Borough Administrator's Return Met With Applause

Robert Falzarano thanks public for their support, Chatham employees for their hard work.

Monday’s council meeting marked the public return of Chatham Borough Administrator Robert Falzarano – a return that was met with much applause and multiple well-wishes. Falzarano had been out following a motorcycle accident outside of Little Rock, Ark. on April 23 that led to hospitalization, surgery and several weeks in the Intensive Care Unit. Mayor Bruce Harris began the meeting by welcoming Falzarano back, a sentiment that resulted in a standing ovation from every person present in the room. As the night progressed, residents took the time during public discussion to extend their well-wishes. “It’s good to see you back,” Joseph Marts, a former mayor and councilman, said. “You’re a valued member of this organization.” Falzarano thanked …

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Five Vacant Lots Eliminated from Development Plan

Wetlands concerns and land area requirements eliminated all but one of the vacant lots owned by Chatham Borough from being considered for development.

Five of the six Chatham Borough lots previously discussed for potential development are no longer under consideration. Only the lot at 57 Watchung Ave. will be considered moving forward. Borough Engineer Vincent J. DeNave and Professional Planner Susan Blickstein evaluated the six proposed lots and discussed their decisions during the borough council’s Monday meeting. DeNave said the intention behind the evaluation was to determine whether the lots met the criteria that would allow them to be auctioned for the development of single-family houses. “There’s usually a reason why things aren’t developed,” DeNave said. “I found out the reason for each of these lots with the exception of one.” Council President James Lonergan reminded the public…

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Chatham Gears Up for Bike Rodeo

Chatham will have a bike rodeo for youths this fall, in collaboration with NJ non-profit Trans Options.

On Saturday, October 6, 2012, the Chathams will have their first Bike Rodeo for youths. While the new school year may seem far away to youths who just began summer vacation, it is only a short time away for those who are planning this bike safety geared event. While the location and time are set, noon to 2 p.m. in the Chatham NJ Train Station parking lot, there is much left to do, according to Chatham Township Committee Member Kathy Abbott. Abbott is organizing the event and came before the Chatham Borough Council Monday to discuss it. "There seems to be a trend for people to transport themselves with their own energy," Abbott said. She explained biking has become popular with both children and adults. "The event will start with …

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Fairmount Underpass Mural Designs Unveiled

Council approves designs presented by Arts Council.

The Public Arts Advisory Council of Chatham Borough had its plan approved by the Borough Council for a pair of themed murals to be created and placed on the Fairmount Avenue underpass. The murals will each incorporate significant elements of the borough’s past and present under the themes of transportation and historical and contemporary Chatham, according to Jen Kaplan of the PAC. “The mural will not only be visually enjoyable, but it will also serve to educate observers about our historic culture and unify our identity as Chatham residents,” Kaplan said. Although New Jersey Transit owns the underpass, it did not intend to fix the deteriorating look of the area on its own. The PAC will also not be allowed to paint its murals directly on …

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Council to Vote on 2011 Borough Budget with 3.13% Tax Levy Increase

The Chatham Borough Council meets Monday at 7:30 p.m.

One of the first orders of business at the Chatham Borough Council meeting Monday night will be to vote on the adoption of the 2011 borough municipal budget. According to presentations by Tammie Kopin, the borough's chief financial officer, on March 14 and March 28, the municipal budget totals $13,606,140 and a tax levy increase of $229,978 over the 2010 levy of $7,343,862, for a total increase of 3.13 percent. The total budget increased by 3.66 percent over 2010. The 2011 budget includes more than $122,000 in cuts by various departments, which the council asked and mandatory increases in pensions, debt services, salaries and contributions to the Madison/Chatham Joint Meeting of more than $489,000, which make up 3.5 of the 3.66 percent …

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Council Discusses Improvements to Memorial Park

Work would include new ball fields and renovations to the pool, plus additional parking.

Memorial Park was the main topic of discussion during Monday night’s Borough Council meeting as council members heard a proposal for making improvements to the fields, pool and parking areas. Borough Engineer Vincent DeNave presented a concept plan for the park. Under the new plan, the baseball fields will be separated and a multi-purpose field put in between them. “As it is, these fields are very underutilized because they conflict with each other and they’re just not very good,” DeNave said. “The multi-purpose field could be used for any field sports.” He added that there would be limited tree removal and some grading. “We need to make sure we have a clear area for the outfield,” DeNave said. “We looked at a lot of different layouts in …

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Rise in Pension Costs Contribute to 3.13% Borough Tax Hike

The increase equates to $85 more for the average borough household.

Tammie Kopin, the chief financial officer of Chatham Borough, made a presentation of the municipal budget of $13,606,140 to the Borough Council on Monday night. The overall budget will increase by 3.66 percent over 2010, and the tax levy will increase by 3.13 percent. Kopin said that 13 different departments in the borough made $122,600 reductions to their budget requests from 2010. Employees from the police department and the Department of Public Works renegotiated their contracts to halve their salary increases. The 2011 local municipal tax rate increase will be 0.368, or a 1.3 cents, over the 2010 rate of 0.355. For borough residents in a home assessed at $658,000, the increase amounts to an additional $85 in taxes for 2011. Kopin said …

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Five Things You Need To Know Today

Borough Council, School Boards and Bullying

And all the other essential information you need to get you through Monday.

After an eventful Sunday that brought Chatham High its second state championship in winter sports, another busy Monday lies ahead. To help figure out what to do with your evening, check out the Five Things You Need to Know Today: For other information worth knowing, see the Chatham Patch events calendar and announcements section — and if you've got something the community should know, don't forget to make a post of your own in one or both of those site sections.

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New Borough Garbage Contract Awarded

Residents will be able to use same green trash bags for 60 days. New bags will still be green but slightly thicker.

The borough will begin using a new garbage vendor as of this month, meaning residents will need to start using new trash bags soon. B&B Disposals, which replaces Suburban Disposal, Inc. as the municipality’s lone solid waste disposal company, was awarded a five-year contract during Monday’s Borough Council meeting as a result of its being the “lowest responsive and responsible bidder,” according to Resolution No. 10-334. Although the garbage bags issued by B&B will remain the same color as the green ones now used, company president Ricky Bamber said the new bags will be slightly thicker, leading to a slight jump in price from $1.34 to $1.36 per large bag and $.70 to $.71 per small bag. Borough administrator Robert Falzarano clarified that…

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