Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Township Committee moves forward with plans to purchase one property and redevelop another.
Two of the most significant developments in Maplewood's history are each one step closer to becoming a reality. At Tuesday night's Township Committee meeting, the committee voted unanimously on a resolution to set a closing date for the purchase of the Maplewood Woman's Club for the last week in May. The contingencies on the purchase have been satisfied and the due diligence period has been concluded, said Township Attorney Roger Desiderio. "Environmentally, there seem to be no problems," he said. The most recent test was to determine if any of the soil was contaminated; the test found no contamination. "I don't see any legal impediments to moving forward," Desiderio said. The committee also passed a resolution to refer the Maplewood …
SOM Community Coalition on Race updates Maplewood Township Committee on its activities.
The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race (CCR) gave a presentation on its activities and future plans at Tuesday's Maplewood Township Committee. The CCR is producing a virtual video tour to market the two towns, which will partially replace the actual tours it has conducted since it its founding in 1997, said program director Audrey Rowe. She said the demand for the tours has dropped over the years as homebuyers have turned to online house hunting. The organization is launching a home improvement loan program to provide funds to neighborhoods with higher rates of ordinance violations, to assist residents with making improvements to their properties, Rowe said. In addition, the CCR is piloting a Civic Engagement Institute to …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Four proclamations issued at Tuesday night's meeting.
It was a night of proclamations at the Maplewood Township Committee meeting Tuesday, with the township declaring Autism Awareness Month, the 100th Anniversary of the Maplewood Memorial Library, Arbor Day 2013 and ACES (All Children Exercise Simultaneously). Jonah Zimiles, owner of Words Bookstore, and his son Daniel, as well as students from the Garden Academy were on hand as committeewoman India Larrier read the proclamation declaring April Autism Awareness Month. "We don't take this proclamation for granted, we are very appreciative," said Zimiles, who noted that the township cares for people of all races, genders, religions as well as those with physical and mental challenges. "This is not your typical community." After committeeman …
Sunday, April 14, 2013
A look at what Patch will be covering this week.
South Orange - Maplewood students head back to the classrooms today, after a week off. What did you do on the break? Post your Spring Break photos here. The Maplewood Township Committee will meet Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall. On the agenda: an ordinance on final passage to eliminate lottery parking in Parking Area #12 (Dunnell Road); the introduction of a new ordinance to allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages at the Maplewood Memorial Library; a status update from the Woman's Club Task Force, and four proclamations. The Maplewood Historic Preservation Commission meets Wednesday from 8 - 9:30 p.m. at Town Hall. World Book Night is April 23. Find out what Words Bookstore and the Maplewood Memorial Library are doing to be a …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Vote is 4-0 in favor of moving ahead with purchase of just over $1 million.
The Maplewood Township Committee voted 4-0 on Tuesday night to approve on final passage a bond ordinance providing for the acquisition of the Maplewood Woman’s Club. Committeewoman India Larrier was absent. The ordinance authorizes the appropriation of $1,100,000 and the issuance of $1,045,000 in bonds to finance the cost of the purchase and related improvements. No one spoke during the public comment period. Once the ordinance is published on April 11, there is a 20-day period during which residents can challenge it by filing a petition, after which the bond ordinance is final. Committeeman Jerry Ryan gave an update on the recently formed Woman’s Club Task Force, which is currently working to develop specifications on partners. Ryan …
Republican candidate will try again for a seat.
With the April 1 deadline to file for the June 4th primary now past, one Republican and one Democrat have filed to run for the Maplewood Township Committee, according to Township Clerk Liz Fritzen. Democratic incumbent Marlon K. Brownlee will run again. Republican Arthur Gartenlaub, who has twice run unsuccessfully -- most recently in November against incumbents Deputy Mayor Kathleen Leventhal and Jerry Ryan -- will throw his hat in the ring again. Brownlee was elected to the committee in 2010, beating Republican candidate Bart Albini. Members of the Maplewood Township Committee serve three-year terms. Patch will profile both candidates leading up to the June primary.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Wide ranging discussion on non-profit partners, maintenance, landmark designation and the ongoing lawsuit.
Maplewood Township will form a task force to explore potential uses and partnerships for the Woman's Club, the Township Committee decided at Tuesday night's meeting. Committee member Jerry Ryan and Deputy Mayor Kathleen Leventhal will head the task force, which will also include Township Administrator Joseph Manning and other staff. The task force may bring in experts and members of the public as needed. The decision came after a lengthy brainstorming session about the Woman's Club, which the township has agreed to purchase for just over $1 million. Mayor Vic DeLuca said the township had spoken to several non-profits interested in partnering with the township on the building, including the South Mountain YMCA, HK Project and others. He…
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Several important meetings are scheduled this week.
The South Orange - Maplewood Board of Education will host a regular meeting on Monday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. at 525 Academy Street. On the agenda: the school budget, on which the BOE will cast a final vote on Thursday, March 21. To get up to date on the school budget, see Patch articles here, here and here. The Maplewood Township Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall. On the agenda: South Orange Village will host a special public meeting with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Village Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to help provide residents with accurate information regarding the safety of water in South Orange and answer any other questions residents …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Maplewood Historic Preservation Commission lays out options for Township Committee.
Members of the Maplewood Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) detailed the advantages, disadvantages and ramifications of potentially designating the Maplewood Woman's Club as a historic landmark at last week's Township Committee meeting. The club is "saturated with Maplewood history," said Township Historian Susan Newberry, noting that an exhibit about the Woman's Club last year at the Durand-Hedden House drew national attention. (Newberry's complete statement and a copy of the Durand-Hedden newsletter are attached to this article as PDFs). MHPC chair Virgina Kurshan told the five committee members that the designation would be in line with the Township Master Plan's goal of preserving the town's historic spaces. Kurshan and vice …
Lee Navlen
5:53 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013
At a TC meeting a month ago Ryan said maybe 3 mil to fix up the club but De Luca made it clear that wasn't going to happen. figure another mil to fix it up above purchase price. more ›