Monday, March 15, 2010
Road detoured between Silver Lake Drive and Rotary Drive.
Department of Public Works crews have finished clearing a tree that was blocking Ashland Road between Silver Lake Drive and Rotary Drive since at least Sunday. The road has now reopened but several other roads in the city are still blocked. Utility crews were still working to reopen both West End Avenue and Mountain Avenue. Fallen trees on West End Avenue east of Passaic Avenue and on Mountain Avenue at Tulip Street both took down power lines. "Residents are really upset (Mountain Avenue) is still closed," Superintendent of Public Works Paul Cascais said. No word yet on when it will reopen. Cascais said he has had a small crew working since Saturday responding to storm related issues. His crews were delayed on Ashland Road, despite the …
40.70161
-74.37512
Ashland Rd & Silver Lake Dr
Now Reopened
/articles/crews-work-to-remove-tree-blocking-ashland-road
/locations/310706
40.70488
-74.36316
Mountain Ave & Tulip St
Still blocked
/articles/crews-work-to-remove-tree-blocking-ashland-road
/locations/310707
40.71808
-74.38377
W End Ave & Passaic Ave
Still blocked, Local Traffic Only permitted.
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/locations/310708
Friday, March 12, 2010
District still waiting for Christie budget numbers before finalizing budget.
The Board of Education received binders containing the draft budget for the 2010-2011 school year. But the final budget numbers will not be available until the end of next week after Gov. Chris Christie will deliver his budget address on March 16. Eleanor Doyle, chair of the Operations Committee, said the draft budget is one the committee is proud of because it met the two main goals for this year: keeping the tax levy increase at within the 4 percent cap and including some capital projects in the budget. "We've included capital projects that we've had to ignore over the last couple of years as budgets got tighter and tighter," she said. The budget draft assumes flat state aid, Doyle said, but the district will be able to pull back some of…
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Hunterdon County businessman one of two to challenge congressman in Republican primary.
In a theme common to political challengers nationwide this year, Hunterdon County businessman David Larsen said his frustration with Washington is what is behind his Republican primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon County). Larsen, the owner of a family window and doors business, said government spending, along with decisions in such areas as climate change and health care have gotten him into the race. He also notes a desire of the need to have turnover in the House to move out what he describes as professional politicians, a category where he placed Lance. "I am fed up with the out of control government," Larsen said. "They are spending like drunken sailors." Larsen has centered much of his platform on federal …
Homeowners on Woodland Avenue spoke about the need for sidewalks on the busy street during public comment at last week council meeting.
A public meeting will be held tonight at 7 to discuss the possible installation of sidewalks to Woodland Avenue betweem Bedford Road and the Canoe Brook Country Club. The meeting will be held in the council chambers at city hall. The installation of sidewalks has been extremely contentious the last several months with the residents of Woodland Avenue divided between the enhanced safety for children walking to school if sidewalks are installed and those who feel sidewalks would alter the character of the neighborhood and their landscapes. Marybeth Robb of Woodland Avenue pleaded with council at the March 2 council meeting to put the issue of her street's lack of sidewalks on the agenda. Robb, along with two other Summit residents, said that…
Monday, March 8, 2010
Beth Kinney details what $158,000 in additional cuts to the Department of Community Services would mean for residents.
Beth Kinney, director of the Department of Community Services, detailed what an additional $158,000 in budget cuts would mean for residents. Kinney outlined several options council has for where they want the cuts to come from, including switching from rear yard trash pickup to front-yard for a savings of $10,000 this year and then $130,000 a year after that. But these savings come at a cost, she said. Front-yard garbage removal effects the ambiance of the community and causes inconvenience for many of the city's residents. Phyllis Sank, a resident on Norwood Avenue, said many residents, especially seniors, will have trouble bringing their garbage cans to the curb. "I think it's a service that speaks to the quality of life in Summit," she …
40.717211
-74.362975
City of Summit Department of Community Services
512 Springfield Ave
/articles/budget-cuts-could-impact-garbage-recycling-pickup
8066
/locations/304150
Bagger says governor to address fiscal issues from local governments along with state government in budget.
