Chris Graham received a “Certificate of Appreciation”

PARSIPPANY — Chris Graham has been recognized for his dedication and hard work towards Little League Baseball and Softball. Receiving a “Certificate of Appreciation” is a wonderful way to acknowledge his contributions and show gratitude for his service. It’s always heartening to see individuals recognized for their efforts and commitment to positively impacting their community.

Par-Troy West Little League (PTWLL) is a non-profit IRS 501.C.3 organization established in 1952. The league is run by a Board of Directors, all volunteers. PTWLL receives no outside local, state, or federal financial aid to operate our program. All funds are received through donations, fundraisers, sponsors, and registration fees. All funds are used to maintain the fields and to pay for all services, insurance, utilities, equipment, and uniforms.

PTWLL is in full compliance with all Little League Rules and Regulations. PTWLL has an approved charter regularly approved by Little League Headquarters every season. Our approved By-Laws, which are quite similar to approved By-Laws of the past and those of other Little League organizations, have been approved by Little League International Headquarters in Williamsport, PA.

 

Demolition of 1633 Littleton Road; Former Skanska USA Offices

PARSIPPANY — Another office building in Parsippany has been demolished to make room for future development. 

The bundle of rubble is the only remains of 1633 Littleton Road.

The building consisted of 57,722 square feet and was built in 1978. It was rated as a Class A Office Building.

Some of the beams remain standing.

The building has been vacant since Skanska USA moved to 389 Interpace Parkway in April 2014. The property was listed on plans to build multi-family apartment buildings on the adjacent property. At the hearing, it was discussed that the property of 1633 would be turned into recreation, but no plans have been submitted.

The building was recently demolished.
The demolition of 1633 Littleton Road

According to the Master Plan, Mack-Cali (Block 202, Lots 3.12 and 3.20) is located at Two and Three Campus Drive. The owner of this property has proposed to develop a total of 410 units, 82 of which will be affordable housing, in two new multi-family apartment buildings: one to replace a vacant office building at Two Campus Drive and one to be constructed on vacant land at Three Campus Drive.

2 Campus Drive: Block 202, Lot 3.20

Principal Use Multifamily
Max. Number of Dwelling Units 172
Min. Lot Area (acres) 5
Max. Building Story/ Height (ft) 3/40 up to 60 ft from westerly property line 4/50 remainder

Recently the property owner requested the Planning Board for a two-year extension to start construction.

The buildings located at Two Campus Drive were also demolished recently.

In 2007 Skanska AB was awarded the design/build contract for the $1.4 billion Jets/Giants NFL Football Stadium project in the Meadowlands.

New Jersey Assemblywoman Aura Dunn Tours Headquarters of Solix

PARSIPPANY — Solix, Inc. recently hosted New Jersey State Assemblywoman Aura Dunn (LD-25), who toured the Company’s Parsippany headquarters, learned more about Solix’s government and commercial client work throughout the United States, and held a town hall forum with employees.

Based in New Jersey for over 20 years, Solix is a business process solutions provider that helps connect people to essential programs and services. The Company has administered complex regulatory programs, provided comprehensive eligibility determination and enrollment services, deployed web-based and mobile technology solutions, and provided multi-channel customer care for national, state, and county-level projects.

“Making New Jersey government more efficient is a goal I share with Solix, so gaining insight into their work that connects people, organizations, and schools to critical services was encouraging. Headquartered here in New Jersey, Solix stands as a prime example of the type of outstanding talent that can be tapped into right here to create better processes that will ultimately advance our economy,” Dunn said. “This New Jersey-based business is improving lives locally and nationally, and I value the opportunities I have to learn from the employees making that happen.”

Assemblywoman Dunn serves on the Assembly Budget, Commerce and Economic Development, and Women and Children Committees and is appointed to the Human Relations Council and the Women’s Re-entry Commission. She is also a founding member and current Co-Chair of the Legislative Disability Caucus and currently serves as a board member of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation. She volunteers as a JBWS-certified domestic violence crisis response team member for local police departments.

With Solix as a partner, public and private sector organizations can simplify complex requirements and improve the user experience for programs that significantly impact the well-being of individuals and organizations nationwide.  The Company provides process and customer care solutions that result in more than $2 billion in annual funding.  Solix employees are proud that they positively impact so many lives throughout the United States, exemplified by our recent work on pandemic response and economic recovery initiatives, including rental assistance and small business grant programs. For more information about Solix, please visit www.solixinc.com or call (800) 200-0818.

