MENDHAM TWP.- More than 100 residents packed into the hearing room of the township hall on Tuesday night to express their opinions on the school district's budget that was defeated at the polls last month.

The meeting came after the Township Committee recently submitted a list of recommendations for $900,000 in cuts to the K-8 school budget including the possible elimination of a seventh-grade teacher, reductions in the average increases for non-union employees to 4.5 percent, and putting the district's roof repair project out for referendum rather than including it in the operating budget.

...The $10.8 million budget plan was handily defeated by a vote of 425-284.

Public Complaints:

...On Tuesday, several residents voiced strong support for the full-day kindergarten program and the need to fix the leaking roofs.

...Resident John McKeon said that maintaining a quality school system was important if the township wanted to maintain its high real estate values.

...Resident Eugene Messina said he had been disappointed in the communication from the board.

"The board must honestly look at its own performance," he said. "Drawing lines in the sand which can't be crossed won't get you anywhere." After the meeting, Township Administrator Stephen Mountain said items had only been proposed at this point with no final decisions made. He said there would be more meetings to allow for additional interaction between the board and committee and anticipated a final decision would be made within a week.

MORE--> School board, township clash over budget

West Morris Mendham High School is one of 14 school districts in New Jersey to win a New Jersey School Boards Association Annual School Leader Award in 2002. ...Mendham High School's winning entry was the "Internet Veterans' Memorial," a project conducted by students in U.S. history classes and which honors the experiences of local war veterans through information the students collect and post on the Internet. ...The Internet site includes photographs, stories, and articles about local and world history that the students have researched and documented. ...Currently, the site contains information on World War II and the American Revolution. ...For more information on the Internet Veterans' Memorial, or any other programs at the West Morris Regional High School District, call (908) 879-6404, extension 283.

No link to "the site" is provided

MENDHAM TWP. - Township Committeeman Jack Schrier wants to allow residents two chances to speak at public meetings so they don't have to wait hours for the end of the meeting to comment.

Schrier said last Tuesday that the committee should allow for comment after it finished reviewing old business early in meetings. The committee currently allows for public comment at the end of meetings after reviewing new business, the administrator's report, and correspondence.

....Mendham Township Mayor Kathryn Porter said the committee should hold off on a decision until the next meeting when Township Committeeman Sante D'Emidio is present.

MENDHAM- The borough took a step forward in its efforts to trim its pesky deer population with 61 deer culled in the town this hunting season, said officials on Monday.

Borough Councilman Stanley Witczak, ... said he was pleased with the results. He said the town spent $600 for this season's program.

The councilman said some residents had expressed interest in getting their properties included in the program. He said interested borough residents could contact him and the wildlife committee would then provide them with the paperwork.

This hunting season, Bernards Township paid Deer Management System of Hampton nearly $18,000 to trim its deer population or $190 for each deer. The township had been hoping to kill 500 deer but only 93 were culled because of the weather, officials said.

Only six deer were killed in Mendham during the 2000-2001 hunting season. The borough's program was hampered after the state would not allow borough employees to keep the venison from their hunts.

MENDHAM- People have been coming to the historic First Presbyterian Church off Hilltop Road during emergencies for the past two-and-one-half centuries. ...Now the landmark church, which overlooks the community and can be seen for miles around, has an emergency of its own.

Large timbers that form the base of the church's tower have rotted badly and will have to be replaced, said Peter Pfunke, a member of the church's Buildings and Grounds Committee.

Pfunke said workers began the reconstruction process last week in an effort to save the steeple of the building. In order to finance the reconstruction effort estimated at $27,000, church members have established a "Save the Steeple" fund.

The church started the fundraising effort to avoid creating another mortgage, he said.

Pfunke said the present building, built in 1860, is the fourth building on the site, replacing the previous structure which had been hit by lightning and burned to the ground.

"It could be argued that this building today is one of the most beautiful historic structures in the Mendhams," said Pfunke. "It's illuminated at night and becomes a community beacon which can be seen for miles."

