PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills is offering a free educational program entitled ”Protecting Seniors’ Assets,” presented by Robert Bernstein, Esq.
This information filled program will be held on Tuesday, July 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Parsippany Community Center, 1130 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha.
Light refreshments will be served.
Mr. Bernstein has developed an outstanding professional reputation in his field and is known as a person of high integrity and trust. His specialty is in reducing very complicated legal issues to simple terms which his clients can understand. Mr. Bernstein believes in educating his clients on the various aspects of the law dealing with their particular matter and having them participate in decisions as to how a matter should be structured based upon the education he has imparted to them.
Mr. Bernstein is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a member of the Elder Law and Disability Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He specializes in counseling clients with respect to providing for their retirement, and managing their assets in order to protect themselves from creditors in the event of unforeseen health issues which may arise as they age. His focus is always on protecting the client and making certain they are secure. Too often Mr. Bernstein has seen assets transferred to parties such as children without providing the protection needed for the parents as they age. Mr. Bernstein is known for establishing a plan which balances the needs of the aging parent as well as providing for the security of the adult children. Oftentimes this will involve setting up special Trusts in order to protect the parents and the children. He is familiar with dealing with Medicaid issues and making certain that the parents and family members do not take actions which violate the Medicaid Laws. He stresses to the clients the need to do advance planning in these areas as making plans when a crisis suddenly arises often creates insurmountable problems for family members.
For more information, please Mr. Bernstein at (973) 263-7351.
The team congragulting Elizabeth Quigley on a homerun
Alivia Mercuro up at bat
Caitlin Brennan up at bat
Megan Leitner makes it to firts base
Luisa Barone is safe on third base
Luisa Barone slides to home base
Alivia Mercuro makes it to first base safe
The team
Claudia Bennett throwing the ball to the pitcher
Luisa Barone about to make a run for third base
Alivia Mercuro about to hit the ball
The Champions
PARSIPPANY — The Par-Troy East Senior All Stars 2015 beat Triboro 8-4 in seven innings on Tuesday at Gallo Field behind Alivia Mercuro, who collected three hits. With the win PTE won the NJ Section 1 title and advanced to the NJ State Final 4, starting Tuesday, July 14.
She singled in the first, fourth, and sixth innings. Caitlin Brennan recorded the win for PTE Seniors All Stars 2015. She allowed four runs over seven innings. Brennan struck out five, walked four and gave up six hits. In her 4 district and sectional games she has a 1.29 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 27 innings.
Radner ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, charged with the loss. She allowed seven runs in six innings, walked one and struck out two.
The top of the first saw Triboro take an early lead, 2-0. Cavanaugh singled to ignite Triboro’s offense. A single by Monahan then moved Cavanaugh from first to third. The scoreboard lit up again for Triboro when Monahan scored on an RBI single by Vandergoot.
PTE scored one run in the first inning, and then followed it up with one more in the sixth. In the first, PTE scored on an RBI single by Mercuro, plating Meg Leitner.
PTE never trailed after scoring three runs in the second on three singles.
PTE tacked on another two runs in the fourth. A ground out scored Julz Del Viscio to get PTE on the board in the inning. That was followed up by Mercuro’s single, scoring Luisa Barone.
One run in the top of the seventh helped Triboro close its deficit to 8-4. An error set off Triboro rally. Brennan ended the game by getting Radner to ground out on a tremendous play by right fielder Alyssa Feola throwing out Radner at 1st base.
Par-Troy East moves on to the State Final 4 on Tuesday, July 14.
They will face the Section 2 winner at 5:30 p.m. at Lodi Little League. Middletown, the section 3 winner will face the Section 4 winner at 8:00 p.m. Winners and Losers on Tuesday will face each other on Wednesday, July 15 at Lodi Little Leauge at 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
The New Jersey Department of Corrections conducted an inspection of the Morris County Correctional Facility on Thursday, June 25 and Friday, June 26.
The inspection revealed that the Correctional Facility remains in complete compliance with all regulations and requirements as set forth under New Jersey law as well as administrative code and practices.
According to a letter dated Tuesday, July 7 from Director Marcus Hicks of the NJ Department of Corrections Office of County Services “Sheriff Rochford and his staff are to be congratulated on this achievement and are to be commended for the efforts and preparation for this inspection. The hard work and dedication by the staff of your facility was evident.”
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. This accreditation is one of prestige as only 160 jails of the over 3,000 in the United States have ever accomplished this feat. These two national accreditations finish up the three essential national assessments, earning the Morris County Sheriff’s Office the Triple Crown Award for the 11th year in a row. The Triple Crown Award’s distinction have only been earned by 36 of the 3,083 Sheriff’s Offices nationwide. This also comes on the heels of just having received reaccreditation from The National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) with a perfect score of 100% for all essential standards and a 94% in the non-essential standards.
