Ms. Bushong with club officers: President Amogh Samaga, Recording Secretary Mahi Patel, Bulletin Editor Princy Gade, Bulletin Editor Harani Talluri
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Hills High School Key Club Senior Citizen Dinner Theater returned on November 16 and was attended by more than 80 members of the community.
The attendees were treated to a three-course Italian dinner followed by the PHHS Players’ production of “Our Town.”
This event was an annual tradition before the Spring Musical, and the club was thrilled to finally bring back one of their favorite community service projects before the Fall Play.
PHHS Key Club advisor Kristine Bushong and Play Director Patrick LongHelping to serve drinks: Jaslin Li and Isabella VelasquezSay Cheese! Darshinie Jairam and Jasjit Kaur
Serving food: Kirubhaharan Uthanumallian, Aaron Matthew, Vedant Ray
Flynn Michael Brown was murdered while attending Jackson State University
MORRIS COUNTY — Nearly 600 donors have contributed $30,000 to support the family of 22-year-old Flynn Michael Brown, a former Mount Olive High School football player who was tragically murdered on Friday, December 2, while attending Jackson State University.
A friend organized the GoFundMe and wrote, “Flynn was a star, a leader. He would make sure everyone was good, even if he wasn’t good. He brought joy to life and always had open arms for anyone. He blessed everyone he came in contact with. His life did not deserve to be cut short by a heinous act of violence.” Flynn was his parent’s only son.
Flynn is described in the fundraiser as a “star” and “leader” who “brought joy to life and always had open arms for anyone.”
“He would make sure everyone was good even if he wasn’t good,” the campaign says.
“He blessed everyone he came in contact with. His life did not deserve to be cut short by a heinous act of violence.”
The campaign funds will be used to transport Flynn’s body from Jackson for the memorial, as well as for funeral arrangements and attorney expenses.
Flynn is survived by his loving parents, Michele and Michael, his girlfriend, and countless family members and close friends.
Mayor James Barberio cuts the ribbon during the grand opening celebration. Economic Development Chairman Frank Cahill presented a plaque and welcomed the new business to Parsippany
PARSIPPANY — Shear Perfection Salon, 83 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Attending the ceremony were Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio, Councilman Justin Musella, Councilman Frank Neglia, Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Chairman Frank Cahill, and Secretary Raj Dichpally. Also joining was Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce President Robert Peluso and Board members Ildiko Peluso and Nicolas Limanov.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Chairman Frank Cahill presented Kim Patterson, Shear Perfection Salon, with a plaque and welcomed the new business to Parsippany.
Shear Perfection Salon is owned by Kim Patterson and her husband, Brian.
Kim was a manager at Pro Haircutters Salon, Troy Hills Shopping Center, for over 23 years. Pro Haircutters closed that location on September 24.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Chairman Frank Cahill presented Kim Patterson, Shear Perfection Salon, with a plaque and welcomed the new business to Parsippany.
Patterson, having experience in operating a salon all these years, decided to open Shear Perfection Salon. She hired almost all the staff from Pro Haircutters.
The new boutique-style salon, SHEAR PERFECTION SALON, is now open at 83 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha.
Shear Perfection Salon is here for all your hair care needs and is proud to welcome all previous Pro Haircutter and new clients.
Pictured below is the wonderful staff… John, Barber; Omar, Barber; Jessica, Stylist; Vicky, Stylist; Michelle, Stylist; Sheree, Stylist; Melanie, Stylist; Michele Lynn, Stylist; Lisa, Stylist; and of course the friendly receptionists Kim, Cheryl, Gina, and Lucy.
The friendly staff of Shear Perfection Salon.
Visit Shear Perfection Salon today! Call for an appointment at (973) 335-2121. They also welcome walk-ins.
A recent vehicle located in the area of Manito/Pawnee in Lake Hiawatha had the catalytic converters stolen from the vehicle
PARSIPPANY — Catalytic converter theft has been rising, not only in Parsippany but across the nation. According to Brian Conover, Parsippany Police Department, “We have had over 70 catalytic converters stolen from vehicles since the beginning of this year. In Parsippany, it’s not just one type of vehicle, but I can say it has been every make, model, and year.” Parsippany Focus could not receive any additional information due to current investigations involving these incidents.
The resident’s vehicle in the above picture stated it happened at 2:47 a.m., and it took less than three minutes for the thieves to steal the catalytic converter. She stated she resides in the area of Rockaway Meadow School.
While this has been happening for years, a recent uptick in catalytic converter theft may be motivated by economic turbulence from the pandemic. Additionally, the reduced foot traffic during this time may make it easier for thieves who feel less likely to be caught. It takes just a few minutes for a thief to “saw” the catalytic converter out of your car and leave you with thousands of dollars in damage.
For those novices, “A catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction.”
