MORRIS COUNTY — Don Phelps, director of Campus Life at County College of Morris (CCM), is the sole recipient of the 2020 Two Year College Professional Service Award presented by the Association of College Unions International (ACUI). The award acknowledges a professional at a two-year institution who exemplifies excellence in the enhancement of college life and is recognized by peers as a leader and person of integrity. Phelps initially was to receive the award at the ACUI conference in Atlanta but that event has been postponed.

Phelps is humbled by the acknowledgement, stating, “It’s a challenge to keep a campus life program thriving when people don’t live on campus and are only around for two years. Being recognized by my peers is overwhelming.”

Phelps attributes the success of CCM’s Campus Life programs to his team that helps manage the details in making student events happen.

“We congratulate Don on this very prestigious award. He is extremely deserving and we are so fortunate to have him as part of the CCM team,” remarks Dr. Bette Simmons, vice president, Student Development and Enrollment Management.

Phelps has been working with college students in various capacities for 30 years. He began his career at Fairleigh Dickinson University as the director for its Greek Life system and Recreation department. He then worked at William Paterson University as the Greek Life assistant director. For over 18 years, Phelps has been working with students at CCM, first serving as the associate director of Campus Life and most recently as the director of Campus Life.

When Phelps started at CCM there were less than 20 clubs on campus and now there are over 50 clubs. Phelps was instrumental in connecting clubs with departments to create robust and meaningful collaborative campus events. Faculty members serve as advisors to the student-run clubs.

“Interacting with students in a two-year setting is rewarding, especially helping them grow as leaders,” says Phelps. “One of the club presidents was very hesitant to take the position. Working with her, I witnessed her giving a speech in front of 400 people. To watch students grow like that is awesome.”

One of the greatest CCM accomplishments for Phelps was Titans Weekend, which was held in 2019 as part of the college’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The weekend consisted of a three-day celebration that included a gala, community fair and a 5K race. Another milestone was the re-opening of the Student Community Center (SCC) following an extensive renovation.

Phelps is most appreciative to his supportive family who understands when he has to work an event on the weekend. Phelps resides in Parsippany with his wife, Karen, his daughter Abigail, who is a junior in high school, and son Andrew, who is in middle school.

To learn more about CCM Campus Life click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Department of Health issued guidelines on the conditions for hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to begin resuming elective surgeries. Last week, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 145, allowing elective surgeries and invasive procedures, both medical and dental, to resume on Tuesday, May 26.

“Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers are encouraged to gradually resume full scope of services when possible and safe to do so consistent with the Department’s guidance,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “This is an important step forward for individuals who are battling an illness or are dealing with chronic pain as these surgeries are vital to their health and well-being.”

Facilities shall establish a prioritization policy for providing care and scheduling of these procedures. Scheduling must be coordinated to promote social distancing: minimize time in waiting areas, stage appointment hours and post signs at entrances in appropriate languages about symptoms and precautions.

Patients should be counseled to self-quarantine following testing until the day of surgery.  Facilities must have a process to screen patients for COVID-19 symptoms prior to scheduled procedures.

Facilities resuming elective services are required to:

• Comply with state and CDC guidelines to protect against further spread of COVID-19
• Institute screening of staff for symptoms and have policies in place for removal of symptomatic employees
• Enforce social distancing requirements in work and common areas
• Require masks for patients, expect patients receiving services that would not allow for masking
• When possible non-COVID care zones should be used in facilities that serve both COVID-19 and non- COVID patients
• Have an established plan for cleaning and disinfection prior to using facilities to serve non-COVID patients
• Facilities providing COVID-19 care should continue to be prepared for potential surges
• Facilities should be prepared to modify resumptions of clinical services in conjunction with surge status and to repurpose and redeploy staff to urgent care roles to the extent feasible

Ambulatory Surgical Centers should not perform procedures on COVID-19 positive patients.
Hospitals should have available—and staffed ICU, Critical Care and Medical Surgical beds.<
They must have a sustained downward trajectory for 14-days, with each day’s data calculated using the average of the three most recent days

• Influenza-like illness or COVID-19 like illness
• COVID-19 Infection rates
• COVID-19 Hospitalizations
• COVID-19 Emergency room admissions
• COVID-19 ICU, Critical Care and Medical Surgical bed use
• Ventilator use
• Ventilatory availability

Facilities must also have a plan, consistent with CDC and Department recommendations, for patient and patient support person use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). They should implement PPE policies that account for: adequacy of available PPE, staff training on and optimized use of PPE and policies for the conservation of PPE.

Facilities must implement disinfection and cleaning protocols and cohort COVID-19 patients and non-COVID patients.   No visitors should be allowed except for limited circumstances, which includes labor and delivery and pediatric patient surgery.

MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy and Superintendent of the State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan today announced an Administrative Order authorizing in-person sales to resume at car dealerships, motorcycle dealerships, boat dealerships, and bike shops, by appointment only and with social distancing measures in place. The Order will take effect at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20.

“We know this is an important step for our dealerships and bike shops, and New Jerseyans who need access to transportation,” said Governor Murphy. “We will continue to responsibly and deliberately give different sectors a green light to open in a manner that is consistent with public health.”

“Car dealerships and bike shops play an important role in the transportation sector,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “This is another step towards progress as we work together to protect the public health of all New Jerseyans.”