Sheriff Edward Rochford congratulates the men and women of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections for their continued outstanding work.
BY THE NUMBERS: THE MORRIS COUNTY JAIL (2014 stats)
Inmate capacity: 524 (452 males, 72 females)
Prisoners during June 2015 inspection: 264 (221 male, 43 female)
Average daily prisoner count for 12 month period: 300 (260 male, 40 female)
Highest one-day count during that same period: 355 (301 male, 54 female)
Average bookings per month: 283 (262 male, 21 female)
The largest number of inmates, 135 (119 male, 16 female), were awaiting trial.
The next-largest group, 56 (46 male, 10 female) were sentenced by the county.
The third-largest group, 45 (36 male, 9 female) were pre-sentenced.
The staff count was 202, according to the county.
In 2014, two staff members were assaulted by inmates. One incident involved inmates assaulting each other.
“Forced moves” — when inmates had to be relocated from their cells for disciplinary reasons– were reported 73 times in 2014.
Chemical agents were use 39 times by jail staff.
The emergency response team was used 39 times to respond to fights and emergencies.
Strip searches were conducted based on “reasonable suspicion” 1232 times, until the jail staff halted the practice in response to legal challenges elsewhere, according to Undersheriff William Schievella.
No escapes were attempted.
Some 93 grievances were reported; one was substantiated, involving food service.
There were 8 suicide attempts (5 hanging, 2 slashing, 1 “other”), but no deaths at the jail in 2014.
AARP Smart Driver Course will be held in Parsippany on August 5
PARSIPPANY — In 1979, AARP founded “55 Alive” to help keep older drivers independent, safe and confident while on the road. While its mission hasn’t changed since then, many other things have, including the program name.
The AARP Driver Safety refresher course will bring you up to speed on changes to roads and cars.
Today, AARP Driver Safety continues to meet the needs of older drivers through educational programs led by more than 4,000 volunteers and myriad resources. But they aren’t the same programs and resources that were available nearly 35 years ago. AARP Driver Safety has continued to evolve with the times, delivering on AARP’s goal to promote the independence of older Americans and enhance their quality of life.
A lot has changed since AARP Driver Safety first began as “55 Alive.” The roads have changed. Cars and the technology inside them have changed. Even the people behind the wheel have changed. As drivers, if we don’t keep up with those changes we put others and ourselves at risk.
Refresh your driving skills with the AARP smart driver course to be held in Parsippany on Wednesday, August 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The course will be taught by instructor Martin Karasick. You can contact Marty directly at (973) 402-6466.
You will learn defensive driving techniques, proven safety strategies, new traffic laws and rules of the road. There are no tests to pass. You simply sign up and learn. Upon completion you could receive a multi-year discount on your car insurance.
This course will be held at Parsippany Community Center, 1130 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha.
Classroom course cost $15.00 for AARP members, and $20.00 for non members.
Participants, please don’t forget to bring lunch.
For more information click here. Registration is required. Call Gloria or Colleen at (973) 263-7352. Please make check or money order payable to: AARP and be sure to bring your AARP membership card with you to get the member rate for participation in this course.
PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills announced the annual Fall Festival will take place this year on Sunday, September 20 from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 p.m. on North Beverwyck Road.
The town-wide celebration not only provides an opportunity to highlight township programs, services, organizations and businesses, but also encourages community spirit.
The generosity of the business community has played a large role in the success of the past festivals. For those businesses and organizations wanting to participate click here and print a registration form. Please be sure to submit your forms as soon as possible.
For businesses looking for sponsorship opportunities please contact Michelle Sylvin at (973) 263-4256 for more information. The Townshup is hoping to count on your support in exchange for being recognized in press releases, advertisements and social media outlets
The billboard inside PHS showing where the graduates are attending
John Loaiza will be attending County College of Morris
PARSIPPANY — Now that the school year is over, the summer is here, the Parsippany High School graduates are preparing for their next journey in life. Of the 223 graduates, 72% will be attending a Four Year College or University (161 graduates); 50 graduates or 22% are attending Two Year Colleges; 5 graduates or 2% are attending career education; 2 graduates or 1% will be an apprenticeship; 1 graduate or 1% will be joining the Military; and 4 graduates or 2% will be going directly into employment.
The Parsippany High School Class of 2015 graduates will attend:
Arcadia University: William Snell;
Centenary College: Amber Moore.
