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Morris County Celebrates 31st Annual Partners in Economic Development Awards

By
Frank Cahill
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31st Annual Partners in Economic Development Awards was held at the Hyatt Regency Morristown, 3 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County’s vibrant economic landscape took center stage once again to honor its champions of growth and innovation at the 31st Annual Partners in Economic Development Awards. Set against the backdrop of Morris County’s thriving business ecosystem, this prestigious event recognizes outstanding efforts and achievements that propel the county’s economic vitality forward.

The Partners in Economic Development Awards, now in its 31st year, served as a testament to the collaborative spirit and entrepreneurial drive that define Morris County. Presented by the Morris County Economic Development Corp. in partnership with the Morris County Chamber of Commerce and the Morris County Economic Development Alliance, alongside its Tourism Division, this annual celebration showcases the power of synergy in fostering economic prosperity.

“We are immensely grateful for the steadfast support and visionary leadership of our county commissioners and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce board of directors,” remarked Meghan Hunscher, CEO & President of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corp., “Their unwavering commitment has enabled us to cultivate a thriving ecosystem, driving innovation and creating new opportunities for economic growth throughout Morris County.”

The event featured distinguished keynote speakers Lauren LaRusso, Co-Host City Manager for the N.Y./N.J. World Cup Host Committee for the FIFA World Cup 2026, and Thomas Abdallah, Vice President of Environmental Services and Chief Environmental Engineer at MTA New York City Transit. Joining them was Jeff Vasser, Executive Director of the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism (NJTT), offering insights into NJ’s role in the upcoming FIFA 2026 World Cup.

“Innovation, Community, and Growth” are the guiding principles of the 2023 Real Estate Awards and Impact Awards, which highlight outstanding achievements in real estate development and community impact initiatives. The awards recognized exemplary projects such as Deal of the Year: Office, Deal of the Year: Industrial, Business Retention Award, and Business Attraction Award.

Craig Schlosser, CEO & President of the Morris County Economic Development Alliance and Tourism Bureau, emphasized the importance of the awards ceremony in fostering personal and community growth and unity. “This event presented a unique opportunity for stakeholders, businesses, and community members to come together and celebrate our collective achievements,” he stated. “It’s a platform for sharing insights, discovering new opportunities, and forging meaningful connections that will shape the future of our economic landscape.”

This year’s program focused on Downtown Development, featuring a panel discussion on leveraging transit proximity to enhance value in office, multifamily, and retail sectors. Industry experts including Antoinette Quagliata from Dewberry, Robert Donnelly Jr. from Cushman & Wakefield, and Ludivine O’Toole from AvalonBay Communities shared insights and best practices for fostering vibrant downtown communities.

Special Board of Education Meeting Notice

By
Frank Cahill
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Dover Board of Education, 21 Belmont Avenue

DOVER — The Dover Board of Education has scheduled a Special Board Meeting for Saturday, April 13th, commencing at 8:45 a.m.

The meeting will take place in the Conference Room of the Dover Admin Building, located at 21 Belmont Avenue. The primary agenda item will be the interviews for the Interim/Acting Superintendent position.

Please note that this meeting is for discussion purposes only, and no formal decisions will be made.

Morris County Adopts 2024 Budget with No Increase in the Tax Rate

By
Frank Cahill
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MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted a 2024 Budget on Wednesday, April 10, with no increase in the tax rate as funding expanded for public safety, infrastructure, human services, education and training, and economic development.

Click here to view the budget presentation.

“Strong ratable growth and prudent financial planning made this budget possible,” said Commissioner Deborah Smith, Chair of the Commissioners’ Budget Committee. “We can increase services such as public safety and veterans’ affairs while maintaining a flat tax rate. We are very sensitive to the plight of the taxpayer amid inflation, despite increasing costs on the county.”

The $365.3 million 2024 Budget includes the 2024 Capital Spending Plan which puts nearly $35 million towards county infrastructure. This year’s fund balance grew by $2.5 million bringing it to $63.2 million, safeguarding Morris County against economic shifts and ensuring it maintains its triple-A Bond rating from both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.

“Morris County has maintained a triple-A rating for 48 years,” Commissioner Director Christine Myers said. “This impeccable rating saves everyone money by allowing our towns, schools, and county to borrow funds for integral community projects at the most competitive finance rates.”

Commissioner Deputy Director Christine Myers

The county’s robust financial health also helped the budget committee address growing expenses forced by mounting state mandates on operations at the Morris County Clerk’s Office and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

The 2024 Budget allocates $38.1 million for Human Services and Health Services, including doubling to $300,000 a line item in emergency assistance funding to shelter and support people experiencing homelessness. The budget also commits another $150,000 toward funding allocated to prevent people from becoming homeless.

A combined $77.8 million will go towards public safety, including full dispatch services to 23 municipalities and daily backup services to local Basic Life Support and Emergency Medical Service units for all 39 Morris County towns. Morris County’s Basic Life Support Emergency Medical Service Unit responded to more than 3,862 Emergency calls in 2023.

