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MENDHAM TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY www.mendhamtownship.org Town
Hall ( Penny Newell,
Clerk Public
Works/Road Department ......(973)543-4509 Construction
& Zoning Office ....…..(973)543-7464 Municipal
Court .................………..(973)543-7526 Police
Dept. (Non-emergency only)..(973)543-2581 EMERGENCY ONLY...... Township Committee Brian
J. Phelan, Mayor………….……..(973)895-3031 Robert
D. Pierson, Deputy Mayor..........(973)543-5606 Santé
D'Emidio…………………...……(973)543-8590 Kathryn
A. Porter………………………(973)543-4003 Jack
Schrier.…………………………
.(973)543-2447 === è
Tuesday, November 6, Is Election Day
- Be Sure to Vote!
ç (If
you will be unable to make it to your polling place between call
Penny Newell at 973-543-4555 for an Absentee Ballot Application!) ----------------------------------------------------------- Applause
for Long Service We were surprised to discover how many Township employees have been
serving our residents for a significant number of years. They work in our Public
Works Department, the township administrative offices, and our Police
Department. We are proud of them, and thank them for their diligence and
loyalty. We also want you to know who
they are, so when you see them on the job perhaps you can thank them too! 15
Years or More Glen
Conover, DPW Dennis
LaLonde, DPW John
John
O’Dell, DPW Jim
Hughes, Sgt. PD Vincent
Koert, PD Terry
Rigos, Lt. PD Vincent
Romano, Sgt. PD 20
Years or More Charles
Balut, Twp. Engr. Rick
Cacchio, DPW Jeff
Betz, Fire Official Dave
Read, Sr., Supt. DPW Ernest
DelGuercio, Tax Assessor Tom
Costanza, Chief, PD Tom
Zenick, Sgt. PD 30
Years Dolor
Taquinto, Sgt. PD Crutches,
Wheelchairs, Other Aids Available to Residents The
Mendham Township First Aid Squad is happy to lend equipment to residents. Our
supply consists mainly of crutches, canes ( one four-legged ), walkers, commodes
and toilet risers. Occasionally, a
wheelchair is available. The Squad also welcomes donations of wheelchairs and
any clean, usable equipment of this type. To request equipment or to make a
donation, call Linda Brusco at Town Hall (973)543-4555 or at home (973)543-2830. ==== Fall Brush
Collection, Fall Tire,
Battery & Oil Collection, Winter
Christmas Tree Pick-Up Please note the following dates on your calendar:
Fall Brush
Pick-Up:
Fall Tire, Bring to DPW Garage, Mt. Pleasant Road. Charges are: Tires, $2; Tires with rims, $6;
Batteries, $1 each; Oil, no charge. Christmas Tree
Collection:
Please remove ALL decorations and tree stands. How
to Put Out Brush Properly
Public Works Superintendent David H. Read, Sr., asks that you place
material at the side of the road by Brush will not
be picked up if lots or wooded areas are cleared by either the homeowner or a
contractor. Homeowners or contractors must dispose of cleared wood themselves.
Brush pick-up is mainly intended for the purpose of clearing away only brush
which has fallen naturally during storms, for homeowners who have no wooded or
natural areas on their property to dispose of the material. Most important:
Do NOT include in your bundles any material other than branches, scrub,
or brush. When wire or metal rods
are tucked inside the bundles, this damages township equipment which must then
be repaired or replaced with your tax dollars. Most important, this type
of material can cause serious injury to workers when it passes through the
chipper. Please be a good citizen and follow these rules. The
town is pleased to continue providing these environmentally-important services
to residents and we appreciate your cooperation in helping to ensure safety.
If you have any questions please telephone the Dept.
of Public Works at (973)543-4509. Lower
Your Cost of Garbage Collection As
a Within
the past year, the cost of a sticker for a 15
lb. bag of trash has come down to just 60¢
If you put out one 15 lb. bag per week,52 weeks of trash collection is a mere $31.20A
sticker must be affixed to each bag. If you place several bags in a can and the
total weight is not more than 15 lbs., place one sticker on the top bag so that
it is visible when the lid is removed. If there is no sticker, the garbage
cannot be picked up. Stickers are available for purchase in lots of 10 stickers,
and, as a convenience to our residents, may be purchased from the Mendham Apothecary located in the Kings/Village Shopping Center in
Mendham. Garbage,
or trash, includes all waste that results from the handling, preparation,
cooking or consumption of foods. Garbage
also includes normal household rubbish which is not recyclable, but does not
include oil, paint, or other hazardous waste. Bulk
trash does not require stickers. Bulk
trash includes furniture, carpets, mattresses, large toys, empty paint cans (not
oil based), or other items too large to fit into a garbage can. Please note,
however, that bulk trash does not include any type of construction,
building, demolition or renovation materials.