... any residents interested in helping the effort to save the church's steeple could send contributions to "Save the Steeple", Hilltop House, 14 Hilltop Road, Mendham, N.J. 07945.

MENDHAM TWP. - The Nickelodeon cable network has pulled the plug on plans to name a new park in memory of a baby who died of SIDS.

The Finlays had proposed naming the playground Nickelodeon, the nickname of their son Nicholas, who was 4-and-one-half months old when he died in January 1999 of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Finlay said an anonymous caller had tipped off Nickelodeon's attorney about the issue of the name.

She said the couple has decided to rename the facility Ralston Playground.

Last month, township officials met to outline the timetable for construction. Finlay said the site had been fully excavated and the pipe work laid. The curbing is about to be installed which will serve as the frame for a walkway with engraved bricks.

Footings will be dug early next month and the playground will be installed in mid-May.

More than $150,000 has been raised in donations from township residents to finance the project. Some of the playground equipment will be designed as replicas of historic landmarks in the township such as the Ralston Mill and the Union Schoolhouse.

Finlay said the Recreation Committee is seeking volunteers to help install the playground during the weekend of May 17-19. Any interested residents may call Recreation Committee director Jeanne Montemarano at (973) 543-4555

old discussion of issue here inMendham

MENDHAM TWP. - In response to the defeat of the township school district's proposed, $10.7 million, 2002-03 budget, township and school board officials have established a process for municipal review of the defeated budget.

By turning down budgets, voters in the Mendhams sent a strong message to the regional and township school board that they were fed up with rising school taxes.

Although the $34.8 million regional budget passed with support from Washington Township and the Chesters, both Mendhams turned it down. Mendham Township and Mendham Borough residents took the biggest tax hits from the regional budget.

Mendham Township voters also defeated the township's $10.7 million school budget by nearly 150 votes resulting in the district's first defeat in over a decade.

Narrow Win

The only survivor was Mendham Borough's $7.4 million budget that was narrowly approved by 20 votes.

Some residents speculated that the large tax impact of the West Morris Regional budget helped to drag down the local school budget. Township voters were walloped by the regional hike with a jump of 7.65 cents per $100 of assessed valuation or $76.50 per $100,000 of value.

Regional school officials have said the hike was due to a large number of students from Mendham Township going to the high school. The township was also affected because its valuation only increased by 2.69 percent over the previous years.

Schrier said the response of voters in the Mendhams to the regional budget was "a great impetus to look at separating the Mendhams and Chesters from the regional district. This must be pursued diligently."

He also said he supported a statewide constitutional convention to reconsider using property taxes as the means to fund school districts.

Mendham Borough Councilman Gerard Dolan also said the issue of deregionalization needed a closer look. The councilman said he supported a non-binding referendum to separate from Washington Township.

"Mendham borough and township are bearing the brunt of this and paying a disproportionate amount of taxes," said Dolan

The grades 9-12 regional district includes Washington Township, Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough and Mendham Township.

Washington Township students attend West Morris Central while students in the other four towns attend Mendham High School.

According to a recent feasibility study considering different deregionalization ideas, Washington Township has 54.6 percent of the regional district's enrollment, but pays 36 percent of the tax levy of the annual budget for the current school year.

With five board members, Washington Township dominates the regional school board. The Chesters have two representatives while Mendham Borough and Mendham Township each have one representative.

"The method for funding the regional district must be changed or we will continue to see this kind of resistance," Dolan said. "They (Washington Township) have so many students but their rate of (tax) increase is usually less."

According to school officials, costs also jumped because of a 6.5 increase in enrollment from last year. The district hired six new teachers to handle the jump in enrollment. The district also had to budget more for teachers salaries and benefits as the result of a new teacher's contract.

Berlin said the issue over how to fund school districts was complicated and that there were no easy solutions.

Berlin said that while education costs are high, the payoffs for students and the district are equally high. In 2001, Mendham High School had the highest SAT scores in the state among regional districts with similar socio-economic status. West Morris Central was third.

Capital projects include providing more laptops for staff members and putting seven more classrooms on-line. The district also has an acclaimed International Baccalaureate program.