Caitlyn Bednarz will be attending County College of Morris
County College of Morris: Eric Abanfo, Ahmed Abdelkader, Sohaib Ahmed, Christopher Aldana-Garcia, Caitlyn Bednarz, James Brennan, D’Angelo Brown, Daniel Campbell, Hayden Cerrato, Travis Cicalese, Jonathan Croat, Brianna D’Alessio, Gabriella Davino, Omar Dawud, Nicolas Freeman, Joseph Gatto, Kasey Hart, Jacob Helmlinger, Christian Hulse-Carr, Marla Jamna, Brandon Jones, William Leys, John Loaiza, Samantha Natoli, Rishi Parmar, Shalin Patel, Ganesh Persaud, Martin Louis Poblete, Sasha Ramnarine, Matthew Rodriguez, Kaitlyn Scannazzo, Ashley Shandra, Jennifer Smith, Ivana Srbljanovic, Elizabeth Stumpf, Emily Tom, Malcolm Udoh, John Unyuruten, Heather Van Syckel, Nicolette Villopoto, Marvin Vivanco and Sencm Yavuz.
Drew University: Kinza l’vlalik.
Billy Lays will be attending County College of Morris
Mishal Varghese Drexel University: Saumya Ma lkani.
Shymn Naik East Carolina University: John Bucciarelli.
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania: Katherine De Marco, Malik Francis and Gabriela Rachmaciej.
Fairfield University: Lauren Durborow.
Fairleigh Dickinson University: Alexandra Cancino and Jinchin Yuan.
Fashion Institute of Technology: Nicolas Galvis.
Fiorello H. La Guardia Community College of CUNY: Vijaya Pandey.
Florida State University: Michael Michalik.
Indiana University at Bloomington: Winston Yeh.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania: Kayleigh Byrne.
Elizabeth Stumpf will be attending County College of Morris
John Jay College of Criminal Justice of CUNY: Gloria Seales.
Johns Hopkins University: Viren Lad.
Johnson & Wales University: Jessica Chapman.
Kean University: Marline Agenor, Brittany Birth and Rania Sawalhi.
Long Island University, Brooklyn: Caroline Curiel.
Manhattan College: Seema Shah.
Marist College: Kaila M igliazza.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Emily Weng.
Monmouth University: Danielle Jannarone, Jessica Murray and Phoebe Nelson.
Montclair State University: Kristina Olio, Alexyss Panfile, Kaitlynn Pinero, Jonathan Rose, Victorin Rossi, Matthew Ruggiero, Brittany Scannelli, Andrew Smith and Abraham Yaqoobi.
Muhlenberg College: Emily Davis.
New Jersey Institute of Technology: Maire Burder, Parth Chokshi, Matthew De Jesus, Jaydin Jennings, Nikhil Kanoor, Kishan Patel, Shivan Patel and Tej Patel.
New York University: Varun Chopra, Phyllis Chou, Jordan Imp, Aleena Kazmi and Katie Lau.
Northeastem University: Melissa Palacios.
John Lips will be attending Ramapo College
Passaic County Community College: Kefaya Rabah, Mamoon Rabah and Othman Rabah.
Purdue University: Kyle Ting.
Ramapo College of New Jersey: Brian Carter, John Lips, Joshua Lustig, Joanne Veloz, and Nicholas Verillo.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Kentaro Hansen.
Roger Wil liams University: Lauren Calabrese.
Rowan University: De’Andre Fils-Aime, Emmanuel Gaya, Maria Glodzik, Katherine Lips, Jenna Scalzo and Veronica Shaw.
Rutgers University: Jennifer Atherton, Jessica Bajwa, Gulseren Bayrak, Tulsi Bulsara, Volodymyr Busko, Amanda Chan, Anna Chandra, Sarah Chen, Jenna Chung, Komal Desai, Jonathan Di Pippa, Heenal Gandhi, Natalie Hall, Najma Hassan, Ashley Jankovic, Nikhil Jiju, So Young Jung, Navjot Kaur, Shreya Khajuria, Linh Le, Joon Lee, Tameem Maqsudi, Melissa Mohammed, Drashti Parekh, Jaltej Patel, Jayati Patel, Sahil Patel, Shymn Patel, Kevin Reshamwala, Asra Siddiqi, Ronald Tudorache, Zahra Wallizadeh, Joshua Wong, Samuel Wu and Sarha Yaqoobi.
Seton Hall University: Erin Hoffman, Mohammad Jaman, Julianna Kadian, Joseph Kloss, Masood Tvfohayya and Keshal Patel.
Brianna D’Alessio will be attending County College of Morris
Springfield College: Aarin Feliz.
St. John’s University: Kayla Rodriguez.
St. Joseph’s College: Jane Ooi.
