MORRIS COUNTY — A new Montville Township High School music ensemble, “Mpulse”, was introduced to the Montville Township Board of Education, by Theodore “Ted” Cherney, on Tuesday, December 5. Cherney, the Montville Township High School Director of Choirs, launched the cappella group this year as part of the district’s award-winning music education program.

A competitive a cappella group, “Mpulse” will be taking their musical stylings to ICHSA in January. ICHSA is an a cappella singing competition. ICHSA stands for International Championship of High School A Cappella. The Montville BOE invited the ensemble to a command performance before the new group’s first official contest.

Nineteen “Mpulse” singers presented a powerful performance to the Montville BOE with a sampling of the music and choreography the ensemble will perform in the upcoming competition.

Soloist Meghana Neelisett, a sophomore, was accompanied by “Mpulse” with a four to six-part harmony backup. The MTHS singers of “Mpulse” are students in grades 9 through 12. Neelisett sang the lead vocals to a cappella adaptation of “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.

Smiling, the nine-member board of education, along with the MTPS administrators on the dais, tapped their feet and listened intently to the “Mpulse” performance.

Following the group’s rendition of the fast-paced and upbeat selection, the Montville BOE burst into thunderous applause.

“That was wonderful,” said Superintendent Dr. Thomas A Gorman. “That was just a little tease with more to come. Can’t wait to see you compete and put on more performances for us. Thank you so much.”

The December 5 BOE meeting was also attended by several members of the public who joined in the enthusiastic response to the students’ a cappella performance.

“I am very happy to introduce ‘Mpulse’, our brand new a cappella group that I started this year,” Cherney said before the performance. “’Mpulse’ is different from some of the vocal ensembles we have at the high school. ‘Mpulse’ is a group that specifically studies and performs contemporary a cappella music.”

Made popular by movies like “Pitch Perfect” and other innovative cappella entertainment, contemporary cappella music is a highly competitive art form at both the high school and college levels.

“Something awesome about this group,” Cherney continued, “is that we are going to be competing in annual competitions.”

Cherney, who competed during his college years in a cappella competition, had set a goal, as the Director of Choirs for MTHS, to implement a competitive cappella group in the MTPS district. “Mpulse” marks the start of this new initiative in the MTPS music curriculum.

“For eight years in a row Montville Township Public Schools has received the Best Communities for Music Education from the National Association of Music Merchandisers (NAMM) Foundation,” said the district’s Supervisor of Fine and Performing Arts Edward Fleischman. “The NAMM award recognizes the commitment of teachers, students, school administrators, BOE members, and parents who believe in the value of music education and are working to ensure that it is part of a complete education for all children. I am very proud of Ted’s contribution to the district’s ever-expanding music program, and I want to thank the Montville Township Board of Education and administration for providing the support that leads to outstanding music education.”

Cherney also explained that “Mpulse”, and the performance of a cappella music, provide students with “opportunities that they would not normally have in a normal choral setting.”

“We have a lot of wonderful soloists in this ensemble,” Cherney noted, pointing out that many singers will have an opportunity to sing lead.

“And,” Cherney added, “When you are competing in a cappella, you do so with full choreography. Choreography that I have put on the students to create themselves.”

“Mpulse” has identified the members of the ensemble who serve as their choreography team. This team develops the dance steps and teaches the movements and timing to the full “Mpulse” ensemble.

“This group [“Mpulse”] gives students ownership,” Cherney emphasized. “It has been really rewarding this year to watch this group grow and to watch them just enjoy this contemporary a cappella singing.”

A video of the first “Mpulse” performance ( https://youtu.be/WmhjQgyUtos ) before the Montville Township Board of Education can be viewed on the Montville Township Public Schools YouTube Channel. Links to the video can also be found on the Montville Township Public Schools social media channels: Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/MontvilleTwpSchools ), Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/montvilletwpschools/ ), and X ( https://twitter.com/MontvilleTwpSch ). The YouTube link is also under the NEWS heading at http://www.montville.net.

Montville Township High School is one of seven schools in Morris County, New Jersey’s Montville Township Public Schools pre-k to grade 12 district.

“Mpulse” will be competing in the ICHSA competition on January 28, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at Northern Highlands Regional High School. The regional school is located at 298 Hillside Avenue in Allendale, New Jersey.