Two police officers, one from Mendham and the other from Harding Township, will be leading a group of cyclists nearly 400 miles to Washington D.C. next month to raise money for a good cause.

....Mendham Patrolman Richard Morales and Harding Sgt. Paul Fortunato are both veterans of the sixth annual Police Unity Tour that raises money to help fund the operating costs of the National Law Enforcement Memorial.

...Morales and Fortunato, along with several officers from the NJ/NY Port Authority Police Department, will depart from the site of the former Twin Towers on Wednesday, May 8, arriving for a special 6:30 p.m. ceremony at the Morristown Green in the evening.

..Nearly 400 police officers are expected to attend the candlelight vigil.

..The cyclists will leave Morristown on Thursday, May 9, arriving in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, May 12.

...Morales, one of two Mendham police officers involved in the department's bike patrol, became involved in the Unity Tour five years ago.

...As a bike patrol officer, Morales gets plenty of training cycling through Patriots Path or along the streets of Mendham.

..."The community contact is fantastic," he said. "Sometimes I can beat the police cars to the calls."

Anyone wishing to pledge money or make donations to help the fundraising efforts of Morales or Fortunato, can call the Mendham Borough Police Department at (973) 543-2527 or the Harding Township Police Department at (973) 455-0500.

MENDHAM TWP.- A proposed 148-foot cell tower that would have overlooked two historic districts in the township cannot be built, a Superior Court judge ruled last Wednesday.

Mendham Township Republican Councilman Richard H. Krieg of Indian Hollow Road will run unopposed for one three-year seat.

Mayor Kathryn Porter has decided not to run for another term. Porter has served three terms on the Township Committee.
No Democrats filed.

Incumbent Republican Borough Councilmen Louis Garubo of Franklin Road and Lawrence Haverkost of Ironia Road will run unopposed for two three-year terms.
No Democrats filed.

The grade K-8 school district's $17.1 million school construction project is on target for completion by September .

At Hilltop School, workers have been busy installing windows, completing stairwells, and installing sheetrock and insulation. All inspections have passed so far, said Carrick.

...Hilltop's two wings, built in the 1950's, were torn down last fall and will be replaced and made handicapped accessible. Twelve new classrooms will be added along with a new media center, an art room, music room, new storage areas, and an upgraded cafeteria.

...The auditorium will be converted to a multi-purpose room with a stage.

...At Mountain View School, the project includes additional computer labs and the renovation of science labs, along with mechanical and electrical upgrades.

...Mendham voters approved the $17.1 million bond referendum in the fall of 2000. The district will receive $3.8 million in state aid to offset construction costs.

...Eighth graders recently helped a class of kindergartners learn math games while a physical education class of third through fifth graders helped one another with refereeing and training drills in basketball.

Technology Supervisor

Carrick said the Board of Education has budgeted for a technology supervisor position for Mendham's schools effective July 1.

"We want to maximize the use of technology we have in the district," she said. The technology supervisor will provide staff development, work with a curriculum coordinator to devise new programs, and plan technology purchases.

The district has big plans to improve its technological capabilities at both schools, said Carrick. School officials would like to have fiber optics wiring installed at Hilltop School and high speed Internet access for both schools.

Also on the agenda are improvements to the district's email system, she said.

The Friends of the Mendham Borough Library will hold a book and art sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Garabrant Center, Wilson Street, Mendham. A preview party will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, May 10. The donation is $10. Friends of the Mendham Borough Library will collect books, videos and art work in good condition. Donations can be dropped off at the library, 10 Hilltop Road, Mendham. For more information, call (973) 543-4152.

MENDHAM- Mark Serrano suffered at the hands of a pedophile priest and he said on Tuesday that he was far from the only victim.

Priest derides pedophiles in church
The abuse began when Serrano, then an altar boy in the parish, was only 9-years-old.

Mendham Township residents will take the largest hit if the budget is approved by voters on Tuesday, April 16.

Mendham Township residents would see a 7.65 cents per $100 of assessed valuation ($765 per $100,000 of value) hike in their taxes to support the regional district budget.