State University of New York at Albany: Maya Rudolph.
Stevens Institute of Technology: Zachary Kovacs.
Stonehill College: Taylor Auletto.
Stony Brook University: Alexander Bamert and Samir Gandhi.
Syracuse University: Erick Abinader.
Temple University: Evan Shoshan.
The College of New Jersey: Omar Bokhari, Niharika Mami, llapalli Shrecvidya Nallan, Rick Santana and Henry Shen.
Ohio State University: Christopher Yang.
Towson University:Giancarlo Colasuonno.
United States Air Force Academy: Joshua Fortes.
University of Delaware: David Aloisio, Amanda Angulo, Jennifer Chang, David Patracuolla, Brian Rodrigues, Valery Salinas and Nicole Scarmazzo.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Christopher Tang.
Emily Tsai University of Massachusetts: Taylor Lewis.
University of New Haven: Sarah Ferguson.
University of Pennsylvania: Lilian Peng and Elizabeth Tu.
Andrew Lie, Parsippany Central Middle School and Lauren Tavares,Parsippany Assistant Branch Manager
PARSIPPANY — Spencer Savings Bank, a community bank headquartered in Elmwood Park, once again awarded scholarships as part of an annual initiative to support promising young students in the region.
On June 24, an awards ceremony was held at the bank where two local students received scholarships. Parsippany High School student Priyal Patel was presented with a $1,000 scholarship.
In addition, Parsippany Central Middle School student Andrew Lie received a $500 scholarship in the form of a Coverdell Education Savings Account.
In total, 31 local students received $23,500 in scholarships this year. Through the program, 16 high school students each received a $1,000 scholarship, along with 15 middle school students who each received a $500 Coverdell Education Savings Account. The Bank’s annual scholarship program is designed to recognize and encourage those with academic potential as they plan their future educational endeavors.
“Investing in our community starts with helping secure an education for our children,” says José B. Guerrero, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spencer Savings Bank. “Education is expensive and much needed for a bright future. We are so proud to support these young scholars in their academic pursuits, hopes and dreams.”
Since the inception of the Spencer Scholarship Program in 2002, a total amount of $315,500 has been awarded to students from the Bank’s service area, including Clifton, Cranford, Elizabeth, Elmwood Park, Garfield, Garwood, Lodi, Lyndhurst, North Caldwell, Nutley, Parsippany, Saddle Brook, Union, Wallington, Wayne and Wood-Ridge. In addition to the scholarship program, Spencer also hosts financial education programs in area schools.
“Being able to continue our long-running scholarship program is one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities of Spencer Savings Bank,” Mr. Guerrero says. “Our children are our legacy and we are very proud to support these local students in our community and to celebrate their accomplishments.”
It appears New Jerseyans will finally get a break from the rain Friday but first another day of drenching showers is in the forecast. Gusty thunderstorms this afternoon have the potential for flash flooding in the Garden State into Thursday night. The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook in the state for the…
TRENTON — Chase Bank will abandon credit card debt collection efforts against more than 34,000 New Jersey consumers to settle allegations it used “robo-signed” affidavits and made calculation errors in seeking court judgments, state authorities said Wednesday. As part of the settlement, the bank and Chase Bankcard Services will pay $136 million to 47 states, the…
JERSEY CITY — The head of Hudson County’s Republican Party was arrested early this morning after cops say he was driving drunk in Downtown Jersey City, had trouble speaking and stumbled while getting out of his car, according to the Port Authority. Jose Arango, 57, of West New York, was driving westbound on 14th Street at…
PARSIPPANY — A Boonton doctor was sentenced to 63 months in prison for accepting $1.8 million in bribes to refer millions of dollars in business to Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC (BLS), of Parsippany, as part of a long-running scheme operated by the lab, its president, and numerous associates, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Frank Santangelo, 45, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging him with violating the Travel Act, money laundering and failing to file tax returns. Judge Chesler imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
“Santangelo admitted he violated the trust of his patients, who should be able to count on their doctors’ prescribing only tests that are necessary and recommending providers based solely on their qualifications,” U.S. Attorney Fishman said. “This type of fraud compromises patient care and drives up the cost of health care.”
“Today’s sentencing of Frank Santangelo is the result of a long-term, multi-agency investigation into a complex health care fraud scheme which involved millions of dollars,” Richard M. Frankel, FBI Special Agent in Charge, Newark Division, said. “Santangelo’s arrest and sentencing send the message the FBI and its law enforcement partners will continue to zealously investigate these fraud and abuse schemes, which divert critical resources from of our already overburdened health care system and contribute exponentially to the rising cost of health care.”