MORRIS COUNTY — Efforts to battle food insecurity among New Jersey youth took a step forward when the New Jersey General Assembly, by a vote of 74-1, passed legislation requiring school districts to provide information to parents and guardians about the National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast program.

Passed unanimously by the New Jersey Senate earlier this year, this legislation now awaits Governor Phil Murphy’s signature for approval. 

“Through this bill, we are aiming to increase participation in these meal programs so that no child goes hungry during the school day,” Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex), one of the primary sponsors of the bill said. “This legislation will help us ensure that every student eligible for free or reduced-priced meals knows exactly how to access them.”

According to data published online by the Annie E. Casey Foundation more than 342,000 New Jersey students are receiving free or reduced-priced lunches during the 2022/2023 school year.

This latest measure, bolstered by several similar efforts enacted since the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that New Jersey children have access to quality meals, would take notification and education requirements already in place a step further by requiring parents and guardians to submit either an application for the programs or a signed card indicating that they have received the application and are uninterested in participating in them.

Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union) said that the parental sign-off or waivers would serve as an important way to “ensure that the greatest number of people possible are being notified of these critical programs,” while Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) shared a reminder that not everyone has access to the internet, making it hard for some people to learn about the “life-enhancing” programs.

“By requiring everyone to receive physical copies of this information, we are seeking to level the playing field and make sure no child goes without food due to their socioeconomic status,” Reynolds-Jackson said.

This measure is not the final legislative effort being considered to bring nutritious meals to more New Jersey Children, lawmakers have said.

In June, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Assembly Agriculture and Food Security Committee voted 4-0 in favor of legislation making all school lunches free in New Jersey schools by the 2028-29 school year. 

“Our students are our most precious commodities and fueling their bodies so they can concentrate and fuel their brains is paramount to them receiving a top-notch education,” Assemblywoman Angela McKnight (D-Hudson) said. “Parental involvement is important to their children’s success and the legislation advanced today is an important step in that process.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Italian American Police Society of NJ held its Holiday Party for the children of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey at Saint Elizabeth University.

Hundreds of children enjoyed meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus and getting bags of gifts, pizza, and cookies from police officers. There was also a face painter and games for the children and their mentors. Thanks to our law enforcement officers and volunteers!

MORRIS COUNTY — After serving as a dedicated member of the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council for more than a decade, Robert Holtaway stepped down from his seat on the Council after the December 14 meeting. Highlands Council Chairman Carl Richko presented Holtaway with a plaque commemorating his service and the Council passed a resolution memorializing the occasion.

“As I look back over my 14 years, I think that the current leadership and staff are the strongest and most productive that I’ve worked with during my tenure, which bodes well for the Council’s future success,” Holtaway said when announcing his departure at the October Highlands Council meeting. “The Council has an important job of remaining a responsible steward – both fiscally and environmentally – of the Highlands Region. Although my time here is ending, I look forward to seeing this very important work continuing.”

Holtaway was appointed by then-Governor Jon Corzine in 2009. Officially his term expired in 2012, however, Holtaway continued to serve in his voluntary capacity on the Council through subsequent administrations. Appointments to the Highlands Council are overseen by the office of the Governor and must meet requirements defined in the 2004 Highlands Act. With Holtaway’s departure, membership in the Council drops to 10 members of what should be a 15-member body. A quorum of 8 members is required to conduct Council business.

“During my time with the Council, Member Holtaway has been a valued and reliable partner to staff,” said Ben Spinelli, Highlands Council Executive Director. “His retirement is well deserved and I thank him for his continued commitment to helping us protect the New Jersey Highlands.”

While on the Council, Holtaway served as treasurer from 2011 to 2023. He was also a Highlands Development Credit Bank Board Member from 2011 to 2020, becoming chair of the Bank Board in 2021. Holtaway was also chair of the Council’s Budget and Finance Committee and a member of the Regional Master Plan Amendment and Landowner Equity & Land Preservation committees. Additionally, he was a member of the steering committee for the Economic Sustainability Plan and is currently a member of the County Coalition, established to implement the Plan.