Council to Hold Special Meeting for Budget Hearings

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Council President Loretta Gragnani scheduled a Public Hearing for Tuesday, May 2, to discuss the 2023 Municipal Budget.

The hearing will start from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Parsippany Municipal Building, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard. 

The Parsippany-Troy Hills Council voted unanimously to introduce the 2023 Municipal Budget at Tuesday, April 18, council meeting.

The second reading and final adoption are set for Tuesday, May 16, at 7:00 p.m. or shortly after.

The proposed budget shows an increase in the property tax levy of 3.76% and an overall tax increase of 2.57%, or $99.23 more per year per homeowner, based on an average home valuation in Parsippany of $313,063.

Mayor James Barberio said, “We are putting forward a responsible, balanced budget that provides the services our community deserves. The overall increase in the tax rate is 2.57%, and the local tax rate is 3.76%. That’s a $99.23 annual impact on the average homeowner. That comes to $8.33 a month. Nobody likes the budget with a tax increase, but we have minimized the amount of the increase while dealing with significant nationwide economic impacts and external influences. The balanced budget overcomes significant fixed cost increases created by rising inflation and contractual increases and prepares the townships for the future through critical infrastructure improvements and public safety investments. On top of the ongoing inflationary and supply chain issues, we are dealing with increases in health benefits costs, pension costs, utility costs, liability insurance premiums, and debt interest pressure, among other items, through investments in our public safety.”

Click here to download a “User-Friendly Budget.”

Video: Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting – April 19, 2023

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board Meeting – April 19, 2023.

Click here to download the agenda. (Agenda for Special meeting)

Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment
2023 Members and Term Dates

  • Robert Iracane    Chairman    12/31/25
  • Dave Kaplan    Vice-Chair       12/31/23
  • Bernard Berkowitz    Member      12/31/24
  • Scot Joskowitz    Member        12/31/25
  • Nancy Snyder    Member        12/31/23
  • Sridath Reddy    Member        12/31/25
  • Davey Willans    Member        12/31/24
  • Casey Parikh    Alt. No. 1        12/31/23
  • Chris Mazzarella    Alt. No. 2        12/31/23
  • John Chadwick, Planner, John T. Chadwick IV P.P.
  • Chas Holloway, Engineer, Keller & Kirkpatrick
  • Peter King, Attorney, King Moench Hirniak & Collins, LLP
  • Nora O. Jolie, Board Secretary

Agenda subject to change without notice
Although the information on this site is believed to be reliable, online postings of meeting agendas are not considered official copies.

 

Sentencing Set for Matt O’Donnell

MORRIS COUNTY — Matt O’Donnell, the attorney who cooperated in a corruption sting operation where prominent political figures were accused of taking bribes in exchange for legal work. Facing three years in prison, O’Donnell could see postponement since cases where he is a potential witness, have not yet been heard, as reported in NJGLOBE.

Former Jersey City Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas, former Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro, and former Mount Arlington Councilman John Windish are scheduled to appear before a Superior Court judge on June 14 for a hearing.

The five defendants are charged with taking thousands of dollars in bribes from Matt O’Donnell in the form of campaign contributions. In return, the defendants allegedly promised the cooperating witness, a tax attorney, that they would vote or use their official authority or influence to hire or continue to hire his law firm for lucrative government legal work. Envelopes and paper bags filled with cash – and even a coffee cup stuffed with cash – were delivered to the defendants by the cooperating witness at restaurants, parking lots, a political fundraiser, and a campaign headquarters. Other times the cooperating witness offered checks from illegal “straw donors” – individuals reimbursed to write checks to the defendant’s campaign in amounts that complied with the legal limit on individual donations.

The following five defendants were charged separately in criminal complaints with second-degree bribery in official and political matters:

  • John Cesaro – Former Morris County Freeholder  (Click here to download indictment)
  • Sudhan Thomas – Jersey City School Board President (Click here to download indictment)
  • Jason O’Donnell – Former State Assemblyman and Former Bayonne Mayoral Candidate (Click here to download indictment)
  • John Windish – Former Mount Arlington Council Member (Click here to download indictment)
  • Mary Dougherty – Former Morris County Freeholder Candidate

The defendants who held public office at the time of the alleged conduct – Thomas, Cesaro, and Windish – also are charged with second-degree acceptance or receipt of unlawful benefit by a public servant for official behavior.