Including Santangelo, 38 people – 26 of them doctors – have pleaded guilty in connection with the bribery scheme, which its organizers have admitted involved millions of dollars in bribes and resulted in more than $100 million in payments to BLS from Medicare and various private insurance companies.
According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:
Santangelo, with offices in Montville and Wayne received more than $1.8 million in bribe payments from BLS for referrals for which the lab was paid more than $6 million by Medicare and various insurance companies. After receiving more than $800,000 from BLS through sham lease agreements and sham service agreements between 2006 and 2010, Santangelo began receiving bribes from BLS through a third party – often tens of thousands of dollars a month – totaling more than $1 million between 2010 and his arrest in April 2013.
Santangelo acknowledged the authenticity of text messages between himself and BLS president and part owner David Nicoll in which Santangelo referred to ordering unnecessary tests to increase referrals to BLS in exchange for bribes. In one text message conversation, Santangelo said he and another doctor had “put our heads together and added a significant amount of testing…. The testing is 90 percent legit.” Santangelo detailed his plan to send $1 million per month in blood testing referrals to BLS by increasing the number of blood tests being ordered, including medically unnecessary tests.
In another text message conversation, David Nicoll wrote to Santangelo about the status of their referral agreement, stating that BLS “really can’t afford the 40-50,000 [dollars] a month if the girls aren’t going to be drawing any blood,” to which Santangelo responded by stating, “U no u can count on me!” and “I never let u down!”
He also pleaded guilty to money laundering, admitting that he used another individual in an attempt to hide the bribes from BLS, and to failing to file tax returns from 2009-2011 and pay taxes owed during that time period.
On April 9, 2013, federal agents arrested David Nicoll, 41, of Mountain Lakes; Scott Nicoll, 34, of Wayne, a senior BLS employee and David Nicoll’s brother; and Craig Nordman, 36, of Whippany, a BLS employee and the CEO of Advantech Sales LLC – an entity used by BLS to make illegal payments. They were charged by federal complaint with the bribery conspiracy, along with the BLS company and Santangelo. David and Scott Nicoll and Nordman are awaiting sentencing.
“Physicians who accept kickbacks in exchange for patient referrals and ordering medically unnecessary blood tests undermine the public’s faith in the medical profession and the financial stability of Medicare,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “OIG will continue to protect both taxpayers and patients by holding physicians accountable for such wrongdoing.”
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Santangelo to three years of supervised release and fined him $6,250. Santangelo must also forfeit more than $1.8 million as part of his plea agreement. The investigation has so far recovered more than $11.5 million through forfeiture.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates, with the ongoing investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Andrew Leven, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Minish, and Jacob T. Elberg, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward of the office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman reorganized the health care fraud practice at the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office shortly after taking office, including creating a stand-alone Health Care and Government Fraud Unit to handle both criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions of health care fraud offenses. Since 2010, the office has recovered more than $635 million in health care fraud and government fraud settlements, judgments, fines, restitution and forfeiture under the False Claims Act, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other statutes.
By now many of you have seen the Daily Record article (click here).
I regret to inform you that the CenterMain section of the Kirkbride Building has now been so thoroughly degraded that any hope for its re-use has been lost, and there will be no adaptive re-use of the Greystone Kirkbride Building whatsoever.
And so ends our mission of advocacy.
Once its days as a hospital ended, there was a golden opportunity to bring this treasure forward into contemporary relevance, and to define a positive new role for it in our community. Numerous examples exist of Kirkbride Buildings in other states (some of lower quality, and in far worse shape than our Greystone) that now serve as community centers, mixed use commercial/residential villages, and wildly popular tourist destinations. They were revitalized without any expenditure of taxpayer money.
But there will be no second act for our Kirkbride Building.
Nor third, nor fourth.
Greystone is public property, literally common ground. It has been an enormous presence in the community – for a long, long time. Answering the question of what to do with it is a conversation that should have taken place publicly. All stakeholders should have had the opportunity to voice their aspirations for this public heirloom, and to voice their concerns for how different adaptive re-uses might impact the community, now and for future generations.
Unfortunately, Greystone’s fate was deliberated behind closed doors, by an insular collection of public officials who will not account for their actions in this matter. No plausible explanation has been given for the decisions that were made. The silence of our local officials on this issue is deafening, and the story promulgated by the State – that it would cost too much to re-use the building – is nonsense. Numerous private firms came forward with the money and expertise to put the building to good use. But the State wouldn’t talk to them.
To say that these officials failed to manage our assets wisely, or even responsibly, is an understatement. They turned down over $100M in private investment, borrowed $50M, and actively destroyed an irreplaceable public heirloom that was built to last forever – an irretrievable loss for this generation and countless future ones, and an affront to the generation that built it.