Mendham Borough would see a 3.19 cent per $100 of value ($319 per $100,000 of assessment) hike. ...

....Also at Monday's meeting, the board authorized spending $530,213 to install two new, prefabricated classrooms at West Morris Central High School and $2,074,000 for the music suite at Mendham High School.

The school elections are scheduled for Tuesday, April 16.

If approved, the $7.4 million budget will result in an increase of 1.7 cents per $100 of assessed value or $17 per $100,000 of assessed value. An owner of a home assessed at $400,000 would see a $68 increase in school taxes.

Members also asked the council for $12,000 in funding for this year's production and said major costs included royalties for performances, costumes, and sets.

Mayor Richard Kraft said funding for this year's budget could not be increased without state approval but that he would be open to considering a joint venture with Mendham Township.

Borough officials said funding could be set aside in next year's budget.

CHESTER TWP. - Eighty-five percent of township residents polled about their cable television service want RCN out of the picture.

The $4.5 million budget will result in an increase of 1 cent per $100 of assessed valuation rising from 40 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, or $400 per $100,000 of assessed valuation, to 41 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, or $410 per $100,000 of assessed valuation.

..An owner of a $400,000 home will see a $40 increase in taxes...

..The public hearing on the budget has been scheduled for Monday, April 15 at the Garabrant Center on Wilson St.

Among the costs in the capital improvement budget are $322,000 for a new fire truck; $33,500 for improvements to the Phoenix House; $47,750 for sidewalk repairs including along Florie Farm Road; $439,850 for road improvements including work on Cherry Lane; and $92,150 for a new dump truck for the Public Works Department.

...The police department received $56,340 for a new police car, upgrading fire alarms and smoke detectors at the police department, and upgrading vision cameras in police cars, said Blakeslee.

...One of the biggest jumps in this year's budget was for insurance costs. Worker's compensation insurance nearly doubled and general liability insurance increased by $30,000 from last year. Mendham is a member of the Morris County Joint Insurance Fund.

..Salaries also increased for police because of a 3 percent contract hike, said Blakeslee.

...The 2002 budget totals $6,713,748 and the municipal tax rate will continue at the current rate of 42 cents per $100 of assessed value or $420 per $100,000 of value.

..Mayor Kathryn Porter said this year's budget will be the fifth consecutive municipal budget with a level tax rate.

...The 2002 budget contains funding for a number of new and ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing services to residents. The initiatives include the overlay of 11 township roads, a new support truck for the Brookside Fire Engine Company, continued funding of the township fire cistern program, a new loader for the public works department, and the preparation of master plans for Meadowood Park and the recently acquired Seeing Eye property, said officials.

...Under state law, all municipal budgets must be approved by the state Department of Community Affairs. Subject to the approval, the committee has scheduled a public hearing on the 2002 budget for 7:30 p.m., Monday, April 8 at the municipal building off Cherry Lane.

Morris County has issued a County Declaration of Emergency dealing with water restrictions. The following activities are now prohibited: Non-commercial washing or cleaning of cars, trucks, trailers or any other vehicles, excluding emergency vehicles;

Washing of paved surfaces, including (but not limited to) streets, roadways, sidewalks, driveways, garages, parking areas, tennis courts and patios, except by the county and municipalities;

Serving of water at food service establishments, unless requested by patrons;

Use of water for ornamental purpose, such as decorative (flow-through), non-recycled water fountains, artificial waterfalls and reflecting pools;

Water used for flushing sewers and fire hydrants, unless for public health, recreation or safety;

The non-emergency use of fire hydrants without sprinkler caps.

Mendham Township imposes water use restrictions -- Observer Tribune Story

Tips on how to conserve water-- Observer Tribune Story

Health officials are preparing to send out questionnaires to residents of the Mendhams and Chesters as the first step in a community-based Lyme disease intervention program.

The questionnaire, prepared by the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is designed to gauge Lyme disease awareness among area residents, said John Clayton, health coordinator of Bernards Township last Thursday.

In addition to the questionnaires, health officials will send out several other educational materials including a homeowners' guide on pest control applications and landscaping tips to minimize ticks on property....