A three-way catalytic converter on a gasoline-powered 1996 Dodge Ram
According to Carfax, Cars Most Likely to Have Their Catalytic Converters Stolen Nationwide:
1985-2021 Ford F-Series
1989-2020 Honda Accord
2007-17 Jeep Patriot
1990-2022 Ford Econoline
1999-2021 Chevrolet Silverado
2005-21 Chevrolet Equinox
1997-2020 Honda CR-V
1987-2019 Toyota Camry
2011-17 Chrysler 200
2001-21 Toyota Prius
According to Carfax, Cars Most Likely to Have Their Catalytic Converters Stolen in the Northeast:
1985-2021 Ford F-Series
1987-2019 Toyota Camry
1989-2020 Honda Accord
2007-17 Jeep Patriot
1997-2020 Honda CR-V
1998-2020 Subaru Forester
2007-20 Subaru Outback
1990-2022 Ford Econoline
1999-2021 Chevrolet Silverado
1993-2020 Nissan Altima
The High Cost of Catalytic Converter Theft
Discovering your catalytic converter has been taken can be a rude awakening – the exhaust system on your car, truck, or SUV will make a loud noise from where the device was removed.
Catalytic converter theft can be a costly loss for car owners who don’t have insurance coverage for it, according to Christopher McDonold, executive director for the Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council.
“If you don’t have full coverage, or you can’t get coverage, you’re going to pay out of pocket to replace (the converter),” McDonold said. And that can run from $1,000 to $3,000 or more, according to the NICB.
In Parsippany, Mr. Johannes J. Vanwageningen, Jr., 37, Bloomingdale, was arrested on July 18 for “Theft by Unlawfully” taking certain moveable property, three catalytic converters from three parked vehicles, at the dealership of Jan Auto Sales LLC, 355 Route 46 East. He removed all three with a saw. He was charged with Theft of Movable Property NJSA 2C-20-3a and 2C:5-2. Conspiracy. a. Definition of conspiracy. A person is guilty of conspiracy with another person or persons to commit a crime if to promote or facilitate its commission.
in addition, his accomplish was also arrested and charged.
Lake Parsippany resident Lillian Morley said, “22 incidents from January through October 26 in a five-block radius from Summit Road in Lake Parsippany. Six plus catalytic converters were stolen on my street, one vehicle the catalytic converter was taken twice, and another vehicle was stolen out of the driveway. Then down the block was the man peeking in windows wearing a Gillie suit.” (see related article by clicking here).
Commissioner DeFillippo (center) with her husband, Bob (left) and Commissioner Thomas Mastrangelo (right).
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Commissioner Kathryn DeFillippo was celebrated for her decades in public service during a holiday gathering at the Morris County Administration & Records Building, where her colleagues presented her with the traditional rocking chair for Commissioners retiring from public office.
Commissioner DeFillippo tries out the rocking chair with Director Selen and Commissioner Deputy Director John Krickus.
Commissioner DeFillippo, who has served three terms on the Morris County Board of County Commissioners since 2014, when it was known as the Board of Chosen Freeholders, announced last year that she would be leaving public service at the end of this year. She has served twice as Director of the Board during her tenure.
“It was a tough decision a year ago when I announced I wasn’t going to run, but it was the fair thing to do — to let people know that I had decided it was time for me to retire … I have enjoyed working and being a part of Morris County. Thank you,” said Commissioner DeFillippo, who attended the event with her husband, Roxbury Councilman, and Past Mayor Robert DeFillippo.
“I look forward now at … the younger generation and sharing with them how important it is to give back to your community, whether it’s in an elected position or just coming to a meeting or doing something as simple as, you know, landscaping around the library, helping out. Do something with your community,” Commissioner DeFillippo added.
Commissioner DeFillippo served as Mayor of Roxbury Township in 2009 and served on the Township Council from 2006 through December 2013. She also served as deputy mayor in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and was a member of the town’s Zoning Board and a past president of the Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce.
Commissioner DeFillippo thanked everyone who joined the gathering.
“Kathy’s departure from the board at the end of this month is bitter-sweet for all of us. We share her happiness in spending more time with her family and being free to do many things she and Bob would like to do. However, this board will be hard-pressed to replace what Kathy has brought to the board during her three terms since 2014 – I am talking about her intense compassion for the less fortunate in our community,” said Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen.
Commissioner DeFillippo, retired, served as the chief liaison to the Morris County Department of Human Services and area nonprofits after a private career as a Certified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor that involved helping society’s most vulnerable citizens. She retired in 2016 from the board of the NJ Metro Chapter of the National MS Society after serving as a trustee for ten years, and she was the director of a sheltered workshop for physically and mentally handicapped adults in New York.
She also worked in the insurance industry in the Washington, D.C., area, providing medical management and vocational rehabilitation services to injured workers.
“I would be remiss if I did not squeeze in the fact that Kathy was chair of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) for two years, from 2020 through 2021. She had been on the board since 2014 and was presented with a Leadership Award by the Newark Regional Business Partnership earlier this year for her service,” Director Selen said as DeFillippo was presented with the county’s traditional wooden rocking chair.
