Our Montville

Montville Library a hit with families!

Three-year-old Frederick Wordelmann heads straight to a work table in the children’s area of the Montville Public Library where the librarian he’s come to know is pouring out markers of every color from an oversized supply bag.

At a nearby table, Cortni Vnencak, 3, has already started to sort through the markers, searching for just the right colors to design a Thanksgiving turkey, last week’s activity in the "First Saturdays for Families" program held on Saturday, Nov. 7.  Frederick and Cortni are among the hundreds of area youngsters who regularly participate in the children’s programs designed to introduce young people to the library. "Let them see we’re a fun place to be," said librarian Ann Job who has run the library’s Children’s Department for the past six years. Job is referring to the 15 or so youngsters - ages 2 through 6 - who showed up last week for the trendy Saturday morning program that runs year-round, just one of the library’s many crowd-pleasing events. 
Continue Reading The Citizen.

Montville VFW honors vets, Remembrance of Fort Hood victims as well

Soldiers killed in the massacre last month at Fort Hood, Texas, were remembered at Veterans Day ceremonies hosted by VFW Post 5481 on Wednesday, Nov. 11, with a folded flag set in their memory as a bell tolled 13 times - once for each victim.
Post Commander Frank Warholic served as the master of ceremonies for the day’s services, attended by almost 100 people.
The crowd of veterans, educators, students, politicians and spectators honored all veterans, past and present, as well as the many local servicemen and women from Montville Township who grew up alongside many residents.

Continue Reading The Citizen

Montville reluctant to embrace all of Highlands plan

One part of a state plan designed to curb development in the Highlands has the support of Montville officials. The other part? Not so much.
The township is expected to agree tomorrow night to a mandatory portion of the Highlands Council Regional Master Plan, which preserves wooded land in Montville’s northern section.
But several Montville leaders are balking at the plan’s optional rules that govern development in the rest of the town.
The Montville committee likely will follow a recommendation from the local planning board against full compliance with the Highlands plan.
Continue Reading NJ.com.

William Paterson University receives $120K from Montville Resident

Margaret Lam and David Yen of Montville have donated $120,000 to William Paterson University to establish a Center for Chinese Art on campus over the next two years.  This donation will support the University's Chinese art curriculum, provide students with opportunities to learn Chinese art techniques, and cultivate a deeper understanding between the United States and its Chinese residents.  This funding will support several new initiatives including, the Summer Art in China program, courses in Chinese art, classes in traditional techniques such as ink painting and calligraphy, Chinese art exhibits, visiting artists exchanges, and a new Web site dedicated to the Center.  These initiatives will be part of a six-year project, to be developed in three phases. 

Margaret Lam is president and CEO of Prosperity Resources Development International Inc., of Irvington, and import and export company focused on Chinese foods and goods.  Her husband, David Yen, is a retired vice president of Chase Manhattan Bank.   

 

Attached is the photo taken during the dinner at the University hosted by President Arnold Speert on 9-9-09. That is the date of establishment of the Center for Chinese Art. Margaret Lam and David Yen were honored by the title Honorary Director of the Center for Chinese Art.

Boiling Springs Savings Bank's Community Alliance Program for Pets

Boiling Springs Savings Bank is excited to offer the Community Alliance Program to eligible non-profit organizations such as Montville Pet parents (MPP).   With this program MPP has the opportunity to earn money for our group entirely through the participation of its members atno-cost to its members.
 
The Bank will make a quarterly donation to our organization based upon the member's balances.  Eligible accounts include:  Certificates of Deposits, Individual Retirement Accounts, Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Money Market Accounts, Premium Checking Accounts.(All member and organization account information is kept strictly confidential). 
 
The more supporters of Montville Pet Parents that open, or already have accounts at Boiling Springs, and designate these accounts to be included in the program, the more money we raise for our organization!

If you are interested in supporting MPP through the Boiling Spring's Community Alliance Program, please click here to fill out the form needed to designate your account., or pick one up while you are visiting Boiling Springs.  Once you have completed the form please stop by your nearest branch so that they can add MPP to your account. Hours, locations, and phone numbers can be found on our Hours and Locations page .
The newest branch of Boiling Springs to open is located right here on Main Road in Montville (in the Red Barn Plaza). 
 
Once again, thank you in your support of building a kinder world for homeless pets.
 