Mendham Borough had seven cases of Lyme disease while Mendham Township had 24 cases in 2000. Clayton said that while the figures seemed small, they were very high when converted to a case rate that is based on a population of 100,000 people.

The average case rate in New Jersey is 29 per 100,000 people. Based on the 2000 figures, the case rate was 143 for Mendham Borough and 518 for Mendham Township, he said....

MENDHAM - Prompted by the concerns from several residents of early morning and late night noise stemming from construction activities in the town, the Borough Council has moved to regulate the hours of such activities.

Under a new ordinance, construction activities are only allowed between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Activities include excavation, earthmoving, demolition, construction, and repair work.

...The ordinance prohibits construction activities on Sundays and major holidays.

...a homeowner may work on construction activities on his property from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. any day of the week as long as the homeowner isn't profiting from the activity or a paid contractor is doing the work.

...The councilman said it would have been difficult to regulate the actual noise from construction activities.

"By regulating the noise, the borough would have had to meet stringent enforcement activities," he said. " It's much easier to regulate the activities resulting in the noise."

MENDHAM TWP. - Police located a depressed Randolph woman near the waterfall at the Buttermilk Falls Natural Area and took her to Morristown Memorial Hospital for treatment.

...The 42-year-old Randolph woman, who is on anti-depressants, had made suicide threats to the doctor, said Sgt. James Hughes.

..."She wanted to walk out of the area on her own. There was no anticipation that she was going to jump," he said.

...The woman had been depressed but had not overdosed on her medication, he said.

As if the Borough Council's standard practice of taking 2 weeks to make public the minutes of the “public” council meetings is not nose- thumbing enough--the council has decided it needs another 2 weeks (3/18/02) before it can approve the minutes of the 2/19/02 meeting. One cranky resident speculates that the delay is the result of council members being too distracted comparing thumb and nose sizes to pay attention for the minute required to approve the minutes.

council meeting minutes

MENDHAM TWP -- With no cellular carriers committed to a proposed cell tower off Horizon Drive, the applicant's attorney last Wednesday said a commitment by the township to put an emergency services antenna on the tower would be enough to satisfy the requirements of the township ordinance.

Donna Erem, attorney for Mountain Union of Pennsylvania, requested that the township Planning Board issue subpoenas to police chief Thomas Costanza and fire chief Jack Alderton to testify on the need for better emergency services coverage in the township.

"This antenna would assist officers in terms of their duties and save lives," said Erem. "I don't think the police and fire chief will voluntarily appear before the board."..."It would benefit the public welfare to have this (antenna) on the tower. " she said.

The board agreed to table the request for review by township attorney Roger Clapp. Board member Kevin Giordano said the language of the ordinance would also be reviewed to determine whether a cellular carrier is actually needed rather than just an emergency services antenna.

CHESTER TWP. - RCN Telecom Services of Princeton, the trouble-plagued and oft-criticized cable television provider for township television viewers and 31 other communities in northern New Jersey, is seeking an extension of its franchise agreement.

A public hearing on the application will be held at a special Township Council meeting at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 19 at the municipal building.

RCN's application and supporting information for seeking a five-year extension to continue to provide cable television service in the township is available at the municipal building from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Neighboring communities Mendham borough and township, dissatisfied with RCN's poor service, switched to Cablevision last year. Chester Township was hopeful that it too would be able to switch providers but problems occurred

EDITOR: We live in the Brookrace development in Mendham Township and, like many of our fellow residents, were surprised to receive a notice with our last water bill from the Roxiticus Water Company in Summit, announcing a 34 percent water rate increase effective October 2001.

...That's a 59.37 percent increase over a two year period. The ruling results in a 110.22 percent revenue increase for the Roxiticus Water Company. over fiscal 2000 revenues and affects roughly 108 residents of Mendham.

...It is simply seeking a higher rate of return on investment.

...Are other communities experiencing such a drastic increase?

...Finally, this subject has been the topic of discussion in the community and none that we've talked to can remember receiving a notice announcing a hearing about the proposed increase.