“As Kathy always said, the important work of the NJTPA is too often ignored. It oversees regional transportation planning, and it annually authorizes more than $1 billion in federal transportation funding for 13 counties in northern and central New Jersey. Kathy, we are very proud that you represented us, especially in a leadership role at the NJTPA,” Selen added.
Commissioner DeFillippo remains active with the MS Society as an advocate in government relations and has been the driving force behind bringing the Walk MS to Roxbury in 2006, helping to raise tens of thousands of dollars to find a cure and to raise awareness for people afflicted with MS.
Commissioner DeFillippo with her rocking chair and Director Selen.
Presenting the check to Michelle Picone was leading Knight Scott Burns of Parsippany Elks and Trustee and Eric Bisch of Parsippany Elks. Mayor James Barberio joined in the event held at Parsippany Elks Lodge 2078
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Elks Lodge 2078 donated a check for $2000.00 to the Parsippany Food Pantry. This donation was made possible by the Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant.
Presenting the check to Michelle Picone was leading Knight Scott Burns of Parsippany Elks and Trustee Eric Bisch of Parsippany Elks.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Elks Lodge 2078 is located at 230 Parsippany Road.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio stated, “Our community never fails to amaze me. Being the Mayor of Parsippany brings me great joy, but nothing is better than seeing Parsippany help Parsippany. Thank you to Parsippany Elks Lodge #2078 for taking the time and commitment to ensure that everyone has a great holiday season. In Parsippany, no one gets left behind.”
Elks National Foundation released $3.7 million for the Spotlight Grants. These $2,000 grants are available to every Lodge to highlight pressing issues facing American communities, including COVID-19 relief, which continues to be a significant need.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany member Susan Slaughter with Santa at Parsippany Child Day Care Center
PARSIPPANY — On Saturday, December 10, Santa Claus and members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany visited the children at Parsippany Child Day Care Center.
Children and families came out to have breakfast with Santa! Santa asked the children what they wanted for Christmas and whether or not they thought they were on the naughty or nice list!
Parsippany-Troy Hills Councilman Frank Neglia, Mayor James Barberio, Councilman Justin Musella, and Council President Michael dePierro visit Santa at Parsippany Child Day Care Center.
Mayor James Barberio stated, “The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany organized this event is what makes this season so great. Seeing how happy children were to meet and eat with Santa brought me back to when I was a child meeting Santa! The excitement and joy in the air were profound!”
The kitchen staffJoe Jannarone flips the pancakes.
The chefs from Kiwanis Club volunteers prepared the breakfast, which consisted of scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, pancakes, bagels, yogurt, donuts, and muffins.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany members volunteered and prepared the breakfast and supplied gifts for each child.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany members Carol Tiesi, Doreen Brennan, Santa, Debbie Young and Rhonda Kron were all Santa’s helpers at the Parsippany Child Day Care Center on Saturday, December 10Santa and Andrea Tyburczy
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany member Karen DeChristopher sits on Santa’s lap.NJ District Kiwanis Club Lt. Governor Division 9, Frank Cahill, visits Santa at the Parsippany Child Day Care Center on Saturday, December 10Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany member Doreen Brennan sits on Santa’s lap.
The Learning Experience Owner Al Patel, Mrs. Claus, Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Councilman Justin Musella, Council President Michael dePierro, Santa Claus, Mayor James Barberio and Councilman Frank Neglia at The Learning Experience on Saturday, December 10
PARSIPPANY — On Saturday, December 10, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus visited the children at The Learning Experience, 1159 Parsippany Boulevard.
Bubbles the Elephant even made a special appearance. There was excitement in the air as families and friends came together for some hot chocolate, cookies, arts & crafts, and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus!
Bubbles the Elephant with Councilman Justin Musella
Mayor James Barberio stated, “I would like to thank the Learning Experience for putting together a joyous and exciting event for the families and children of Parsippany. This holiday season is about happiness and coming together to celebrate Christmas!”
Pinkal Patel, Ketan Patel, Bubbles, Santa and Gaby RossiThere was excitement in the air as families and friends came together for some hot chocolate, cookies, arts & crafts, and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus!
Parsippany Regional Ice hockey is comprised of players from Parsippany Hills High School and Parsippany High School. Together they are ONE.
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Regional ice hockey co-op team is scheduled to open its season Thursday, December 7, against Newark East Side.
Parsippany Regional combines players from Parsippany and Parsippany Hills High Schools. Last season, the program won one varsity game.
Anthony Egidio, the program’s seventh-season head coach, calls this year’s team “young but talented.”
Returning players include senior defenseman Kyle Kirk; senior forward Larry Liu; junior forward Nicholas Hornung; sophomore forward Max Ingersoll; sophomore defenseman Joseph Gasparro; and sophomore defenseman William Shoemaker.
Newark East Side is the only team that Parsippany Regional defeated last winter. As a freshman in 2021-22, Ingersoll scored two goals and had three assists, making him the leading returning player on offense for the team this season. Hornung contributed three assists and a power-play goal.