Morris
Important
Information for 2001-2002 Curbside Recycling is Collected Every Other Monday Call
Town Hall for a Schedule Calendar Please
Have Containers & Bundled Newspapers at Curbside by Recycling Dates
2001
October 8, 22
November 5, 19
December 3,
17, 31 January 14, 28
February 11, 25
March 11, 25 April 8, 22
May 5, 20
June 3, 17 July 1, 15, 29
August 12, 26
September 9, October 7, 21
November 4, 18
December 2,
16, 30 Prepare
Newspapers Properly for Recycling Prepare
your old newspapers for curbside recycling collection by bundling them and tying
the bundles with string or twine. Keep newspapers separate from all other
paper and do not place them in plastic bags. It is OK to include in the
bundle: coupon inserts, glossy special sections, and paper that actually comes
with the newspaper. Thanks
to your efforts our recycling program is very successful. Recycling is
required by state law and has the extra benefit of reducing the weight of
trash you put out for weekly collection, thereby saving you money on your
per-bag garbage fee. Label Your Recycling Containers Please identify with labels (available free at town hall) the type of recyclable material in each container (i.e. “mixed paper,” “newspapers only,” “mixed recyclables”) especially when lids are placed on the containers. Recyclables should
be placed at the curb the night before collection, and no later than ==== Freeholders
continue to honor “The
Greatest Generation” Do You Know A WWII Veteran? The Morris County Freeholders have been presenting
special commemorative medals to county residents who are veterans of the Second
World War, or their family members. The only requirement is that the individual
is or was a Each medal is about an inch-and-a-half in diameter
and 1/8-inch thick, beautifully crafted in deep relief, and suspended on an
accompanying red, white and blue ribbon to be worn around the neck. The
Freeholders also have created a small version of the medal, which can be worn as
a lapel pin or on a woman’s coat or suit. To receive this commemorative medal, the veteran or
person acting on behalf of the veteran should complete a simple form that is
available in town hall, or from Mendham’s own Freeholder, Jack Schrier. The
form asks for the veteran‘s name and address, the branch and dates of service,
and a copy of the service record and certificate of discharge or separation. The
County Department of Human Services will verify eligibility and the medals will
be awarded at a special presentation ceremony. To date, 70 veterans from the
Mendhams have received these medals! If you are a veteran of World War II, or you know
someone who is, help us to honor these gallant men and women. Stop in at town
hall for a copy of the form, or call Freeholder Jack Schrier at 973-543-2447. === Recreation News The (973) 543-7301.
This summer has brought with it some new and exciting programs sponsored
by the Recreation Commission. We
began a preschool program at The
Recreation Commission in cooperation with the Kids in the Kitchen program held
cooking classes for ages 5 and up at the Community Club all summer.
The Swim Team at 8
and under: Charlie Pontiakas- 2nd
place in Freestyle, 3rd place in Backstroke and Fly and 4th
place Breast Stroke 9-10
year olds: Kenzie Danbach – 2nd
in IM and 4th in Breast Stroke, Colleen Koenig – 3rd in
Breast Stroke and 6th in Back Stroke, Magie Ward, 6th in
Breast Stroke 11-12
year olds: Kyla Danbach- 2nd in IM and Fly and top six in Back Stroke 13-14
year olds: Kris Danbach- 1st
place in Breast Stroke, almost breaking the record held by Mendham Swimmer Mike
Lipka 13
-18 year olds, 200 Medley Team took 1st place with swimmers Norie
Skoda, Kara Danbach, Kaitlyn Danbach and Kara Gier, almost breaking the record.
Congratulations
to all! There
were many hot sunny days to swim at the
Looking ahead, the Recreation Commission is planning several Fall/Winter
programs. In the Fall we are planning another session of
Mad Science, a Math and Science enrichment program, another Babysitting
course, and Volleyball. As usual we will sponsor a 7th and 8th
grade dance in late October. The
Ski Club may see some changes this winter, as the Township and Borough combine
programs. More information to
follow. We are anticipating another
great High School Comedy Night with Jim Brewer in November or December.
