MAPSO News Roundup 7/3/14

Many government agencies, including the South Orange Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs and the County of Essex, have postponed 4th of July activities due to the weather forecast. 

South Orange will celebrate the holiday on Saturday, July 5. The South Orange Community Pool will be open at no cost to all village residents who bring proof of residency. Activities at the pool include a hot dog eating contest, ping pong tournament, sand art, slide, bounce house, and a photo booth. In addition, the South Orange Seaport Society will be sailing model boats at the Duck Pond from 10am to 2pm. Field events and races, including relays and sack races will be held at Cameron Field from 11am to 1pm.

The Essex County Fireworks Display and Concert, originally scheduled for tonight, has been rescheduled for July 15 at 7:30pm. The event will take place at Brookdale Park on Watchung Avenue in Bloomfield.

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The South Orange Maplewood School District is encouraging community members and school district staff to take a survey regarding the hiring of a new superintendent of schools. According to the survey website, the "survey is designed to gather your perception on the importance of various characteristics commonly found in effective superintendents". Former superintendent Dr. Brian Osborne left the district on June 30 to become superintendent of schools in New Rochelle, NY. The survey may be found here.

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Hundreds of Maplewood residents lost electricity after a thunderstorm on Wednesday, however PSE&G reports that power has been restored to most neighborhoods. Scott's Deli on Elmwood Avenue was damaged by the storm. A posting on the deli Facebook page read "we are sorry to say that we must temporarily close while the landlord makes necessary repairs to the Deli due to the...storm".

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Village: JAC to be Evicted (Updated)

The Jersey Animal Coalition (JAC) will be evicted from managing the village-owned animal shelter off of Walton Avenue in South Orange. 

In a letter sent on June 27, South Orange Village Administrator Barry R. Lewis, Jr. informed JAC president and interim director Ruth Perlmutter and attorney William Strazza that the lease agreement between JAC and the village had been terminated, and that the organization must vacate shelter premises by 4pm on Wednesday, July 9.

In an email to Essex County Place, Deputy Village Administrator Adam Loehner said that the "JAC eviction will not impact the services the Village provides to our residents. This entire situation is very unfortunate and we are surprised that the JAC has not corrected the issues from the violations and our communications in-order to open as soon as possible. We are hearing from many potential adopters who would like to give an animal a good home and the JAC is refusing to allow their animals to be transferred out to be adopted".

Nancy Schetelick, a former volunteer coordinator for JAC, told Essex County Place that she would like the shelter to be taken over by a reputable organization. "The animals have been held hostage long enough", Schetelick said, "they need to be 'rescued' and hopefully other animal rescue organization's will step up and give them a chance at a new life".

However, some have questioned this move by the village. "What is the ulterior motive of South Orange on this one?", questioned Marilynn English. "The real issue should be what is best for the animals. If JAC has been working for 25 years and 9 years in South Orange, what really brought this conflict on?"

The shelter has been closed and under quarantine since ringworm was allegedly discovered at the shelter in March. At South Orange Municipal Court in April and in June, JAC attorney William Strazza pleaded not guilty on behalf of the organization to more than 80 violations.

In a statement, Strazza claimed that a ringworm was introduced in the shelter when an infected cat was brought in by a South Orange Animal Control Officer, and put in the general animal population of the shelter. "After the discovery of the ringworm, the JAC has vigorously and aggressively treated the issue", Strazza said. "That fact is well known to South Orange, yet South Orange has refused to lift the quarantine", he added.

JAC was founded 25 years ago, and has managed the shelter since it opened in 2005.

Both the letter from the village to Perlmutter and Strazza, and the statement by Strazza, are below.

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Full Letter from Village:

Dear Mr. Strazza and Mrs. Perlmutter: 

This letter follows my letter of June 13, 2014 to each of you, and my letter of June 25, 2014 of Mr. Strazza. As you know, my letter of June 13, 2014 served as a Notice of Default and provided the JAC with ten (10) days in which to cure the stated defaults under the Lease between the Township of South Orange Village, the Township of Maplewood and the Jersey Animal Coalition dated December 15, 1999. (“the Lease”) Since that time, we have only been provided with documentation relating to the insurance requirements under the Lease and the remaining listed defaults have not been addressed or cured. 