Holtaway began his public service in 1975 as a member and later vice chairman of the Planning Board for the Borough of North Plainfield. He also served as a member of the North Plainfield Zoning Board of Adjustment, including 11 years as its Chairman, and volunteered to serve as North Plainfield Zoning Officer from 1993 to 1995. He served for eight years as the mayor of Bedminster Township and also was a member of the Bedminster Township Planning Board for 15 years, including seven as the board’s chairman. He was a member of the Somerset County Economic Development Incentive Program committee throughout the committee’s existence. He served on the Bedminster Township Municipal Building Committee, the Bedminster Township Open Space Committee, and the Bedminster Township Open Space Assessment Committee.

In 2013, after leaving elected office, Holtaway joined the Lamington Conservancy, a group that works to preserve land in the Lamington River Valley. He became Vice President of the Conservancy in 2017 and president in 2018, a position he continues to hold. Holtaway has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Friends of the Jacobus Vandeveer House in Bedminster Township.

In 1977, Mr. Holtaway founded Frank R. Holtaway & Son, Inc., an electrical engineering firm in Bedminster, and served as the company’s president until retiring in 2015. He graduated from Newark College of Engineering (now New Jersey Institute of Technology) with a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering and also received a master’s degree in business administration from Seton Hall University. He is a licensed professional engineer and a licensed electrical contractor (retired).

Highlands Council Chairman Carl Richko, who coincidentally was appointed at the same 2009 meeting as Holtaway, offered his warm thanks and congratulations: “Serving with Bob has been an absolute pleasure and I want to offer my congratulations not only on his retirement from this role, but also on his many years of public service in Somerset County and in various charitable and volunteer capacities. He will be missed.”

The Highlands Council is a regional planning agency established in 2004 with the passage of the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act and is charged with the implementation of the Act. More information is available at www.nj.gov/njhighlands. Actions taken by the Council will take effect following the Governor’s review and consideration of meeting minutes, up to 10 business days from receipt of meeting minutes. Meeting materials, including an audio recording of the meeting, are available on the calendar page of the Council website.

MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblywoman Aura Dunn’s district office has been fielding dozens of calls from constituents desperate for help filing for property tax relief under the state’s new Anchor program by the December 29 deadline. The lawmaker says neither the residents nor her staff have been able to make direct contact with the Division of Taxation’s Anchor hotline agents.

“The residents of New Jersey deserve better. Promises of property tax relief by politicians up for reelection fall short when there is no one to help ensure people get the relief they so desperately need,” Dunn said. “Much like the Labor Department’s unemployment debacle, calls to the Anchor hotline go unanswered, and receiving live help through the Division of Taxation or Department of Treasury hasn’t proven successful. Why can’t a state agency just pick up the phone?”

Governor Phil Murphy and legislative Democrats agreed to boost the benefits for senior homeowners and renters by $250 this year, which means homeowners ages 65 and older making up to $150,000 annually are eligible to receive $1,750. Senior homeowners making between $150,000 and $250,000 annually can receive $1,250. Renters age 65 and older making up to $150,000 can get checks of $700.

“Seniors on fixed incomes need to be able to call a number and reach a live person, not a recorded message and a dead end,” Dunn said.

For homeowners under 65, benefits remain $1,500 for those making up to $150,000 annually, and $1,000 for those making up to $250,000 annually. Renters under 65 making up to $150,000 annually remain eligible for a $450 benefit.

“When a taxpayer can’t get taxpayer-funded services there is a big problem. My staff and I are frustrated and my constituents are at their wits’ end,” Dunn added.

Dunn’s office has received about 25 Anchor complaints and eligibility questions since the beginning of December. The state’s Treasury Department has relayed the office’s inquiries to the Anchor unit for review, but to date, nothing has been resolved.
“All of us working in government are here to serve the public, but this administration has been failing them when they’re needed the most. Out of a job and money? It seems like you are out of luck when you reach out to one of the governor’s state agencies,” Dunn said. “It’s completely unacceptable and needs to be rectified so that everyone gets the money they are entitled to receive.”

The Murphy administration set December 29 as the deadline to file applications to receive checks through the Anchor program. The Treasury’s Division of Taxation website says applications can be filed online, by phone or mail, or in person at one of the field offices.
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Click here for more information.