Following Thursday’s opener, Parsippany Regional will play High Point at Skylands Saturday at 6:00 p.m. and Roxbury on December 14 at Mennen Arena.
Newcomers: Fr. G Andrew Nicholas; Fr. F Robert Hemenway; Fr. D Matthew Hemenway.
I encourage every resident of Parsippany to quickly sign Councilman Musella’s petition to repeal the unpopular PLA by clicking here.
Why should you do that?
I have lived in Parsippany since 1982, and in all my time, I have never been more disappointed in an administration than this one. The joint decision of the Mayor and Council to impose a Project Labor Agreement on struggling Parsippany residents makes zero financial sense to me.
What was even more upsetting at the most recent town hall meeting was that after THREE consecutive meetings of unanimous resident criticism, it appears that the Council and Mayor have no willingness to consider how we, as voters feel and are concerned about never-ending tax increases the PLA will cause.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, Chief of Detectives Christoph Kimker, and additional administrative members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office recognized Morris County Administrator John Bonanni for his years of service to the office.
A ceremony was held on December 8, 2022, in which Administrator Bonanni was presented with a recognition plaque for his retirement – “with sincere appreciation for your 33 years of dedicated and excellent service and unwavering support for the MCPO.”
Prosecutor Carroll said, “On behalf of the MCPO, we all wish John a great and well-deserved retirement. John has been a great friend and supporter of our office and law enforcement at every level in Morris County. He played a key role in setting a high standard for inter-agency cooperation that is a model for county law enforcement agencies throughout New Jersey. His dedication to protect and serve our citizens will be missed.”
I just watched the video of the Township Council Meeting held on December 6 and found some of Mayor Barberio’s comments alarming. Why? Because Mr. Barberio said that he, as Mayor, and at least four of his Council colleagues should not have their decisions or votes questioned or challenged by the very people who elected him and them.
Based on his comments, Mayor Barberio’s apparent take on how democracy in America works is that once he is elected as Mayor, he and Council members (who agree with him) are to be viewed by their constituents as infallible. Furthermore, those constituents should not exercise their First Amendments rights, particularly when voicing a dissenting opinion about the sweetheart PLA quid pro quo deal the Mayor made to benefit his campaign coffers.
Mr. Mayor, perhaps you should spend some time at the Lake Hiawatha Library to learn about our American democracy and how it works. And while you are there, why not take a walk around the library to learn how much it needs to be repaired and refurbished?
PARSIPPANY — Four people have been charged for their roles in a kickback conspiracy involving COVID-19 testing that defrauded federal health insurance programs, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Abid Syed, 45, of East Hanover; Tariq Din, 55, of Saddle River; David Weathers, 59, of the Bronx; and Muhammed Aurangzeb, 45, of Robbinsville, are each charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute for their roles in a scheme to defraud Medicare and the Health Resources and Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Program. Weathers and Aurangzeb had their initial appearances via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte. Aurangzeb was released on $100,000 unsecured bond and Weathers consented to detention. Syed and Din were charged by a criminal complaint on April 11, 2022.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2021 to April 2022, Syed and Din operated and controlled Metpath Laboratories, a clinical laboratory located at 322 Route 46, Parsippany-Troy Hills, that conducted testing to detect the presence of COVID-19 in samples obtained from patients. Through Metpath, Syed and Din paid kickbacks to “marketers” – including Weathers and Aurangzeb – for referrals of COVID-19 test samples to Metpath. Weathers and Aurangzeb were each paid $5 to $30 per referral.
The conspirators tried to make the payments appear to be for legitimate business expenses. For example, Syed altered the amount of the kickback payment to make it appear as if the marketer was a “consultant” for Metpath with legitimate business expenses. In another instance, Weathers’ company – MedtechCares Inc. – issued invoices to Metpath to make it appear as though the kickback payments from Metpath were legitimate business expenses, when in fact the payments were entirely for the referrals.
Metpath received more than $3.5 million in insurance reimbursements from federal health insurance programs for COVID-19 test samples referred by Weathers and Aurangzeb.
The charge of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. The maximum fine for each count is $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney DeNae M. Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
Editor’s Note: An arrest or signing of a criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
PARSIPPANY —Parsippany’s first-grade Daisy Troop 98537 hung ornaments on the Town Hall Christmas Tree as part of the “Making the World a Better Place” service project.
The focus of Girl Scout activities is to discover themselves and their values, connect with others in local, state, national, and global communities and take action to make the world a better place.
Mayor James Barberio stated, “Seeing that our children want to try and make our community a better place brings me great joy. The Girl Scouts are a fantastic organization that develops leadership skills while also instilling values and engagement into the community. Thank you, Daisy Troop 98537 for hanging ornaments on our tree, keep up the great work!”
A group of residents appeared at the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council meeting on Tuesday, December 7
PARSIPPANY — A group of residents appeared at the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council meeting on Tuesday, December 7 to ask questions of Mayor James Barberio and Council members on the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) decision.