In the absence of such curing of the stated defaults, you are hereby notified, pursuant to Paragraph 10.1 of the Lease, that the Township of South Orange Village hereby terminates the Lease and demands that the JAC quit and vacate the premises on or before 4 p.m., Wednesday, July 9, 2014. Please be advised that if the JAC fails to vacate the premises by that time, the Village will take immediate action to enforce its rights under the Lease. Please govern yourselves accordingly. 

Very Truly Yours, 
Barry R. Lewis, Jr. 
Village Administrator

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Statement by JAC Attorney William Strazza:

Since this entire ordeal began, the JAC, its Board and its President, Ruth Perlmutter, have taken the position that they have no intention to try the charges filed against them by South Orange in the press. Other than to continue to assert that there is no legal basis for the charges, it remains my client's policy to handle this matter only in court. That said, there are facts unrelated to the charges the JAC feels are important for the public to know. South Orange issued its quarantine order due to the presence of ringworm in several animals at the shelter. Our investigation reveals that the ringworm outbreak was caused by a South Orange ACO bringing a ringworm infected feral cat into the shelter after hours, and leaving it in general population, as opposed to it being left in isolation. After the discovery of the ringworm, the JAC has vigorously and aggressively treated the issue. That fact is well known to South Orange, yet South Orange has refused to lift the quarantine. In fact, South Orange is in possession of health certificates for all shelter animals, and an affidavit from the Shelter vet indicating the entire facility is disease free. Despite that, and despite the knowledge that the JAC had people lined up willing to adopt, the quarantine remains on place. In addition, despite repeated requests to have South Orange and the State re-inspect and to lift the quarantine, those requests have been ignored. This inexplicable refusal to act, combined now with South Orange moving to evict the JAC for alleged lease violations, which the JAC flatly denies, amounts to animal cruelty. In addition, it strongly suggests some improper underlying motive for every action taken since March 12th.

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Santander to Close Maplewood Branch

Santander Bank has announced that the Maplewood branch of the international bank will close in October. The Maplewood branch is located at 1886 Springfield Avenue, at the corner of Prospect Street. Officials with the bank say that the Maplewood branch is being merged with the Santander Bank branch in Millburn. In an email to Essex County Place, Nancy Orlando of Santander US said "we regularly review our branch network and make changes to assure the best levels of service and efficiency".

The bank was formerly known as Sovereign Bank.

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MAPSO News Roundup 7/1/14

A teenager was wounded after being shot in Maplewood on Monday night. Maplewood Police issued the following statement:

"On Monday June 30th at about 10 PM the Maplewood Police Depeartment received several reports of an individual who had been shot in the area of Schaefer Road near Jacoby Street in Maplewood. Maplewood Police and Maplewood Fire EMS units were dispatched to the scene. Police and EMS personnel located a 17 year old male on the sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds to his legs. The victim was conscious and alert. The preliminary investigation indicates that the victim left a party being held on Schaefer Road when he was approached by two males. One suspect was described as a light skinned black male wearing shorts. The other suspect was described as a dark skinned black male wearing a blue shirt. The light skinned male produced a handgun and fired several shots at the victim striking him the legs. The two suspects then fled the area. The victim was transported to University Hospital in Newark where he was being treated for gunshot wounds to his legs. Detectives of the Maplewood Police Depeartment are actively investigating the incident and request that anyone with any information regarding the case please contact the Maplewood Police Department at 973-762-2333."

Shaefer Road connects Newark Way and Van Ness Terrace.

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Dr. Brian Osborne is officially the new superintendent of the public school district in New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York. Dr. Osborne was the superintendent of the South Orange Maplewood School District until June 30.

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Ruth Perlmutter, president of the Jersey Animal Coalition (JAC) in South Orange, is due in Municipal Court today on charges relating to construction taking place at the JAC shelter without a permit. Perlmutter was cited by South Orange Code Enforcement Inspections director Anthony Grenci in June. 



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MMS Principal to Leave for Passaic, Parts of Orange and South Orange to Lose Power

Jeffrey Truppo, the principal of Maplewood Middle School, has announced his resignation from the South Orange Maplewood School District. Truppo will become the Director of Elementary and Secondary Education in Passaic, Passaic County.