Stay tuned! Look for information on these programs at our Web
Site at mendhamtownship.org, and in
the Observer Tribune. The Recreation
Commission also requests that you encourage your children to bring home the
flyers they get in school. This is
an excellent way to keep everyone informed on upcoming programs, and of course,
keep in contact with your Recreation Director, Jeanne Montemarano at
(973)543-7301. (caption for picture:
) Burial
Day at the Beach!
Pictured are: (front, buried) John
Eskeland, (back, left to right) Charlie
Pontiakas, Kendall Murray, Shannon Koenig, Colleen Koenig. === Board
of Health News: Free Rabies Clinic There are many valuable health screening programs offered through the
Township, at reduced rates or no cost. For details and more information, call
Linda at the Board of Health Office (973)543-4555. Free
Rabies Clinic Our
annual Free Rabies Immunization -- for dogs and cats -- will be conducted at the
Brookside Fire House on ===== Time
to check those detectors... Smoke Detectors Require Attention Your home smoke detectors are the best life insurance
you can have for your family. And the correct installation, testing and
maintenance of smoke detectors may mean your family’s survival in case of
fire. You should install a separate smoke detector on each floor-level of your
home and in each bedroom. False Alarms Are Costly – To Everyone Our volunteer fire department has been swamped with
false alarms during the past several years. False alarms, usually identified as
“activated alarm” calls from remote- monitored systems, account for the
largest number of requests for emergency response. There is no way of knowing
whether the alarm is a fire or not until the engines arrive, and we cannot take
chances. The cost of responding
to false alarms is borne by all of us. As a taxpaying resident, you can have a great impact
on reducing false alarms by conducting annual inspections yourself, or, if you
have a monitored fire detection alarm system, by making sure that it is
inspected annually by a professional alarm service company. False alarms are subject to penalties and fines, by
law. New alarm installations require a permit from the
Construction Code Office to ensure correct installation. Additionally, you must
know how your system works and what can cause a false alarm. Cooking
odors/smoke, steam from a shower, dust from construction work in your home, are
but a few examples of conditions that may cause a false alarm. Everyone in your home – family members,
housekeeping staff, baby sitters, nannies and maintenance contractors -- could
inadvertently be the cause of a false alarm, and thereby place in jeopardy the
lives of the dozens of volunteers who respond to your home. Maintenance is easy If you have electric or battery-operated smoke
detectors those also require regular inspection and maintenance, including
changing the batteries, vacuuming the detectors and testing the units per the
manufacturer’s instructions. A smoke detector’s life is approximately ten
years and we are beginning to see many detectors failing after this age. Your
aging detectors should be replaced for your safety. Fire? Get out - fast! Call the fire department at Help save money and lives by doing your part to avoid
needless false alarms. Jeff
Betz, === Check Out Our Town On The Web!Did you know
that You can visit your home town from anyplace in the
world where you have access to the Internet. The site is interactive and you are
invited to send us a message or a comment when you visit. For additional
information on the web site itself, please contact ==== Editor’s
note: In our last issue, we noted that the Township Committee was considering
asking you to approve an increase in funding for our municipal open space trust
fund. After due consideration the Committee did vote in August to place a Public
Question on the November 6th ballot, seeking approval to allow the
governing body to add up to one additional cent to the township open space tax.
The levy is now set at its maximum of 4c per $100 of assessed property
valuation. An average property assessed at $400,000 contributes $160 per year to
the open space fund which is wholly used for acquisition of open space. The
referendum will be non-binding on the Township Committee. Open Space Committee Urges
“Yes” Vote for
One Cent
Increase In
the opinion of the Township’s Open Space Committee -- whose members are your
neighbors and fellow taxpayers -- the “Municipal Public Question” that will
be on the November 6th ballot, proposing an increase of 1c
in our Open Space tax, is a good thing for Mendham Township for many reasons: ·
It will allow our successful voter-approved open space program to
continue preserving undeveloped land within our borders. And, with diminishing
developable land available, the value of existing properties is likely to
increase. ·
It will help
sustain the semi-rural nature and natural beauty of ·
It will give us greater ability to leverage our own funds along with
other sources (i.e., the County Open Space Trust, the state Green Acres funds,
and generous private funding) to make more worthwhile acquisitions of larger
properties. ·
Through preservation and protection from development, there generally
results lessened demand for municipal services (police, roads, schools, water,
traffic, etc.) which in turn can help keep our local taxes under control. ·
Due to the major trend of
For all these reasons and others, the Open Space Committee respectfully
asks you to vote “Yes” for the November referendum. Help keep Thanks
to K.B., B.B. and J.H. === Take this
fascinating Magical History
Tour… “We Bought a
Bargain” by
Wilma Lewis Sagurton Local
Historian of
This is written to make sure that our neighbors in When
Following the road northward we cross the
two small bridges over the stream, one stone and the other cast iron.