Parsippany resident Annette Terrone
Parsippany resident Annette Terrone said, “I am one of the many residents who signed the petition against the PLA. I believe PLAs are wrong for Parsippany taxpayers. Research has shown it is not competitive, discriminatory against non-union workers, and costs seem to be higher. Hopefully, fair and open competition without a PLA will help taxpayers get the best possible product at the best possible price. A friend who is also a resident of Parsippany and could not make it here tonight is also against the PLA and asked me to bring this question to you. What created the need to limit the bidding process to union contractors? Have there been examples of non-union contractors that performed substandard work? Was that the reason to exclude them from the bidding process? And if it was, he would like to know examples. If there was no problem with non-union contractors, what is the reason to exclude them now? So I’ll just present that to you from another participant resident. Thank you for listening.”
Elaine Gavalagas
Elaine Gavalagas, a Parsippany resident of 28 years said “I have done and will continue to do my own research on PLAs. Articles that I have read, showed studies that were done on PLAs as having higher financial final construction costs and longer project completion. This is not missed or misinformation, they are actual studies that were done. This is a learning experience for me as I seek to become more informed. I have a few questions that I would like answered. If they cannot be answered now, I would like a date as to when they can be answered. Does Parsippany expect lawsuits to be filed by non-union contractors when they are exempt from bidding on work? What impact will the PLA have on the Lake Hiawatha Library? Those are the two questions. I understand that there is a petition going around and I would just like to know what it will take for you all to listen. I’m not sure who it was, but someone on the council said that they didn’t know that the 200-plus union members at that meeting at the high school would be there. How could you not know? There were tables set up outside and there was a truck with a picture of Justin on it. Not intimidating. There’s no pride left in Parsippany if the PLA is not repealed.”
Ray Gallup
“I looked online about a website that’s called TruthAboutPlas.com and it mentions under state and local construction an article saying that the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey speaks out against PLAs. I also noticed a lot of words like reduced competition, increased costs, wasteful and discriminatory, expensive, and inflationary. And regarding the Lake Hiawatha Library, I live near there and $9 million is an awful lot of money. So I’m hoping that these things are not gonna escalate, especially with the PLA. I would like to see it be repealed because I know from a fact that I used to work at the US Army in Picatinny and I dealt with contracting and I could see some of the spending going on there. And there’s a lot of spending that sometimes goes overboard and costs overruns and stuff like that. So I’m concerned about that as a taxpayer and resident of Lake Hiawatha,” said Ray Gallup.
Parsippany resident Yvonne Fara
Parsippany resident Yvonne Fara said “I’m here because I totally disagree with the PLA ordinance for three reasons. One is because it’s not good for the town. It’s going to harm the economy of the town. It’s going to eliminate competition. And more important it is going to harm the Parsippany taxpayers. I’m a homeowner in this town. I am very disappointed because we elect you to protect the homeowners and taxpayers, and you are not doing that. Then another reason why is Parsippany the first in Morris County that approved this.”
Bob Venezia
Parsippany resident Bob Venezia said “At the last meeting, council member Justin Musella introduced a petition to repeal the PLA ordinance citing studies that have demonstrated that PLAs increase project costs by 33% and slow project timelines by six to eight weeks. The mayor’s immediate reaction was that the petition was based on misinformation. His reason is, The study by the New Jersey Department of Labor that produced these cost and time results was published in 2010 and is now outta date. However, there have been no subsequent studies by any entity contradicting the results of that study since it was published. In fact, there are more recent studies that they may or may not be aware of, which corroborate the results published by the New Jersey Department of Labor. One such study was documented on October 22, 2022, Daily Record article entitled, ‘Should New Jersey Town Steer Public Projects to the Union Labor:’ Parsippany the Latest to Take Up the Debate.’ Here’s an excerpt from that timely article, “A 2019 analysis by the Beacon Hill Institute. A Massachusetts economic researcher concluded that PLAs resulted in significantly higher costs for school construction in Ohio, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and higher final bids in New York.” A petition is a non-binding way for residents to express their opinion to the governing body on a particular issue. In this case the PLA ordinance. So any taxpayer who would like to express to their representatives that they are unwilling to pay a 30% PLA project surcharge, which translates to an extra 1.5 million or more for each 5 million projects should seriously consider signing Councilman Musella’s petition.” (Click here for information on the petition).