“We allege that these political candidates were all too willing to sell the authority of their public office or the office they sought in exchange for an envelope filled with cash or illegal checks from straw donors,” said Attorney General Grewal. “This is old-school political corruption at its worst— the kind that undermines the political process and erodes public faith in government. We are working through the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability to create a culture of accountability in New Jersey, where public officials know they must act with integrity or face the consequences.”

“These cases reflect one of OPIA’s core missions, which is to root out corruption and misconduct in state and local government and related elections,” said OPIA Director Thomas Eicher. “We are determined to hold public officials and candidates responsible for their actions, no matter their political positions or alliances. New Jersey has some of the nation’s strongest anti-corruption laws. We will use them to ensure that government officials single-mindedly serve the public interest, not their own selfish interests.”

The defendants were charged in an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability which began in early 2018 and focused on political figures in Hudson and Morris counties who allegedly solicited illegal campaign contributions from the cooperating witness in return for promised official action to provide him with government work.

The alleged criminal conduct occurred between August and October 2018.
Attorney General Grewal commended all of the prosecutors and detectives who conducted and supervised the investigations for the OPIA Corruption Bureau under the leadership of OPIA Director Thomas Eicher. Deputy Attorneys General Pearl Minato, John A. Nicodemo, and Anthony Robinson are prosecuting the cases under the supervision of Counsel to the Director Anthony Picione. Former OPIA Deputy Chief Jeffrey Manis also supervised the cases.

Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The second-degree charges against those who held public office at the time of the alleged conduct – Thomas, Cesaro, and Windish – carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison without eligibility for parole under New Jersey’s enhanced penalties for official corruption.

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Attorney General Grewal created the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability in September 2018 to combat corruption and strengthen public confidence in government institutions. Earlier this month, the Attorney General issued a directive codifying OPIA and making it a permanent part of the Attorney General’s Office. That directive established the OPIA Corruption Bureau as the lead office within the Department of Law & Public Safety to investigate and prosecute state criminal violations involving corruption and abuse of public trust.

O’Donnell McCord PC was located at 5 Mount Kemble Avenue, Morristown.

Bed Bath & Beyond Files for Bankruptcy Protection

MORRIS COUNTY — Bed Bath & Beyond filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sunday, April 23, after the home goods retailer failed to secure funds to stay afloat and has begun a liquidation sale. The message posted on their website reads, “Thank you to all our loyal customers. We have made the difficult decision to begin winding down our operations. Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy Baby stores remain open to serve you.”

Sue Gove, President & CEO of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., said, “Millions of customers have trusted us through the most important milestones in their lives – from going to college to getting married, settling into a new home to having a baby. Our teams have worked to support and strengthen our beloved banners, Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY. We deeply appreciate our associates, customers, partners, and the communities we serve, and we remain steadfastly determined to serve them throughout this process. We will continue working diligently to maximize value for the benefit of all stakeholders.”

Area locations include East Hanover at 180 Route 10 West and 545 Route 46, Totowa.  The Parsippany store closed in the summer of 2019. (Crunch Fitness moved into the former location). Other New Jersey stores are Springfield, Union, Iselin, Bridgewater (already temporarily closed), and Clifton. 

The buybuyBABY store in Rockaway Townsquare closed in January.

The Rockaway Mall buybuyBaby closed in January along with Princeton. At the same time Bed Bath & Beyond closed Paramus, Flanders, Manalapan, and Princeton with all the Harmon locations, including Parsippany.

The home goods retailer, which grew in popularity in the 1990s as a go-to shopping destination for couples making wedding registries and planning for new babies, has seen demand drop off in recent years as its merchandising strategy to sell more store-branded products flopped.

The corporate office is located in Union. According to a court filing, the retailer filed for bankruptcy in a District of New Jersey court, listing its estimated assets and liabilities in the range of $1 billion and $10 billion.

While the retailer has begun a liquidation sale, it intends to use the Chapter 11 proceedings to conduct a limited sale and marketing process for some or all of its assets.

The company stated that its 360 Bed Bath & Beyond and 120 buybuy BABY stores and websites will remain operating and continue serving customers as it starts efforts to effect the closure of its retail locations.

Bed Bath & Beyond shelves are still loaded with merchandise in East Hanover.