We are now in
The earliest dam has been breached and rebuilt over the years, but still
retains water for the first mill pond. A
deed shows the tan yard built along the west side of the dam, and tells of a
bark house, bark grinder and vats for the tanning solutions.
From the left side of the dam the head race follows Before
Geo.
The second mill pond is marked by a broken line of stones across the
stream and a flat area -- the floor of the pond.
In later years this was used as a turn out for the farm horses and
perhaps oxen used on the Lewis farms. There
was a built-in reservoir in the barn for water from a spring across the road
which supplied water for the horses summer and winter.
Overflow left through a small opening in the foundation and joined the
brook.
Opposite the red barn recently restored by Ernie Maw there is a flat
stone shaped vaguely like a map of NJ. This
is a surveyor’s marker dating to the earliest days of habitation in the area,
placed there before George Washington was born.
Continuing up The
new Ford – just $600
Between the barn site and the second dam is the spring house.
It had a chestnut framed roof, knocked loose by a snow plow years ago.
Natural stone steps lead down to a bi-level spring-fed area where milk
pans sat in the shallow end waiting for the cream to rise, and the 40-quart milk
cans waited for transportation to customers such as boarding
houses and hotels in
Farther north there is a steep rise with huge old sugar maples along the
road. Looking over the bank the
rounded wall of a lime kiln is marked by more sugar maples.. Limestone was mined
from fissures between the layers of 600-million-year-old granite.
It was roasted in kilns, releasing carbon dioxide and water, leaving
lime. This was used to sweeten the
acidic glacial soil, and to make whitewash for brightening cellars and stable
walls. Limestone was also used in
smelting iron. I can remember 30 of
those huge sugar maples, planted by Levi. Most
have gone down from old age and road salt, of which they are absolutely
intolerant. These old trees marked
human habitation over the years. It
would be splendid if developers and householders would plant them instead of the
meaningless varieties they use today. What
“do it yourself” used to mean
Returning to the two bridges we will look at spots of interest on the
other, west, side of
The house next door was undoubtedly built by Levi.
The Roman numeral marked old beams show the original outline of the
house. It was updated in the
Victorian style in later years.
At the foot of the
The next house was built in 1807 for Moses Combs’ miller.
Combs acquired the mills after Levi’ death in 1799, and his sons’
sale of the business. We
are so rich with history
Then comes the long white house behind a stone wall.
Built in 1768, it has gone through numerous “restorations” but still
presents a brave face to the world. Its
outhouse has gone from the yard toward the red barn.
This barn belongs to the Edward Lewis-Mahetible Horton house, and has
been well restored by Ernie Maw.
Next comes the home site of William J. Lewis, showing only a foundation.
It was put down as an “attractive nuisance” along with the barn
across the street. It was later
owned by Silas Merchant Lewis, brother of my father.
Their parents, Edward B. and Phebe Lewis lived there after they gave up
the Merchant farm on
The distillery lot is now occupied by a development house.
This lot is described in early deeds as “a lot of land that Alexander
McIlrath sold to David Lewis (son of Edward) on which the cider house and
distillery stands.” “The new
government was established in 1806. It
is expected that a commemorative marker will be placed here in the near
future.” A marker will
probably be placed there, since it was there that the citizens of
At the top of the next rise David & Nanna Mockridge built their home
in 1910 to be ready for their 1911 marriage.
They used the site of the Isaac Combs home, by now long gone.
It was put down last year, and a development house has risen in its
place. Edward, Phebe, her sister
Amanda, and Nanna’s father, Joseph B. Mockridge all died in David’s home.
Combs Hollow is now on the State and National Registers of Historic
Sites. It contains the earliest
industrial works in the area.
It is of further interest that Levi’s son-in-law developed the Ralston
Mill complex, and his brother Samuel built the first mill in Basking Ridge,
which was later replaced by the imposing stone structure there today.
Levi was my great-great-great-great grandfather, and our family occupied
the area for 200 years. I personally
searched all the deeds to get it on the Registers.
It would be fitting to take Mendham residents on a tour of the historic
area adjacent to that which now belongs to it.