Gubernatorial chief of staff Rich Bagger is remaining mum as to the specifics of Gov. Chris Christie's soon-to-be-released budget proposal and the impact on local governments and school districts. Bagger said the budget, which Christie is due to announce on March 16, is still being worked on, including sections regarding state aid to municipalities and school districts. He said cuts are being made to the budget across the board in order to address the multi-billion dollar budget deficit facing the state. "Every part of the state budget is under scrutiny," he said. Christie last month cut $475 million in state aid to school districts for the remainder of the current state budget year, which ends on June 30. The cuts, which included a …
Friday, March 5, 2010
Fire Chief Joseph Houck outlines what an additional $252,760 in cuts would mean for the fire department at second budget meeting.
Fire Chief Joseph Houck outlined Thursday night $252,760 in what he says would be "crippling" cuts to the fire department. Police officers, firefighters and concerned residents packed the Whitman Community room Thursday night as both Police Chief Robert Lucid and Houck explained the impacts of the additional cuts requested by common council at the first budget workshop in order to keep the tax levy increase at or below 2 percent. Houck said that while his department is already very "lean," these budget reductions would force him to layoff firefighters Tom Kirkland, Mike Mammone, and Brian Harnois, demote Lts. Eric Evers, Pail Imbimbo and Jeff Hudkins, demote Battalion Chiefs Richard Locke, Wayne Smith and Donald Nelson and reassign Deputy …
40.717211
-74.362975
Summit City Hall
512 Springfield Ave
/articles/fire-chief-details-crippling-cuts
8337
/locations/302095
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Several policemen and firemen were honored by the council for their actions in medical emergencies.
Mayor Jordan Glatt pronounced March to be Red Cross Month at last night's city council meeting. There he congratulated Christie Hodde, the executive director of the Colonial Crossroads Chapter, and commended the organization for outstanding service. "Last year the chapter responded to 17 emergencies … gave 4,500 free rides to seniors to medical appointments," Glatt said. "The Red Cross depends on support from the public to continue its humanitarian work." Hodde responded by acknowledging the different services the organization provides. "We not only responded to two large fires, but in the same week we were sending disaster volunteers down to Cape May, and sent our first international volunteer who went to Haiti," she said. "We are not …
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Council approves the lease of 2 Walnut St. to the Summit YMCA.
City Council approved the lease of 2 Walnut St. to the YMCA for $1 per year Tuesday night. The building will continue to be used as a youth center. "It's a way for us to keep the youth services going," said Councilwoman Ellen Dickson. The ordinance allowed for a two-year long lease, and the city will be responsible for utilities and outside property maintenance, an estimated $20,000 cost. The Summit YMCA will be in charge of every day maintenance as well as scheduling youth services for the city. While the ordinance passed unanimously and without public comment, there was some discussion between council members about presenting the building for sale. "In the past we've come close to declaring it for sale," said Councilman Tom Getzendanner…
40.717211
-74.362975
Summit City Hall
512 Springfield Ave
/articles/lease-of-youth-center-to-ymca-approved
8337
/locations/300416
40.71468
-74.3536
/articles/lease-of-youth-center-to-ymca-approved
/locations/300417
Bret Schundler discusses surplus freezes, possible reductions in state aid allocations.
Bret Schundler, newly sworn in as New Jersey's Commissioner of Education, defended the cuts in school aid already enacted by the Christie administration and warned educators Monday that more are on the way. Schundler spoke at the Garden State Coalition of Schools meeting at Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School Tuesday night. The topic of conversation was the current financial state of education in New Jersey. Many districts represented received notice recently they would not be getting the remainder of the state aid they were expecting. And most are also expecting state aid cuts for the 2010-2011 budget year. "We all know we're in trouble here–in the state, in the country, in the local districts," said Lynne Strickland, executive …
40.714226
-74.359518
Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School
272 Morris Ave
/articles/education-commissioner-speaks-at-garden-state-coalition-of-schools-meeting
8579
/locations/301140
And, I applaud Dave Bomgaars for appointing Rich Madden to head the critically important Finance Committee. We need bold, fresh leadership and, most likely, we need to completely restructure the way we manage city finances - the operating budget, schools and the county - and Rich is the perfect person for the job. more ›