Truppo issued the following letter to parents:
"The purpose of this letter is to inform you of my resignation as Principal of Maplewood Middle School. Since joining the Maplewood Middle School faculty in January of 2009, I have been privileged to learn alongside our community and engage in discussions about what constitutes an excellent middle school experience. As I prepare for another position in a different school district, I continue to believe that MMS is one of the most thoughtful communities an educator will ever encounter. When we speak about school preparing students for life, we must also consider the way in which a school community operates, and how the way we go about our business can influence students. At MMS, families and staff have demonstrated interest and action for students and families in need. Community members have shown a concern for the learning of all students, and worked to support and enhance the classroom learning experience. I believe that students leave MMS in 8th grade not just prepared academically, but aware that their middle school experience was created by their community, and they are better for it. I will be at MMS working on my usual summer responsibilities until the middle of August. There will be communication to you from our central office administration regarding the search for a new MMS Principal. As always, please contact me with any questions pertaining to your child and their MMS program, and enjoy the summer. Thank you for your interest and support".

PSE&G has announced that electricity will be shut down in parts of South Orange and Orange. South Orange Village reports that "planned power outages will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for some residents, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for others". Affected areas include the southern part of Orange's Seven Oaks Neighborhood, and the Montrose and West Montrose sections of South Orange. A map is available on SouthOrange.org.

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Donna Smith to Run for BOE

Donna Smith, a South Orange resident, has announced that she will run for Board of Education in November. Smith issued the following press release on Monday.

"Donna Smith announced today her candidacy for the South Orange-Maplewood School District (SOMSD) Board of Education (BoE) to strengthen the leadership at the District level. Smith has been actively involved in the school community for more than 15 years ranging from PTA volunteer to leadership roles on BoE committees. Smith, who filed for office last week, is seeking one of three open seats on the BoE. 

“I know how things work in our District—who the participants are, how the funding works, and how the support organizations and volunteers work cooperatively with the schools to maintain our academic excellence,” Smith said. “I will ensure we move forward as a District with an educational experience that is well rounded and beneficial to all our children.” 

A South Orange resident for 24 years, Smith is a principled activist known for working hard on common sense approaches that provide the most robust educational program possible for every student. A passionate advocate for the students in our district, Smith spearheaded two parent groups, “Levels Can Work” and “Group for Objective for Academic Leveling,” which challenged the BoE and school administration to maintain high standards and rigorous curricula at the middle schools. As a representative of “Levels Can Work,” she was asked to participate in the District’s “Task Force on Excellence and Equity” charged with recommending strategies to increase student access to rigorous coursework. 

“My primary priorities are successful implementation of the International Baccalaureate at the middle schools to meet established goals; ensuring strong fiscal oversight and prudent allocation of SOMSD resources to provide the most robust educational curriculum possible; holding a strategic, long-term perspective that keeps in mind the entire K-12 program; and implementing a strong Gifted & Talented program,” Smith added. 

Given SOMSD’s severe fiscal constraints, she does not believe that the International Baccalaureate should be implemented at the high school level at this time. Rather, the District must concentrate on preserving high standards and a wide variety of course offerings at the high school, and expanding the curriculum to incorporate a more global element. She also wants to hold the Administration to its promise to continue providing more access to honors and AP classes at the high school, by improving the methods by which students are assigned to such classes and making the system more transparent. 

Smith has extensive volunteer experience in support of SOMSD schools. She has held numerous positions in the PTAs and HSAs of the district, from co-president of the South Mountain PTA and newsletter editor at South Orange Middle School, to head of the directory committee at Columbia High School. She also was co-president of Presidents’ Council for two years. She participated in the SOMSD’s Strategic Planning program, was a member of the SOMSD-appointed committee to hire two assistant principals for elementary schools as well as committee to hire the district’s physical education coordinator. 

Her three children attended schools in the district from elementary school through Columbia High School and her youngest is graduating from the high school in June 2014. The election will be held on November 4, 2014, during the general election."

Current Board of Education members Andrea Wren-Hardin, Sandra Karriem and Bill Gaudelli, will not seek reelection.

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CHS Principal: Threat Made to Staff Members

Kirk E. Smith, the interim principal of Columbia High School in Maplewood, sent the following letter to parents on Monday after 4:00pm:

"Shortly before dismissal I was made aware of an unsubstantiated comment involving a threat to staff members at CHS. This comment was very vague and most likely not real. However; in today's world I must take comments very seriously. I am currently working with the Maplewood Police Department to make the last two school days safe for students and staff. I deeply regret that this matter has occurred given the great school year that we have had. Thank you."

This story will be updated later today.

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Bloomfield Avenue Corridor Plan to Hold Open House

If you use the Bloomfield Avenue corridor in Bloomfield, Montclair, Glen Ridge, or Verona, the Bloomfield Avenue Complete Corridor Plan would like to hear from you. Together North Jersey will be hosting an open house on Thursday regarding the plan at Bloomfield College.

