Edward J. Bilinkas
Retired Captain James Carifi
PARSIPPANY — On October 25, 2015 the Township’s Hearing Officer, retired Rockaway Township Police Chief, Joseph Devine, Devine Leadership Concepts, ruled in favor of Captain Carifi and stated that Parsippany lacked jurisdiction to proceed against an officer who retired over a year and a half ago and retired in “Good Standing.” However, Parsippany’s Town Council was never made aware of Chief Devine’s ruling.
Devine Leadership Concepts was hired by the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills to serve as a “Hearing Officer” in disciplinary proceedings/employment matters within the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department.
Parsippany Police Chief Paul Philipps testified under oath in front of Morris County Superior Court Judge Ahto in Morris County Superior Court on November 10, 2014 that there was not going to be any administrative action taken against Captain Carifi. Then Carifi was subsequently served with a Preliminary Notice of Discipline on Christmas Eve the following month.
Devine was quick to criticize the Township’s actions by stating in his ruling that the “Service of the Preliminary Notice of Discipline on Christmas Eve does little to enhance the credible intent of this process. Since a period of one year, eight months and 24 days transpired between Captain Carifi’s retirement and service of the administrative action on Christmas evening 2014”.
Even after being served with the administrative action on Christmas Eve, three months later in March of 2015, Chief Paul Philipps certified under oath in front of Superior Court Judge Ahto that Captain Carifi did in fact retire in “Good Standing”. This was also mentioned as a basis for Chief Devine’s ruling.
On October 9, 2015, Pre-hearing motions were argued in front of the Township’s Hearing Officer, Joseph Devine. Ed Bilinkas and Christopher Deininger appeared on behalf of Captain Carifi. Both Denis Driscoll, a partner in Inglesino, Webster, Wyciskala & Taylor, LLC., and Steven Trimboli, represented the Township.
According to the transcript both sides wanted Chief Devine to rule on certain aspects of the case in their favor should it move forward.
Bilinkas and Deininger wanted the Hearing to be open to the public, which would allow anybody to come and observe the hearing. They also wanted to be able to call to the witness stand Township Attorney John Ingelsino and Mayor James Barberio.
Driscoll and Trimboli were against these positions and wanted Chief Devine to rule that the Hearing would be closed to the public, that Ingelsino and Barberio could not be called to the stand to testify and that the Hearing Officer issue a confidentiality order prohibiting Carifi’s attorney’s from discussing or disclosing any information about the case with the public/press.
However, these were all moot points since Chief Devine ruled that Parsippany lacked jurisdiction against Captain Carifi to proceed in the first place.
In further development, Parsippany Focus attended a Civil Court hearing held in Morristown Superior Court on November 4 & 5, 2015, in which the head of Parsippany Police Department’s Internal Affairs testified that Captain Carifi’s file was tampered with and certain documents and emails were removed from the file.
Upon further questioning by Mr. Deininger, it was discovered that this was never to happen and that the file is suppose to remain intact and never is suppose to change. It was also revealed the items that were removed showed the direct involvement of John Ingelsino in Captain Carifi’s case.
When questioned about the documents being removed from the file, it was discovered that they may have been removed after a meeting that Lt. Keith Veletto had with Chief Paul Philipps and Parsippany’s attorneys.
Through OPRA requests, Parsippany Focus has learned that this administrative action that was recently dismissed by Chief Devine, cost the Township over $90,000. Regarding the total amount that Inglesino, Webster, Wyciskala & Taylor, LLC., and Aurora Information Security & Risk have billed the Township regarding Captain Carifi is approximately 1.9 million dollars.
Finally, court documents show that Federal Court Judge Caproni from the Southern District Court of New York, found Aurora’s Founder, Matthew Ferrante to be not credible during a recent Court case, which was recently decided in October of 2015.
Ironically, Captain Carifi’s computer expert, John Luich from eForensix, a regular of Fox news and also a former employee with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, has previously documented in Court submissions that Aurora and Mr. Ferrante were in fact misleading the Court in their submissions.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany High School Marching Band performed the half-time show on Sunday, December 27 at MetLife Stadium during the Jets vs. New England Patriots game.
The Jets organization sent coach buses to Parsippany High School to pick up the band, at 8:00 a.m. to head to MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford.
The members of the band also ate lunch in the AT&T pavilion and was provided with tickets to see the game.
The Parsippany High School Marching Band are the 2015 USBands Group IV A New Jersey State and National Champions. The band is led by Drum Majors Dev Lad, Megan Wang and Miki Hansen, and under the direction of Mr. Gregory Dalakian
The National Anthem was performed by Raymond Luke Jr. from Broadway’s “Motown.”
The game was televised on Channel 2, WCBS New York. The New York Jets beat the New England Patriots 26-20 on overtime.
The NFL postseason doesn’t officially begin until the second weekend in January. But for the New York Jets it started today.
The 9-5 Jets were currently on the outside of the playoff picture, thanks to losing out on a tiebreaker with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall says he knows this week’s tilt against the New England Patriots will be arguably the biggest game he’s ever played. The Jets are now 10-5, and the Patriots are now 12-3.
The Parsippany High School Marching Band will perform on Prudential Center concourse before the Thursday, January 21 Devils game against Ottawa Senators. Click here for more information.
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
The PHS Marching Band entering the field
PHS Colorguard Members
Brianna Kelley performing during the Jets Patriots game at Metlife
Colorguard member Sean O’Donell
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Drum Major Dev Lad
Member of the percussion section
Alice Limanova
Clarinet Section
Alice Limanova
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Member of the percussion section
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
PHS Marching Band Field Crew
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Parsippany High School Marching Redhawks perform at MetLife
Marching Band Director Gregory Dalakian
Marching Band Instructor Gregory Loughlin
Sara Greenzweig, Dev Lad and Matthew Dalakian exiting the field
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany High School Marching Band will be performing on Sunday, December 27 at MetLife Stadium during the Jets vs. New England Patriots game. They will perform during half-time.
The Jets organization will be sending coach buses to Parsippany High School to pick up the band. They are leaving Parsippany High School around 8:00 a.m. to head to MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford.
They are providing the members of the band lunch in the AT&T pavilion and tickets to see the game.
The Parsippany High School Marching Band are the 2015 USBands Group IV A New Jersey State and National Champions. The band is led by Drum Majors Dev Lad, Megan Wang and Miki Hansen, and under the direction of Mr. Gregory Dalakian.
The National Anthem will be performed by Raymond Luke Jr. from Broadway’s “Motown.”
The game will be televised on Channel 2, WCBS New York.
Parsippany Focus will be at the game taking pictures of the Parsippany High School Marching Band and will provide coverage.