I heartily commend the foresight and collaborative action being taken by all those working to rescue iconic pieces of the façade. It is sincerely hoped that these will indeed comprise part of a future memorial on the site. But a memorial, no matter how important, no matter how thoughtful or beautiful, cannot mitigate this fiscal, cultural and environmental disaster.
I want to thank you all for your attention, and commend you all once again for your active participation and support for good public policy. If you took the time to send a postcard, plant a lawnsign, attend a rally, call your legislator, or simply talked to your neighbors about Greystone, you were engaged in an important act of citizenship. If you demanded answers, you were sending a message. No matter the outcome, these actions are vitally important to the health of our democracy. Sunshine is the best disinfectant, and an informed, engaged, and vocal citizenry is the best antidote to bad government.
SUMMIT — The New Jersey Foundation for Open Government (NJFOG) on May 29 filed suit in Union County Superior Court against the Summit Housing Authority and its Custodian of Records alleging violations of the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA).
A hearing to address the OPRA counts in the case (Docket No. UNN-L-1927-15) is scheduled for Friday, July 10 at 10:00 a.m. before Judge James Hely, J.S.C. OPMA counts will be addressed at a later date.
The lawsuit is the latest installment of NJFOG’s “affirmative litigation” initiative, begun in 2014, intended to give teeth to the State’s open public meetings and records laws and to increase compliance by public agencies statewide.
“OPMA and OPRA violations are commonplace, unfortunately. Citizens are often hesitant to bring suit to enforce the law, especially for OPMA violations, because, until reform is passed by the Legislature, there’s no mandate requiring a court to award legal fees in an OPMA case. Few people can bear the financial burden of bringing a lawsuit, so there is a need for an organization like NJFOG to step in – to do what individuals can’t – in order to protect the rights of the public,” said NJFOG President Walter Luers.
The suit stems from an April 9, 2015 OPRA request filed by NJFOG Treasurer and Affirmative Litigation Committee member John Paff seeking the minutes of the Housing Authority’s three most recent non-public (closed or executive) session meetings, the motions or resolutions authorizing those three closed sessions, and motions or resolutions for any closed sessions held subsequently. (Note: Prior to excluding the public from a meeting, a public body must pass a written resolution or oral motion to enter into executive session.)
In a short response dated April 17, 2015 that included no records, Joseph M. Billy, Jr., Executive Director of the Housing Authority and its Records Custodian, stated that the Authority’s board motions and votes to enter executive session as needed but that no written resolutions are prepared. He went on to state, rather incredulously, that “minutes of executive sessions are not maintained and therefore are unavailable.”
NJFOG was able to find records from 2010, including 1) a written resolution to enter executive session on May 26, 2010, and 2) minutes for an executive session held on October 27, 2010.
What’s interesting is that this shows the agency kept minutes of their closed session meetings as recently as four or five years ago.
The Authority’s website includes another salient detail — minutes for the public portion of a meeting on September 17, 2014 show that the board entered into executive session at that meeting. No minutes exist for that closed session, apparently.
In its June 24 answer to the complaint, the Housing Authority states that Mr. Billy had interpreted Paff’s OPRA request to be only for records of meetings held since Billy became Executive Director on April 1, 2013.
Paff’s request was both clear and concise, however, and mentions no time frame.
While admitting it should have prepared minutes for its executive sessions and didn’t during Billy’s tenure as director, the Authority argues that it didn’t violate OPRA by not providing the records in response to Paff’s request because the statute doesn’t require a public agency to create records to fill an OPRA request.
NJFOG’s response to the Authority includes the following passage: “OPRA does not limit OPRA requests to the tenure or term of office of the Records Custodian. If the legislature meant for this to happen, it would be in the list of exceptions to OPRA. It would also go against public policy, as a public entity could change custodians frequently to avoid production of documents. In addition, Billy in his original response to…Paff fails to mention that the denial is only for his tenure, this appears to be a last minute argument that carries no weight.”
Alleged violations of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) include use of executive session motions/resolutions that are not sufficiently detailed and failure to maintain meeting minutes for executive sessions.
NJFOG is the only non-profit organization in the state dedicated solely to improving New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and working to educate the public and increase governmental compliance with these laws.