Hank Heller
Hank Heller said “I think most of you know me. I come here as a friend, not as an adversary, and I’d like this leadership to be able to continue leading Parsippany for many years to come. But with that in mind, I’d like to point out some things that I think are important. I’d like to be helpful. I do not expect that any of you will tell us who it was that invited the union people to come and sit amongst us and, frankly, common force. I’m only bringing it up because I think it was a very, very bad idea and whoever it is that brought us this largest, in fact, did not do you nor any of us a favor. Okay. So I’d like to keep that in mind, for whatever comes into the future in our community. We don’t need outside people coming and, boisterously trying to steer us into making our comments into what they would like them to be. It’s just not the right thing to do. As a former banker in New York City, I’ve had strong relationships with senior construction executives in some of the very largest companies, who are in the construction field in New York and throughout the country. One who I worked with also taught at Cooper Union College. He taught construction management. And I called and asked him what he thought about this PLA situation and what he explained to me as I think it would be useful for us to think in these terms. They use PLAs and unions in, New York City, for example, in large municipalities because when you’re building a 50 or a hundred-story building, we’re talking about hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars. And you have many large participants who are putting forth that funding and they are not nearly so interested in the lowest cost but in the lowest amount of risk to themselves and to their own bottom lines. And that is why so often you’ll find large projects are going toward unions and PLAs, because it gives, and spreads out the risk, so to speak, in a municipality like Parsippany. We don’t really have very much of that, certainly not in the municipal buildings. For that reason, I think that it’s very important that you guys rethink what it is that we’re doing and how we’re doing it. I understand how it could be useful in some cases, but in this situation where we’re facing, huge increases in insurance costs for our municipal employees and worry about how we are going to fund that. And I understand that we are looking at large increases in our sewer and water taxes. I think it’s very important that you rethink what, it is that you’ve put forth and come back and help your, voters understand why what you’re putting forth is useful to us and will help to mitigate our course rather than increase our costs because that’s what we’re facing with the insurance costs and water and sewer costs besides. That’s what I really want you to think about. Please help us to understand what you’re doing is good for us, not bad for us, because most of us don’t really think that it’s useful and helpful to us.”
Councilman Frank Neglia reads a prepared statement after the public session
After the public session ended Councilman Frank Neglia read a prepared statement:
First, let me say this man next to me (Mayor Barberio) loves this town and would never do anything to hurt it. He does his research and makes decisions to help the town. He would never misuse the people’s trust and never mislead them. He certainly wouldn’t use propaganda to promote his cause. He’s one of the most transparent people I know and he’s honest. That being said I’d like to speak about the PLA and what I found in the research I did. I’m not going to use propaganda or hype to support what I’m about to say, just facts and what I found in my research as I promised various residents I would do
Please bear with me some items may be repetitious
A project labor agreement (PLA) is a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project.
It could be a Union or Non-union agreement. Anything said to the contrary is false
PLAs are effective mechanisms for controlling construction costs, ensuring efficient completion of projects, and establishing fair wages and benefits for all workers. PLAs also help ensure worker health and safety protections while providing a unique opportunity for workforce development.
The Davis-Bacon Act covers any federal projects. The NJ Prevailing Wage Act covers any municipal buildings and school buildings. The threshold for these projects, is $2,000.00 on board of ed buildings, and $ 16,263.00 on Municipal buildings. (this can be confirmed on the NJ Dept of Labor website)
These wages are set by the State and must be paid to all workers, 229383union or non-union.
Safety regulations, using local workers, and no strike agreements, do not add costs to the job.
A PLA is a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement made that establishes the working conditions and contractual terms before a project breaks ground. All costs are included.<
PLA is intended to control costs, increase quality, and ensure that projects are completed on time.
What Positive Aspects of Project Labor Agreements? Setting expectations in advance, there are several upsides to project labor agreements. The potential benefits are as follows:
Strikes, lockouts, and other interruptions to labor are not permitted under a PLA.
Improved efficiency results from conditions being decided in advance.
When there is a dispute, PLAs encourage conflict resolution such as arbitration and mediation.
Safer working conditions: Health and safety conditions are made a priority.
To Reiterate the benefits of a project labor agreement?
PLAs are effective mechanisms for controlling construction costs, ensuring efficient completion of projects, and establishing fair wages and benefits for all workers. PLAs also help ensure worker health and safety protections while providing a unique opportunity for workforce development.
PLAs bring order and specific responsibility to public construction projects. They are binding agreements that call for collective bargaining between labor and contractors. In addition, they define the terms and conditions applicable to all workers — union and nonunion — on public construction projects.
It’s what they deliver — an agreed-upon concerted outcome — that makes them so effective. They provide stability to larger construction projects while ensuring compliance with workplace safety and health laws, wage protection, and equal opportunity.
PLAs have existed since the 1930s because their components provide cohesion to each project, including stability and predictability, diversity, local jobs, and training and advancement.
LAs add order by clearly defining each contractor and craft worker’s responsibility. No hidden cost. They address labor issues, designate cost standards, prevent shutdowns, and are mindful of maintaining completion schedules. PLAs provide coordination and leadership to this process while acting as a mediator to prevent any disputes.
Diversity and local jobs
Nothing helps a project gain allies with public officials and the community at large like promoting the hiring of workers that are local constituents. This is true of PLA. The PLA MUST hire 20% of Local/Parsippany residents. Not those that are illegally in our country or citizens of other countries like other entities allegedly promote.