Critical Community Investments

The Preservation Trust Fund Tax will stay level for 2024, at 5/8 cent per $100 of total county equalized property valuation. It has financed many county park improvements, preservation programs, and restoration projects through grant programs like Farmland Preservation, Open Space Preservation, Historic Preservation, Flood Mitigation, and Trail Design and Construction.

Among the educational, cultural and economic development incentives included in the 2024 Budget are:

  • $9 million to support the Morris County Park Commission which manages 20,455 acres of parkland, making it the largest county park system in the state.
  • More than $24 million to support education, including career training at the County College of Morris and the Morris County Vocational School District.
  • A record $900,000 for Economic Development and Tourism, including $100,000 for the celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary.

Critical Infrastructure Investments

The county’s 2024 Capital Spending Plan designates approximately $35 million toward enhancing road resurfacing, improving intersections along the 287 miles of county roadways, and replacing bridges and culverts.

County College of Morris to host Second-Annual Diversity Festival

By
Frank Cahill
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Rooted in the success of its first Diversity Festival, County College of Morris (CCM) is scheduled to hold its second annual Diversity Festival.

MORRIS COUNTY — Growing from the accomplishment of its first Diversity Festival, County College of Morris (CCM) is all set to organize its second annual Diversity Festival.

The event will take place on Thursday, April 18 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. in CCM’s Jack Martin Gymnasium, located in the Health & Physical Education Building.

The event, which is open to the public and free, was planned by CCM’s Diversity Committee. CCM is committed to making its campus a diverse, inclusive community where all feel welcome and appreciated. During the event, the community is invited to celebrate diversity and inclusion with music, dance, song, food, exhibitions, competitions, and other festive activities.

The event is sponsored by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, which offers grants to support public humanities projects and is a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The mission of the organization is to explore, cultivate, and champion the public humanities to strengthen New Jersey’s diverse community.

The Health & Physical Education Building is located on the college’s campus at 214 Center Grove Road, in Randolph Township. Parking is available in Lot 8.

Anyone with questions can email [email protected].

Meola Named Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at CCM

By
Frank Cahill
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Kelly Meola of the County College of Morris. - County College of Morris

MORRIS COUNTY — Kelly Meola has been named executive director of institutional advancement at the County College of Morris.

Meola, employed by CCM for seven years, was previously the college’s director of institutional grants and government affairs coordinator. In this new role, Meola will continue overseeing these areas and the CCM Foundation. The foundation works with donors to provide scholarships for students, invest in capital projects and generate resources to support the college’s mission.

Prior to CCM, Meola developed an extensive background in international relations and government affairs and has cultivated strong relationships in Washington, D.C.

CCM President Anthony Iacono applauded the promotion.

“We are pleased Kelly has accepted this position,” he said. “She has played an integral role in securing substantial grant funding for the college, which has a direct impact on our students and the community at large. We look forward to all she will accomplish in this role.”

CCM, a nationally ranked community college, has experienced a tremendous amount of growth in the past few years, including recent funding to launch programs supporting critical employment needs and the development of new partnerships that extend throughout the state and nation. One of CCM’s biggest successes has been the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Center, known across the nation as an educational model for preparing and connecting students to careers in manufacturing.

CCM offers more than 100 programs and is rated the best in New Jersey for transfer students. CCM provides over 165 transfer agreements for students seeking to attend a four-year institution for a baccalaureate degree after earning their associate degree.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Inducts Two Morris County New Members

By
Frank Cahill
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MORRIS COUNTY — The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

Noreen Rocco Mahoney of Boonton at The University of Oklahoma.

Jessica Murray of Madison at the University of Massachusetts.

They are among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the Society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States, its territories and the Philippines. Its mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”

More About Phi Kappa Phi

Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi. Some of the organization’s notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards $1.3 million to outstanding students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, funding for post-baccalaureate development, and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit www.phikappaphi.org.

Dover To Terminate Business Administrator

By
Frank Cahill
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Town of Dover former Business Administrator, BettyLou DeCroce

DOVER — Three months after resuming office, Dover Mayor James Dodd remains committed to implementing substantial changes in a town plagued by fiscal mismanagement under the previous administration. In his latest move, Dodd took action on Thursday, April 4th, to temporarily suspend and ultimately dismiss the Town Administrator BettyLou DeCroce.

Ms. DeCroce was hired by the Town of Dover on December 29, 2022, during the Blackman Administration.

The Mayor and Council introduced Resolution 112-2024, “Resolution of the Mayor and Town Council of the Town of Dover placing the Town Administrator on Leave and appointing the Municipal Clerk as Interim Town Administrator.” (Click here to read resolution).

The resolution passed by a vote of 7-0, with council members Karol Ruiz and Sandra Wittner abstaining. File Photo

The resolution passed by a vote of 7-0, with council members Karol Ruiz and Sandra Wittner abstaining. The final vote on termination will require a two-thirds majority of the eight-member council, town labor attorney Jonathan Cohen said.

According to Ms. DeCroce’s contract with the Town of Dover, Section 3, “DeCroce shall be given at least thirty days written notice of any meeting to be held concerning her performance in the position as relates to continued employment with the Town and will be allowed to be heard.”

A full house at the Dover Council chambers as residents voice their concerns.