Dealerships and bike shops who resume in-person sales must abide by the social distancing, safety, and sanitization requirements that are described in detail in the Administrative Order.

The Order states that businesses may permit customers to test drive vehicles, boats, or bicycles sold or leased by the business, provided that the individual is given access to the vehicle alone, or in the case of a boat, with an employee of the business but only when social distancing can be maintained, and the business appropriately cleans and sanitizes the vehicle, boat, or bicycle after such test drive if the customer does not purchase the item.

A copy of the Administrative Order can downloaded by clicking here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County has risen to 6,077 presumptively tested positive cases an increase of 55 cases since last reported on Friday, May 15. A total of 572 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 149,013 presumptively tested positive cases with a total of 10,586 deaths.

The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869, in parking lot 1. The hours for testings are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on weekdays and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.

To be tested, residents MUST:

• have a COVID-19 test prescription from a healthcare provider
• read and acknowledge the consent form
• make an appointment

For information and to make appointment residents should visit the Morris County by clicking here.

Morris County COVID-19 Cases

Note: Case numbers are updated in the afternoons on Monday-Friday. For statewide numbers, visit the State of NJ COVID-19 Dashboard.

The figures reflect COVID-19 positive cases as of the date and time indicated, some cases which may be pending, or have yet to be entered into the system.

Please note the following limitations and provisos related to the data above:

• COVID-19-related deaths are not included in this data. Visit the State of NJ COVID-19 Dashboard for a summary of death totals.
• Pursuant to HIPAA, specific identifying health information of persons testing positive or who have passed due to the virus will not be released.
• Data reflects COVID-19 positive cases on dates and times indicated; some cases may be pending and are not yet entered.
• Data may not include cases with incomplete or incorrect street addresses or PO boxes. Such cases require additional investigation by local health officials.
• Figures do not include persons under quarantine/isolation due to exposure and who have not tested positive.
• The numbers, especially higher numbers, do not necessarily reflect community spread in a specific town. Various factors may be related to high numbers, such as increased testing and facilities with high-risk populations.
• This data should not be used to gauge if heightened precautions are needed in specific towns. Social distancing, hand hygiene, and preventive steps must be followed at all times regardless of the number of cases in a municipality.

MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey school districts learned this week how much federal aid they will get to help offset expenses from the coronavirus pandemic.

The state Department of Education received $310 million in federal K-12 aid through the CARES Act. More than $200 million from that aid package was awarded to individual districts seeing as much $19 million in relief.

These funds allocated through Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund can be used to help districts with their response to the coronavirus, including internet access and devices for students or other resources needed to support both students and teachers.

The money was allocated using the federal formula for Title I funding, meaning districts in high poverty areas received substantially more per student than other districts.

NOTE: Districts that did not receive a Title I, A allocation or refused 2019-2020 Title I, A funds are not included in the federal allocation formula, but will still receive funds from the state and are denoted with an asterisk (**).

Click here for a complete list of New Jersey school districts.

Source: New Jersey Department of Education

MORRIS COUNTY — “Unlock New Jersey” was launched by an expanding group of business owners, civic leaders, elected officials, and concerned citizens who presented Governor Phil Murphy with a proposal to responsibly and decisively unlock his COVID19 shut-down of Garden State businesses. The plan was the result of a town hall meeting of more than 30 small business owners from Morris County along with Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, Assemblyman Brian Bergen, Morris County Freeholder Stephen Shaw, 11th District Congressional Candidate Rosemary Becchi, Rose City Jewelers Owner Joseph Falco, Jr., Carmen DePasquale, owner of DePasquale the Spa, and Robyn Acceturo, owner of West Orange Jewelers.

Their call to action: End the Lockdown on Small Businesses Now …. Send Governor Murphy Your Keys & Sign the Unlock New Jersey Petition.

Madison’s Joseph Falco, Jr, a gemologist and owner of Rose City Jewelers said  “If we wait any longer, there will be nothing left for our communities to reopen.”

The “Unlock New Jersey” proposal provides a timeline and guidance, including provisions for monitoring any substantial impact on COVID19 outbreaks, as businesses engage in a safe, staggered reopening and move toward a fully operational state economy.

The simple fact is that Main Street Mom & Pop shops are failing and many will not survive this crisis. But corporate, big-box stores unfairly operate under exemptions provided in the Executive Orders imposed by the Governor that deemed almost all other businesses “non-essential.” Thousands of New Jersey’s boutiques, jewelry stores, professional services companies, salons, and other small businesses are better suited than big-box stores to offer social distancing and protections to patrons while operating, so there is no reason to keep them shuttered.

“Unlock New Jersey” is inviting everyone to support its proposal for opening businesses by signing a petition by clicking here.

“Unlock New Jersey” is also asking supporters to help demonstrate their support for small businesses by sending keys to the Governor, either virtual keys or real keys. Old or spare keys can be mailed to Governor Murphy at: Office of the Governor, 225 W. State Street, Trenton NJ 08625. Virtual keys can be sent through email by clicking here and clicking on the key symbol.

The “curbside pickup” plan being kicked-off today by Governor Murphy is out of touch and useless to the more than 861,000 small businesses that form the backbone of the Garden State economy. Most of New Jersey’s businesses are small businesses and they employ 1.8 million workers — roughly half the people who were working in the Garden State prior to the COVID19 shut-down.