According to the plan website, objectives of the plan include to "assess the area to identify transportation, pedestrian and bike access improvements that can improve the capacity of existing roads and the overall mobility of residents, stakeholders and patrons, recommend roadway improvements that will create a healthy, enjoyable and safe environment using Complete Street guidelines, (and) to develop a transit-friendly corridor that attracts economic investment on a regional scale".

In addition, the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University is conducting a survey regarding how people use the Bloomfield Avenue corridor. Questions include what changes participants feel should be made to Bloomfield Avenue to make it safer to drive, and how often they walk on Bloomfield Avenue.

The school website states that some of the current problems with the corridor include sidewalk and roadway widths, parking lanes, traffic flow, vehicle speeds, and intersection design.

Members of the project team include New Jersey Transit, New Jersey Health Impact Collaborative, Looney Ricks Kiss, VHB, Nishuane Group, the County of Essex, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, the Montclair Center Business Improvement District, the Bloomfield Center Alliance, HOMECorp, the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, Partners for Health Foundation,  Bike Walk Montclair,  Montclair State University, and Bloomfield College.

Bloomfield Avenue connects Route 46 in Montville with Broadway in Newark. The open house will take place at Bloomfield College Hall, Room 016, which is located at the corner of Liberty and Spruce Streets in Bloomfield. The event will last from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, with a presentation at 6:30pm. Participants can share their ideas for the corridor and speak to the design team.

The project is one of 18 Local Demonstration Projects (LDPs) being undertaken by Together North Jersey, a regional planning coalition including the Edward J. Bloustein School for Planning and Policy, along with numerous other agencies and organizations around the region.

Map of corridor. Courtesy of Together North Jersey.

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Bridge Reopens in Millburn

The Glen Avenue Bridge over the West Branch of the Rahway River in Millburn reopened on Friday, two months early. The bridge, which is located between Brookside Drive and Lackawanna Place next to South Mountain Reservation, had been closed to pedestrians and motorists since February. Pedestrians were required to use the pedestrian bridge near the Millburn Free Public Library and motorists were detoured through Downtown Millburn. 

A grand reopening celebration and ribbon cutting were held on Friday morning Attendees included Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Millburn Township Mayor Robert J. Tillotson, and Essex County Engineer Sanjeev Varghese. 

"Glen Avenue provides crucial access to the area around Essex County South Mountain Reservation, through the Township of Millburn and to the township’s Downtown Business District. We knew from the start that closing the road to reconstruct the bridge would be a major inconvenience to residents and motorists, and we worked diligently with our contractors and the township to minimize disruption and move the project ahead of schedule", DiVincenzo said. 

Verghese told attendees that before the bridge rehabilitation, the bridge was one of the last structurally deficient bridges in the county. 

Sparwick Contractors, of Lafayette Township in Sussex County, was the construction company hired by the county. Sparwick was awarded a competitive bid contract for $970,331. 

The closure of the bridge had prevented access to the Millburn Free Public Library from the west, however library officials anticipate that library visitation will increase because of the bridge reopening "For the last several months, in-person visitation to the library has been down 8%. While part of that was, undoubtedly, due to the harsh winter we all endured, most of the decline is attributed to the road closure, which made accessing the library difficult for a lot of residents. We now expect visitation to return to normal levels", said library director Michael D. Banick. "July was our busiest month in 2013 so I am particularly glad that our customers will once again have easy access to the MFPL in time for the summer". 

The bridge was originally constructed in 1908. The bridge rehabilitation included replacing the existing deteriorated deck, reconstructing the existing concrete abutment walls, replacing the guide rail and bridge railing system, and replacing the curbs and sidewalks on both sides of the bridge. 

The project was funded by the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Local Bridges Future Needs Program.

 

  

  

        

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Loehner: JAC Receives Citations Daily

According to South Orange Deputy Village Administrator Adam Loehner, the Jersey Animal Coalition is receiving citations every day due to "the JAC knowingly taking an quarantined animal from the facility". The dog, named Rocky, was allegedly signed out of the JAC shelter to a rescue group despite the quarantine.

In an email to Essex County Place, Loehner said that this is an "unfortunate situation that is needlessly being drawn out because the JAC refuses to follow state laws and local ordinances laws that are there to protect the animals they house at their facility".

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