Perhaps something can be done to work with (Editor’s
note: You may contact Wilma Sagurton through Penny Newell at town hall,
973-543-4555.) === The
Library is gearing up for Fall. We’re
cleaning. We’re weeding out lots
of books that haven’t been checked out in a long time (don’t worry - no
classics get the hook!), so be sure to check the “Bargain Book Truck” by the
copy machine for used children’s books, biographies, fiction & mysteries.
Cookbooks, gardening and other “non-fiction” titles will hit our
sales rack in upcoming months! Again,
we keep and/or update classic and very popular titles.
We
are thrilled to report that Paula Benham, who recently finished her tenure as
President of the Friends of the Library, joined the Library Staff.
At first, Paula took on the cataloging job, but she recently succumbed to
my begging and took on the job of Children’s Librarian.
Paula served in this capacity years ago, and she is responsible for many
of the established traditions in our children’s services.
Story times for this Fall will be wonderful.
Paula is planning a seasonal theme, and the Children’s room is already
taking on the look of the season, with autumn leaves, apples and pumpkins
appearing on the walls and shelves. Sign
ups for story times begin Thursday, September 13 and continue through Monday,
September 24. We will conduct
a story time session for two year olds, on Tuesday mornings beginning October 9
at Note
that the new president of the Friends is Melanie Quick, and she would love to
have more members on the Friends Board. We
were very happy to have our beloved Susannah Truitt back on the job at the
Circulation Desk! Still recovering
from back surgery, she came back on
the job with a smile and plenty of recommendations for good reads.
Never has a back brace looked so fashionable!
Unfortunately, she will be out again for a while.
Again, we are looking forward to her rapid recovery and return to the
Library. We
were saddened to lose our wonderful Interlibrary loan specialist, Stephen
Walter, who moved out of the area over Labor Day.
He helped many people in the community by finding books from far flung
libraries, and by getting books and other media from libraries right here in
Morris county. We will miss him a
lot, but he has promised to return to do a reading when he publishes his first
book! We are very fortunate that
Bonnie Coy stepped up to the plate to handle your Interlibrary loans.
She’s already doing a great job in a very demanding position.
The online catalog, “Web2” provides all library patrons in Morris
county with the ability to look for books from home and request books via “ Please
join us in welcoming Tiffani Nieusma, the newest member of the library staff.
Our Library reminds her of the library she grew up with in We
have two local students on staff, Julie Merkt and Cory Alderton.
After doing a fabulous job this summer, helping out with our popular
summer story times, helping at the circulation desk and shelving thousands of
books, they cheerfully agreed to return to the Library to continue shelving, and
helping Mrs. Benham with story time crafts!
Robbie Connolly, who worked here during the last school year also plans
to return to us soon. We’re
looking forward to Robbie’s return. Other
students who worked here and all contributed in unique and creative ways this
summer included: Emily Merkt,
Arielle Hansen, Rachel Burstein, Alyssa Rothenberg and
Adam Floreck. We also had
student volunteers! Robin Byrne and
Andrew Agis did a fantastic job helping out wherever needed - shelving and story
time, running to the post office, copying. They
are a credit to the community! Many
of our regular volunteers, who usually take the summer off, came in to help
during a regular staff shortage. Sincere
thanks to Pat Connor, Hope Preston, Ann Bernstein, Mary Robertson, Joyce Zelmer,
Nancy Bailin, Joan White, and Vera Roche! I
said it a year ago when I started working here, and I feel even more strongly
now, this community amazes me. Every
day I am inspired by the support and affection for this Library, as evidenced by
the dedication and skill of the volunteers and the friendliness, humor and
intelligence of the people who use this institution. Lastly,
I want to tell you that the children really enjoyed summer story times and the
summer reading program. About 80
children registered for story times. They
listened to stories and make crafts including kaleidoscopes, scarecrows, origami
paper cranes, an old lady in a pumpkin, magic sticks, the seven dwarves tucked
into bed, trail mix, potted plants and more.
Forty-two children in grades kindergarten through 6th grade,
kept reading logs and earned cool prizes. They
read over 270 books in five weeks! WOW! Eileen
Burnash, Library
Director === Letters
to the Editor … “Seniors’
Survey?” One
of our venerable residents recently wondered what services are available to our
senior citizens, especially those who, for example, may no longer be able to
drive. How do they get around, to shop, or visit a doctor? While
we do not have space here to list all the agencies in If
you have an interest in knowing about the availability of specific services for
the elderly or handicapped, we would like to hear from you. Please address your
comments to: Editor, Mendham Twp.
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