Trading has been temporarily halted on all stocks on the New York Stock Exchange. The NYSE released the following statement on its status page: “NYSE/NYSE MKT has temporarily suspended trading in all symbols. Additional information will follow as soon as possible” RELATED: US stocks head lower as China fails to halt market slide The trading stopped…
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany’s inventory of apartments will soon be growing. Mill Creek Residential, a firm with over 15,000 rental units across the country plans to break ground later this year on Interpark Boulevard (behind the new Houlihan’s) to erect 212 luxury one and two bedroom rental units. The complex will be named Modera.Parsippany Focus visited Modera 44 in Morristown which recently opened. Modera 44 in Morristown and Modera in Parsippany will share many of the same amenities and will be similar in appearance.
At a prior Board of Adjustment meeting, several residents expressed concern that with 212 new apartments in Parsippany, the local schools may become over-crowded. Richard Murphy, a Managing Director with Mill Creek told Parsippany Focus that with 90% of the 268 total units now rented in Morristown, only one child currently attends the Morristown school district. Murphy expects few school age children at the Parsippany location as well.
Modera 44
Lobby
Business Center
Club Room
Club Room
Club Room
Club Room
Living Room
Kitchen
Roof Deck
Roof Deck
Roof Deck
Roof Deck
Exercise Room
Spinning Room
Modera 44 located in Morristown
Amenities at Modera 44 include:
Garage parking
Electric car charging stations
Dog- and cat-friendly
Pet spa
Club-quality fitness studio with towel service
Yoga studio
Spinning room
Cardio equipment with individual TVs
Community bikes for residents to borrow
Stunning clubhouse with multiple social zones
Free wi-fi in social spaces
Rooftop deck with outdoor kitchen and seating areas
Resident lounge with flat screen TVs, bar seating and pool tables
Business center and conference room
Bike storage
Individual full-size washer & dryer
Key fob entry
High ceilings
Bright and light-filled spaces
Well-equipped kitchens
Quartz countertops
Custom cabinetry
Energy Star stainless appliances
Dishwasher
Microwave
Refrigerator with ice maker
Vinyl plank flooring
Wall-to-wall carpeting in bedrooms
Soaking tubs
Walk-in closets*
Private balcony or patio
Wired for high-speed internet
Programmable thermostats
*some apartments
More information about Modera and Modera 44 can be found on their website at www.millcreekplaces.com
The driver of the vehicle hit a utility pole, ran over landscaping, and then hit a tree on Vail Road, near Winfield Drive.
PARSIPPANY — Mr. Coby Lee, 22, Lake Hiawatha, was traveling east on Vail Road when he attempted to swat a bug away while driving and took his eyes off the road for a moment and struck a utility pole, then drove on the landscaping of a residence and ended by hitting a tree. This accident happen at 3:43 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7.
There were no injuries reported at the scene.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Officer Gian Cacioppo determined Mr. Lee was at fault for driver inattenative.
Mr. Lee was driving a 2004 Toyota Camry, which was towed from the scene by Eagle Towing.
The the time of this report, there were no summons issued.
PARSIPPANY — Dovetail, the provider of market leading payments and liquidity management solutions, announces today new intelligent routing, repair and enrichment solutions to extend its Smart Middle Office payment management suite, allowing banks to solve complex payment business challenges without entering into costly legacy renovation projects. Dovetail is located at 1515 Route 10.
Global electronic payment volumes are projected to more than double over the next decade. However, per transaction revenues are decreasing and, in an increasingly competitive market, banks are under pressure to drive up efficiency while at the same time differentiate by bringing new products to market faster, with better customer service. Although experts agree that investing in a single payments processing architecture is the best strategy to address these challenges, replacing legacy infrastructure takes time and may not be an option for some banks in the short term.
Fortunately, Dovetail offers a way forward. Dovetail’s intelligent routing, enrichment and repair solutions sit between a bank’s initiation channels and its legacy back office systems, serving as a centralized hub for payment processing. The plug-in architecture ensures that complex payment management requirements can be addressed without customizations. Straight-through processing is boosted by centralizing and consistently applying payment reference data and smart repair algorithms, and customer service responsiveness is enhanced by enabling operators to view and manage all payment activity in a single system, regardless of channel source or clearing destination. Most importantly, banks can deploy these solutions with minimal impact to existing infrastructure, reducing implementation effort and accelerating time to market.
Martin Coen, CEO of Dovetail, said, “Our clients are realizing significant business advantage by implementing our Smart Middle Office Solutions. One leading regional transaction bank reduced correspondent routing changes from months to days. With our Solution they replaced over a thousand hard-coded legacy system rules with under a hundred … all easily configurable through Dovetail’s intuitive user interface. Another was able to respond rapidly to the cross-border payment automation demands of the US Dodd-Frank law. Other clients significantly reduced customer service response times for payment inquiries. With the right solutions all banks are capable of realizing these types of benefit.”