Town is advised not to opt in to the Highlands

The Planning Board has recommended that the Montville Township Committee not opt in to the planning area of the Highlands Act; the township is required to opt in to the preservation area (the municipality occupies land in both areas). Township Planner Joseph Burgis presented the pros and cons at the Nov. 10 meeting.

Benefits include legal representation by the Highlands if needed, planning grants, and the ability to opt in or out at any time. Regarding the affordable housing obligation, opting in would oblige the township to 84 units, vs. 316 if they do not opt in, and would grant the township the ability to transfer up to 50 percent of that obligation to other municipalities participating in the Highlands.

The Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend not opting in. Burgis clarified that the township will have future opportunities to opt in. More information, including the breakdown of various pros and cons, will be posted on the township's Web site.

Also that evening, final adoption of the much-discussed water rates structure was voted on. Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, the rate will be $4.65 per 1,000 gallons of usage.

Continue Reading NorthJersey.com.

PSE&G line opponents, proponents spar at hearing

Hearings on Public Service Electric and Gas Company's contentious power line upgrade began Monday with utility officials reiterating the dire need for the project and opponents blasting what they say will be environmental, health and cost impacts.
About a dozen lawyers for both sides began making their cases before Joseph Fiordaliso, a New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Commissioner serving as the hearing officer for the $750 million Susquehanna-Roseland project, which would traverse 47 miles in New Jersey, including through portions of Morris County.

Jodi Moskowitz, a PSE&G lawyer, opened the hearing by saying the work — which would add 500-kilovolt lines on towers as tall as 195 feet — "is critical to the future reliability of New Jersey's and the region's power grid."

"This is based on greed, not need," countered Catherine E. Tamasik, an attorney representing seven municipalities — Andover, Byram, East Hanover, Montville, Parsippany, Freedon and Hardwick — that are intervening in the process.PSE&G filed an application with the BPU last January, seeking to be exempted from local zoning rules for its project. The company submitted numerous documents and three public hearings were held.

Continue Reading Daily Record.

Flags fly to honor those who served

Flags. They adorn the Route 80 overpass on Changebridge Road and are an integral part of VFW Post 5481's Veteran's Day program. Regardless of the setting, the flags have an important role, to honor the men and women who have served in the United States military.

The flags that flap in the breeze over the highway most months of the year are Ron Soussa's way of paying respect to those who sacrificed their time and in some cases, their lives, for this country.

It all started with a trip to Arlington National Cemetery four years ago.

"It was so moving," said Soussa, a Montville Township resident.

The rows and rows of tombstones gave Soussa a sense of awe and caused him to think about those who fought; the young men and women leaving their homes, facing risk, and making the sacrifice. He said it made him realize that the often used sentiment, freedom is not free, "really means something."
Continue Reading NorthJersey.com.

Flood plan supported in Montville with open space grant

Noting the substantial areas of wetlands within three properties off River Road totaling 35.6 acres and its value as a natural flood protector, the county on Monday awarded the township $1.35 million in county open space funds to help it preserve the land.

That was the third largest of the 17 awards totaling $14.14 million approved by the Morris County Board of Freeholders to help preserve more than 1,049 acres of open space in 12 towns. The freeholders approve funding based upon the recommendations of the county’s Open Space Committee.

The three parcels across from the Rockaway River also abut the Knoll Country Club in neighboring Parsippany, according to the county. They are mostly wooded and lie east of River Road.

The land contains "significant areas of wetlands and floodplains," the county noted in making the award.

Township officials applied for the funds to help provide natural flood protection in the areas and the land. Continue Reading The Citizen.

The freeholders approved funding 17 total projects at their Nov. 9 meeting based upon the recommendations of the county’s Open Space Committee.  For specific information, see Morris Preservation.

See also NorthJersey.com.

Morris County's Christie elected Governor

Republican Chris Christie of Mendham defeated Democratic Gov. Jon S. Corzine to become New Jersey's  next Governor. 

Christie, a headline-grabbing, corruption-busting U.S. Attorney under President George W. Bush, sought to capitalize on years of baked-in anti-Corzine sentiment among voters, who for years have registered a negative view of Corzine's job performance, and concerns about the economy. New Jersey has lost 168,500 jobs in the last 21 months.  See Daily Record.