And when a project can attract women or minorities, both of whom the industry has underserved, their enthusiasm increases.
Unlike what you have been hearing from someone, PLAs can vigorously encourage hiring efforts from small businesses, minority contractors and local workers while emphasizing government-required safety training. For example, a PLA can stipulate that a worker has undergone and obtained OSHA certification. This reinforces the “safety first” attitude of the workers and reduces accidents.
Training and advancement Most contractors want the most highly skilled, well-trained worker available. PLAs pay considerable dividends by preventing costly errors and accidents because of their emphasis on training. Union carpenters, for example, spend a minimum of four years with in-class and real-work experience before becoming a journeyman. Continued education classes after graduation keep them abreast of the newest trends, materials, and potential new skills.
Myths about PLAs
Some anti-PLA rhetoric denounces these agreements by spawning myths. They include:
PLAs apply only to union workers. False. They apply to union and nonunion workers, and they don’t mandate that workers must join a union like some are saying
Some critics claim that PLAs reduce the number of bidders on public projects, thus raising costs. So False. A 2020 study in the Public Works Management & Policy journal reviewed 263 bid openings for community college construction from 2007 to 2016. This first-ever study of its kind concluded that the presence or absence of PLAs did not alter the number of bidders on a project or increase the cost.
Some critics say PLA’s increase your Taxes. AGAIN VERY FALSE. You send out a bid spec, get the proposals from both Union and non-union entities and that’s the cost. There are no hidden costs. That’s what a bid is. Some people may be hearing differently but this is the truth
We ask ourselves why do PLA myths exist, and why certain companies object to using them. It’s simple. Because some companies want to reduce the competition, hire unskilled workers, pay under-the-table to non-skilled workers, and price gauge the customer with extras. This is a common practice of non-PLA projects. I’ve been a Facility Director and property manager for over 30 years and have seen it firsthand.
Without PLAs, Vendors can skirt hiring mandates, disregard the need for certified skills among workers, and ignore efforts to provide job opportunities or training for women and minorities.
Yet all these reasons pale against the most frequent motivation: worker exploitation, which is widespread in the construction industry and needs to stop!!.
The unethical practice of paying below-standard wages or paying workers off the books is eliminated when entities utilize a project labor agreement.
The core value that PLAs offer is transparency.
It is a public document. Anyone can review it — municipal officials, organizations, construction companies, and the general public — to assess whether the agreement is fair and makes sound business sense.
Indeed, it raises the obvious question of why anyone would not support a PLA.
This council voted 4-1 to support the mayor’s recommendation to use a PLA on Projects over 5 million.
We did so because we consider it to be the fairest, most transparent, and most productive approach to conducting business in the construction industry while benefiting taxpayers, municipalities, construction businesses, and workers. Thank you”
Councilman Justin Musella fires back at Councilman Frank Neglia
After Councilman Frank Neglia finished, Councilman Justin Musella then fired back.
“First and foremost, I truly do appreciate my colleagues, information, and new evidence. I am really glad that we’re having this dialogue. It’s unfortunate that this dialogue didn’t happen before we voted on this. And there’s a couple of things in there that I think is really important for the public to be aware of. There’s been this claim, and I don’t know why we keep saying it, because, in the actual ordinance, it spells it out correctly. This ordinance, the project labor agreement, does practically nothing to hire local Parsippany residents. I don’t know why we’re saying 20% of Parsippany residents will be hired. So I pulled up the ordinance that we all voted on, and I’m gonna read it into the record as I’ve done multiple times. The ordinance says it requires that 20% of the labor hours required shall be performed by the Parsippany-Troy Hills residents who are participating in the apprenticeship program. And that 100% of the apprentices shall be Parsippany-Troy Hills residents. So I did some digging to find out in actuality, how these provisions end up playing out in the real world. But how they end up playing out in the real world is that apprentices who are local residents end up getting recycled over and over again, so that way they can fulfill that hours component that’s in the ordinance. So if we’re telling people that 20% of the residents will be hired under this ordinance. The ordinance flat-out contradicts that. I understand some of the points that were made about how PLAs actually promote efficiency. Well, if you read PLAs, can somebody explain to me how work jurisdiction promotes efficiency? How does segmenting who shall do certain work, whereas, contractors who don’t have to abide by a PLA can have their employees perform all tasks at once? How are we protecting the taxpayer with minimum show-up time where if somebody shows up to a job, they have to be paid for a mandatory amount of time, regardless of not whether or not they’re productive on all of your expenses? So these are the questions and I’m glad that we’re having the dialogue and the debate I appreciate my colleague saying what he believes in, but PLAs are flat-out bad public policy. And the overwhelming body of evidence that has been conducted on this issue is crystal clear. They raise project costs, they are anti-competitive and they harm small businesses. So I appreciate my colleagues’ information but I don’t believe that’s gonna change many minds as over 800 residents disagree with that?” said Councilman Justin Musella.
