Hydrant Flushing Ongoing in the Borough

Water service may be affected.

Chatham Borough residents may notice some changes in their water service for a few weeks. The Water Utilities Division will begin their semi-annual flushing of local fire hydrants May 13 through June 7. Robert Venezia, the director of the borough's Department of Public Works, said in a statement, "Hydrants are flushed twice annually to keep our water quality at a high standard and water mains clean." As a result of the flushing, some residents may find rusy water coming out of their pipes. The DPW recommends running sinks, toilets and other faucets until the water clears. Residents with questions can contact the DPW at (973( 635-5242.

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Borough Readies for Spring Clean 2013

A day of downtown beautification is scheduled for Saturday.

Volunteers in Chatham Borough are getting ready for their first official town-wide beautification day Saturday. The event, called Spring Clean '13, is modeled after neighboring Madison's May Day. It is being sponsored by Chatham Borough's Environmental Commission and the Town & Country Garden Club. "It is the Garden Club's desire, with this first-time event, to enhance community pride, volunteerism [and] education," according to a press release by Janice Piccolo of Chatham Borough. The Garden Club is partnering with the borough's Department of Public Works and Environmental Commission to plan and develop the event, but now, organizers say, they need volunteers to come help. The focus for the event is on the downtown area and on local …

• Documents (1)

Christmas Tree Collection Planned, Bonfire Extinguished

Chatham Borough residents should put their trees on the curb for collection.

For many years in Chatham Borough, the fire department collected Christmas trees from residents and then held a large bonfire, open to members of the community. After a 2009 Vineland bonfire resulted in injuries for one firefighter, however, the state Forest Fire Service Division began to restrict bonfire permits. Now, rather than having their Christmas trees collected by the Chatham Borough Fire Department, the Department of Public Works will pick up the trees. "The classic bonfire is now a thing of the past due to strict state and environmental rules and regulations. It is no longer possible to get the required permit due to enforcement of the open burn policies and [state] regulations," said Fire Chief Peter Glogolich in an interview …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

DPW Rushes Collection of Leaves, Brush in Boro

Department hopes to have pickup completed by Dec. 21.

The Chatham Borough Council agreed to a second limited leaf and brush collection by the Department of Public Works, which they hope will be completed by Dec. 21. Robert Venezia, the head of the DPW, told the council his employees had worked overtime and over weekends since Nov. 26 to complete the first round of leaf collection. In spite of this, residents already put leaves back on the curb in areas the DPW had already collected from. "We just did Watchung on Saturday, and more leaves are there already," Venezia said. Venezia estimates the DPW could complete the first round of leaf pick-up by Wednesday or Thursday, at which point he could either do a second round of pick-up or convert the trucks for snow instead. "We've had two snow storms…

•  3 Comments
• Photos (8)

'Nasty' Residents Frustrated With Sandy Cleanup

Chatham Borough considers second brush pick-up.

The Chatham Borough Council agreed to consider a second brush pick-up through borough streets, but only after leaf pick-up finished and if the Department of Public Works was not overwhelmed with snow removal. Chatham Borough Administrator Robert Falzarano said the DPW had already completed one round of brush pick-up after Tropical Storm Sandy hit the area. Now, he said, the DPW is focused on leaf pick-up. "We went through and picked up the brush," Falzarano said, "and we left notice that we'd been through and we wouldn't be back." After residents saw the notices, Falzarano said he received many phone calls and visits from borough residents, some quite "nasty," who said the residents were unaware of brush pick-up in their neighborhood. DPW …

•  32 Comments
• Photos (7)

Letters to the Editor

DPW Deputy's Family Expresses Thanks for Memorial

Linda Dziedzic, the wife of Charles Dziedzic, wrote a letter to borough employees, volunteers and residents.

A note from the Editor: The following letter was submitted to Chatham Patch for publication by Linda Dziedzic, whose husband, Charles Dziedzic, was the deputy director of the Chatham Borough Department of Public Works until his death in a car accident in April. It is with great humility, mindful of the loss to both Charlie's family and the borough, that I publish this letter at her request.   Dear Chatham Borough: I struggle with finding the proper words to express the gratitude myself and our family has for the beautiful Memorial that you created for Charlie. For everyone that was involved in making this happen, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you! The Memorial Service, the Blessing by Msgr. George Hundt and Bob Venezia's …

• Photos (1)

DPW Official to be Remembered With Memorial

Charles Dziedzic died in a motorcycle crash in April.

The Chatham Borough Department of Public Works will host a memorial dedication for Charles Dziedzic, the deputy DPW director who was killed in April. The memorial dedication will take place at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 at DPW headquarters. Dziedzic, 59, of Morris Plains, died on Monday, April 23 while returning home from a cross-country motorcycle trip. At the funeral service in April, Dziedzic's brother-in-law, David Price, eulogized Dziedzic as "a man you could trust, a man you could rely on, a man of pride ... [and] one of the most unselfish people you've ever met." Rev. J. Antonio Gaviria's homily described the love that filled Dziedzic's life: his marriage of over 37 years with his wife Linda; his two daughteres, Shelley and Amy; …

• Photos (1)

No Parking On 11 Borough Streets During Repairs

Chatham roadways to be micro-surfaced Monday through Wednesday.

Employees of Asphalt Paving Systems will begin micro-surfacing several streets in Chatham Borough Monday as part of the borough's 2012 Road Management Program. Eleven borough streets will receive a thin top layer of aspalt emulsion to help seal cracks and prevent moisture from penetrating the base of the roads. This microsurfacing process helps protect the longevity of the roads. While streets are being treated and the emulsion dries, no on-street parking will be permitted. The Chatham Borough Department of Public Works advises residents to park on adjacent streets. Work will take place between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and, weather permitting, will be complete by Wednesday afternoon. The streets that will receive an additional layer of …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)
• Documents (1)

Family, Friends Remember Deputy DPW Director

Family described Dziedzic as a kind, generous man who died doing what he loved.

Family and friends of Charles Dziedzic gathered at  St. Vincent Martyr Church in Madison Monday to remember the deputy director of the Chatham Borough Department of Public Works. Dziedzic, 59, died on Monday, April 23 while returning home from a cross-country motorcycle trip. According to his brother-in-law, David Price, this was Dziedzic's 11th trip. At the funeral service Monday morning, Price eulogized Dziedzic as "a man you could trust, a man you could rely on, a man of pride ... [and] one of the most unselfish people you've ever met." Rev. J. Antonio Gaviria's homily described the love that filled Dziedzic's life: his marriage of over 37 years with his wife Linda; his two daughteres, Shelley and Amy; and his grandson, Domenick Charles…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (85)
• Videos (1)

Funeral to Proceed Down Main Street Monday

Motorists are advised to avoid Main Street Monday between 11:15 and 11:45 a.m.

Chatham Borough Police ask motorists to avoid traveling along Main Street Monday between about 11:15 and 11:45 a.m. to accommodate a funeral procession. A memorial Mass for Charles Dziedzic, the deputy director of the Chatham Borough Department of Public Works, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Vincent Martyr Church in Madison. Family members will receive friends at 9:15 a.m. at the church. After the Mass ends at about 11 a.m., the funeral party will travel east down Main Street into Chatham, past the entrance to the DPW, through the parking lot at the Chatham Borough Municipal Building and past the Chatham Borough Fire Department. Lt. Brian Gibbons said police "have taken measures to reduce the disruption," but he expects the funeral …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)