“Despite being provided notice to terminate Administrator DeCroce, we have not been provided any written statement explaining the cause of termination. We call upon the Mayor to give Administrator DeCroce a basis for the termination, sufficiently before the next meeting, so the Council can decide whether the action is legitimate or retaliation for not taking the requested adverse action against Police Chief Delaney. We would also hope to be provided with more than 3 minutes to rebut the pretext for termination,” said Oleg Nekritin, Esq., the attorney representing Ms. DeCroce.

Oleg Nekritin, Esq., the attorney representing Ms. DeCroce.

Ms. DeCroce will be paid her full salary during the thirty days, and Ms. Tara Pettoni, Township Clker, was appointed as Interim Town Administrator. She will receive a stipend of $5,000 a month for performing the duties of Interim Town Administrator.

“We’re here tonight to discuss the process and move it forward,” Dodd said. “We are doing everything by the book. After the 30-day notice, we will discuss why we are giving her notice.”

When I look at what has happened to this town in the past couple of years from a fiscal responsibility standpoint, it will blow your socks off how badly this town has been managed financially,” said Mayor Dodd. “And things need to change.”

Dodd said when he took office he gave DeCroce “an opportunity to prove herself.”

“We had multiple conversations,” said Mayor Dodd. “Her comment to me was simple: ‘Mayor, if this doesn’t work out, just let me know because I don’t want this to be public humiliation.’ All of this is going to be discussed when we come back in 30 days. And I promise you, when we sit down and talk about why we’re here today, you’ll understand.”

Daniella Mendez said “Somewhere in the last 90 days, we have lost the real issues facing our town. We should be focusing on the future, Fiscal Responsibility, and Quality of Life to name a few. We have chosen a path of division. Instead, we have chosen to battle each other at every term. Mayor and Council, I ask you to lead by example and I ask you to address the real issues as a team remembering there is no I in team. Thank you.”

The possibility of discussing her employment status is high at the first council meeting succeeding her 30-day notice, which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 15.

Dover Focus reached out to Councilmember Karol Ruiz, who was very vocal during the meeting, but she chose not to comment. Ruiz abstained from voting for the Resolution, along with Councilmember Sandra Wittner.

Wipe the Slate Clean: Morris County Bar Association’s Free Expungement Clinic

By
Frank Cahill
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0
Photo for illustration purposes only. The actual incident may not reflect the photo.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Criminal Practice Committee of the Morris County Bar Association is running a free expungement clinic from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 at Calvary Baptist Church, 10 Martin Luther King Avenue, Morristown.

Volunteer attorneys through the Morris County Bar Association will meet with members of the public who seek to have their records expunged. Assistant Prosecutors will volunteer as well to assist in the legal process. The Morris County Bar Foundation will provide free lunch to members of the public who come to the clinic. Staff from the Sheriff’s Office will provide information on various social service programs.

The Clinic will also provide information about:

  • Free Narcan
  • Substance Use Services
  • Mental Health Services
  • Social Services Benefits
  • Re-Entry Services

Hanover Man Arrested for Endangering Welfare of a Child

By
Frank Cahill
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The Morris County Correctional Facility, located at 43 John Street in Morris Township, serves as the primary detention center operated by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.

HANOVER — Brian J. Cariddi, 39, of Whippany, has been charged in connection with multiple online communications allegedly made with a child located in North Carolina between December 11, 2022, and January 10, 2023, confirmed by Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Hanover Township Police Chief Michael Loock.

According to authorities, Cariddi is alleged to have engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the male child victim (age 9), to have exposed his intimate parts during online conversations, and asked the child victim to send images of the child’s intimate parts.

As a result of the investigation, Cariddi was arrested on March 8, 2024, and charged with one count of second-degree Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a Child – Production of CSAM in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1a(3)/2C:24-4b(3), one count of third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child – Sexual Conduct in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a, and one count of fourth-degree Lewdness in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-4b(1).

The incident remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time.

The name and identity of the victim will not be released. Under the Criminal Justice Reform Act, the Defendant has been detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility pending future court proceedings.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Sex Crimes / Child Endangerment Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Morris County Government Offices Closed

By
Frank Cahill
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0

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Government offices will remain closed today, Friday, April 5, 2024, as a result of this morning’s earthquake.

The County of Morris Administration and Records Building on Court Street in Morristown was evacuated immediately after the earthquake because of a report of a possible gas leak. No leak was found and the facility was eventually deemed safe; however, a precautionary step was taken to close all county offices to allow Engineering and Buildings and Grounds staff to conduct safety inspections of all county facilities.

Those inspections are still ongoing.

Currently, the Morris County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has not received any reports of significant widespread damage or injuries. The Red Cross has set up resources should the county find that anyone is in need of housing and shelter.

Local emergency authorities have been asked by OEM to check on senior communities, nursing homes, hospitals, and other critical facilities to determine whether any emergency resources are required.

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Morris Focus was founded in 2017 and is published in print and online formats. Its mission is to provide timely and accurate news coverage to Morris County residents and promote community engagement and involvement. The newspaper covers various topics, including local government, education, business, and sports. We can be reached by calling (973) 559-6000—a member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.

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