Click here to download a copy of the Ordinance 2022:24.
On October 18, the Parsippany Township Council voted 4-1 to mandate blanket project labor agreements for all township capital projects over $5 million.
Five year old Evelyn Cabrera and her sister three year old Helen sitting on Santa's Lap at Lake Hiawatha Winterfest
PARSIPPANY — On Friday, December 9, The Friends of Lake Hiawatha sponsored their annual Winterfest at the gazebo on North Beverwyck Road.
Santa arrived at the Winterfest on a firetruck from Lake Hiawatha Volunteer Fire Department
Attendance and enthusiasm were high as the children waited for Santa Claus, who came in on a fire truck. Hot chocolate and cookies were served as the children (and parents) waited in line to tell Santa what they want for Christmas.
Two bicycles were raffled off and won by two very excited children.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio, Councilman Frank Neglia, and Councilman Justin Musella joined the festivities and his attendance throughout the evening was very much appreciated by all. A very special thanks to the Lake Hiawatha Fire Department and the Parsippany Traffic Department who help keep everyone safe.
Councilman Justin Musella sitting on Santa’s lap (Editors Note: Justin lost a bet and he had to sit on Santa’s lap for a picture)Mayor James Barberio, Santa, and Councilman Frank Neglia
The Friends of Lake Hiawatha is a non-profit organization that began in 2011. The original intent of the organization was to decorate every lamppost in town with snowflakes and wreaths and have barrels for spring and fall flowers. With the generous donations of the majority of the store owners along Beverwyck Road, they were able to accomplish their goals.
The large crowd of children and their parents waiting to talk to SantaSanta and all his elvesKaren Pascarella, Justin Musella and John PascarellaAntoinette Simmons, Mayor James Barberio, Councilman Frank Neglia, and John Pascarella
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council Meeting – December 6, 2022.
Regular Township Council Meetings will commence at 7:00 p.m. All meetings will be held on Tuesday evenings. Council meetings are held at Parsippany Municipal Building, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard. Formal action may or may not be taken at all scheduled meetings.
Any individual who is a qualified disabled person under the Americans with Disabilities Act may request auxiliary aids such as a sign interpreter or a tape recorder to be used for a meeting. Auxiliary aids must be requested at least 72 hours before the meeting date. Please call (973) 263-4351 to request auxiliary aid.
Mayor James R Barberio
Council President Michael J. dePierro
Council Vice-President Loretta Gragnani
Councilman Paul Carifi Jr.
Councilman Frank Neglia
Councilman Justin Musella
The Planning Board members are:
Mayor Barberio 12/31/2025 I Mayor
Anil Dadheech* 12/31/2024 IV Regular
Michael dePierro 12/31/2022 III Council Rep.
Tom Dinsmore 12/31/2021 IV Regular
Priya Jain 12/31/2022 Alternate No. 2
Dominic Mele* 12/31/2023 IV Regular
Gordon Meth* 12/31/2025 IV Regular
Nick Napolitano 12/31/2024 IV Regular
Ted Stanziale 12/31/2023 Alternate No. 1
Jennifer Vealey* 12/31/2022 II Muni, Rep.
John Von Achen* 12/31/2023 IV Regular
Stuart Wiser Board Planner, ARH
Andrew Cangiano Board Engineer, Keller & Kirkpatrick
Joseph Garcia Board Attorney, Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs
Nora O. Jolie Board Secretary
MORRIS COUNTY — The power of positive thinking will be a focus of the monthly Recovery Recognition Breakfast hosted by Prevention is Key (PIK) this December. PIK is a north Jersey-based non-profit substance misuse prevention agency. The Recovery Recognition Breakfast began as a small gathering to acknowledge the work of the agency’s volunteers but has grown into something much bigger. Community members are invited to join PIK on the second Monday of each month to discover recovery resources, network with peers in or exploring recovery, and learn something new.
The December breakfast is sponsored by Absolute Awakenings and will welcome speakers Harvey Rich and Joey Himelfarb to educate guests on the power of positive thinking. The program will conclude with special guests from Creature Comforts Pet Therapy. The animals will be available for pets and cuddles following the formal speaking program.
The breakfast is scheduled to be held on December 12 at 9:30 a.m. at the Rockaway Center for Addiction Recovery Education and Success (CARES), located at 25 West Main Street.
Questions and RSVPs can be directed to Laura Jennings Pitt at (973) 949-7979 or ljennings@mcpik.org,
Prevention is Key (PIK) is a 501(c)3 organization that has delivered culturally competent, evidence-based prevention services in Morris County and the surrounding counties for almost 25 years. The agency was founded in 1989 to coordinate substance misuse prevention in Morris County. From our roots as a resource center and awareness campaigns with a modest budget to our current implementation of both direct service and environmental change strategies, including our recent addition of the Center for Addiction Recovery and Success (CARES) Peer to Peer Recovery Center, has made PIK the premiere substance misuse prevention agency in north central New Jersey. For more information, click here.