Warren Eisenberg and Leonard Feinstein worked in management positions at Arlan’s discount store chain. As that company suffered financial difficulties, and the two believed that the market would shift toward specialty stores, they decided to leave and form their own company. In 1971, they opened a store in Springfield called Bed ‘n Bath. By 1985, Eisenberg and Feinstein operated 17 New York and California stores. Also, in 1985, the first superstore was opened to remain competitive with Linens ‘n Things, Pacific Linen, and Luxury Linens. To properly represent the size increase in its retail stores, the company changed its name to Bed Bath & Beyond in 1987. The company adopted integrated computer-based inventory management systems in 1993 to better compete with Linens ‘n Things, which had utilized computer inventory management since the late 1980s.

By 1991, Bed Bath & Beyond had opened seven new superstores in New Jersey, California, Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, and Florida. By 2011, Bed Bath & Beyond had 1,142 stores.

The company went public in June 1992, making its IPO on the NASDAQ stock exchange, where its stock continues to trade under the ticker symbol BBBY. Bed Bath & Beyond first reached $1 billion in annual sales in 1999.

As of 2019, Bed Bath & Beyond operated approximately 1,530 stores in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. In addition to 1,020 Bed Bath & Beyond stores, the company operated approximately 280 Cost Plus World Markets, 100 Buy Buy Baby stores, roughly 80 Christmas Tree Shops (and related brands), and more than 50 Harmon stores.

In August 2022, the company announced the closure of 150 underperforming stores and reduced its corporate and supply chain staff by about 20%.

On September 2, 2022, Bed Bath & Beyond chief financial officer Gustavo Arnal committed suicide by jumping from his balcony on the 18th floor of 56 Leonard Street. Arnal was one of the targets of a class action concerning Bed Bath & Beyond’s stock becoming a pump-and-dump scheme.

The company opened in 2023, warning investors that it may not survive the year. On January 5, shares of the company plunged almost 30% on the stock market, and the company announced it had “substantial doubt” in being able to continue to operate as a business.

 

Mail-In Ballot Boxes Now Open

MORRIS COUNTY — Mail-In Ballot Drop Boxes are now open! Your voted Mail-In Ballot can be deposited in any of the 31 drop box locations from now until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6.

Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills has its own mail-in ballot drop box at Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard.

The Ballot Drop boxes are all outside and under surveillance 24/7. They resemble a USPS Blue Mailbox, but are Red, White & Blue and display “Morris County – Official Ballot DropBox.” The ballots will be picked up by county representatives. All security measures will be followed when collecting and transporting the ballots back to the Board of Elections.

To find the drop box closest to you, click here

Students Tour Police Department

PARSIPPANY — Students from the Gifted & Talented GRO Program had the opportunity to Tour the Police Headquarters with Community Relations Officer Remo D’Alessandro.

During the tour, they learned the different functions of each division within the Police Department and got to see the Prisoner Processing Area.

They also met the Public Service Telecommunicators while visiting the Communications Desk to see where 9-1-1 calls and other calls for service are answered.

New Chapter Opens in Parsippany

PARSIPPANY — New Chapter, a faith-based recovery, opened in Parsippany at 1915 Route 46.

New Chapter treatment programs rely on Christian principles and the power of surrendering to God to receive the serenity and strength to overcome the disease of addiction. It is a life-changing program that can help individuals find hope through developing or growing into their relationship with God. Their program offers faith-based approaches integrated with evidence-based clinical approaches that help the individual receive freedom from addiction and maintain long-lasting recovery.

New Chapter Faith Recovery is headed by Clinical Director Ann Gharib, MA, LPC, LCCADC, NCC.

Joseph Basta with Clinical Director Ann Gharib, MA, LPC, LCCADC, NCC.

Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio cut the ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of this new business, along with Council Vice President Michael dePierro, Economic Development Chairman Frank Cahill, and Economic Development members Jigar Shah and

Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce Board Member Nicolas Limanov, Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Chairman Frank Cahill, Joseph Basta, and Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi.

Nick Rafanello. Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi also attended the ceremony. Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce President Robert Peluso and Board members Nicolas Limanov and Ildiko Peluso were also in attendance.

Mayor Barberio stated, “I wish New Chapter much success. Addiction is a serious problem for so many; faith is such an important part of my own life, and bringing that aspect into the recovery process certainly seems like something that will provide strength to overcome.”

New Chapter is located at 1915 Route 46 East. They can be reached by calling (551) 353-2484 or clicking here for more information.

Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Chairman Frank Cahill presents Clinical Director Ann Gharib with a plaque welcoming “New Chapter” to Parsippany. Mayor James Barberio and Economic Development members Robert Peluso, Jigar Shah, and Nick Rafanello look on.
New Chapter is located at 1915 Route 46 East. They can be reached by calling (551) 353-2484.