About Dovetail
Dovetail provides market ready payments and liquidity management solutions that deliver business agility. These solutions enable banks to differentiate their payments offerings, optimize their liquidity and to provide their customers with a more consistent, efficient and effective payments experience. The solutions are scalable, up and down, across functional and volume needs and offer a high level of personalization. Significantly, they are also based on a single architecture that leverages common investment for the whole Dovetail community. Dovetail’s solutions, processes and people enable banks globally to achieve a measurable return on investment, cost control and regulatory compliance, while at the same time address legacy technology challenges.
The answer to one question about a road project is bound to prompt a query about work on a neighboring highway. That’s the case with a question about a ramp between I-80 and 287. Hit the turn signal, we’re taking the exit to the mailbag. Several readers asked how many lanes the ramps would be between…
EAST HANOVER — Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter will be working in cooperation with PetSmart Charities for Petsmart’s Community Adoption Event during the weekend of July 24 through July 26.
On Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, they will be joining forces with St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center of Madison and the Associated Humane Societies of New Jersey from Newark to have a large adoption event in the PetSmart parking lot and hope to place at least 100 dogs and cats into loving homes over the course of three days. It’s a lofty goal but we know with your support we can achieve it!
Half off all adoption fees – normal conditions apply. Free Gifts for all adopters.
If you’re thinking about adding a pet to your family, come on by! Even if you’re not looking for a new pet you can still help – simply share this event with your friends to spread the word.
PetSmart is located at 190 Route 10 West.
On behalf of Stella and Humphrey, and the rest of their friends who are eagerly awaiting their forever homes, thank you!
MONTCLAIR — Fresco Da Franco will host the second annual MilleMiglia Auto Club car show rally, benefiting the Bate Adolescent Program at Integrity House, on Sunday, July 12. The car rally was originally scheduled for June 28, but was postponed due to weather conditions. Following the success of their client-created “Boys of Bate” film, the nationally recognized non-profit substance abuse rehabilitation center will be receiving a portion of the rally’s proceeds.
Taking place at Fresco, located at 15 Church Street, the event will commence with registration at 10:30 a.m., followed by a four mile police-escorted rally showcasing Italian exotic cars. Robert Budsock, President and CEO of Integrity House, will speak at the Meet and Greet Brunch along with members from the cast of the Sopranos at noon. Client testimonials from individuals who are currently enrolled in Integrity House’s program will follow, and the event will wrap up with a special celebrity performance.
“The car rally will help us bring much-needed awareness to the disease of addiction and the effects it has on individuals of all ages, while helping us to raise funds that allow us to provide the services and programming needed to aid individuals that are on the path to recovery,” said Budsock. “We are excited to participate in the event and thankful for the ongoing support from local community leaders and businesses, such as Fresco restaurant and the Mille Miglia Auto Club, who support our mission of helping our clients get back on track toward a successful path of sustained recovery.”
Integrity House’s Bate Adolescent Program is a residential program that serves adolescent males between the ages of 13 and 18 who have substance abuse and co-occurring mental health and behavioral issues. By attending and participating in the car rally, you are helping Integrity House to expand and enrich the services it offers for its adolescent clients.
For more information on Integrity House or if you are interested in making a donation and supporting the worthy cause, please contact Cynthia Taylor at Cynthia_Taylor@integrityhouse.org or (973) 848-3760, or click here to learn about the full continuum of care it provides. To learn about sponsorship opportunities, rally information, or if you are interested in placing a journal ad, please contact Franco Porporino at franco@frescomontclair.com.
About Integrity House:
Integrity House, a nationally recognized non-profit substance abuse rehabilitation organization with locations in Newark and Secaucus, New Jersey, is the largest treatment facility funded and licensed by the State of New Jersey. Providing addiction treatment and support services for almost 2,400 adult and adolescent addicts each year, Integrity House offers a full continuum of care and implements a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to treatment for clients with substance use disorders from all of New Jersey’s 21 counties, helping individuals and families to make sustainable life-style changes. Since its establishment in 1968, Integrity House has evolved to offer a multitude of state-licensed, CARF accredited programs, including Adult Residential, Adolescent Residential, Halfway House, Partial Care, Intensive Outpatient, Corrections, Aftercare, Supportive Housing and specialized programs for men and women. Integrity House also offers prevention, intervention, and educational services. For more information, visit www.integrityhouse.org or call (973) 623-7246. Connect with Integrity House on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1qiKUBS or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/IntegrityNJ.
Monmouth University: Danielle Jannarone, Jessica Murray and Phoebe Nelson.
Dear Editor:
EAST HANOVER — Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter will be working in cooperation with PetSmart Charities for Petsmart’s Community Adoption Event during the weekend of July 24 through July 26.