TOWN WATCH
NEWARK – The proposed nearly $970.2 million City of Newark Calendar Year 2025 budget, which was adopted for introduction by the Municipal Council Aug. 28, both stopped a clock and raised a question by a state senator. Newark’s elders intend to set a final vote after they hold a Sept. 24 public budget hearing.
The $970,180,790.27 CY25 budget’s introduction stopped a penalty clock run by a state Department of Community Affairs office since July 1. The DCA’s Division of Local Government Services had fined the city $25 for each day that Newark had failed to bring a penultimate budget draft to the Council Chamber floor. The delay had cost the city $1,475 over 59 days; municipalities were to all introduce a CY 25 budget on or by March 31.
The budget includes $52 million in state transitional aid — including $30 million agreement that came from Trenton this year but is returning $22 million that was from a 2024 agreement. The $30 and $22 million are what Mayor Ras Baraka calls bridge loans but what Sen. Michael Testa (R-Vineland) calls a gift from Gov. Phil Murphy that bypassed state scrutiny.
“I’m writing to demand that your administration place Newark under state oversight in return for the $22 million your administration gifted the city last year,” said Testa, who is on the Senate Budget and Appropriations committee, to Murphy (D-Rumson) Sept. 9. “The grant was disingenuously labeled a “loan” to circumvent a statutory requirement that municipalities receiving grants to address unbalanced budgets must be placed under state oversight.”
“The money we received from the state are not gifts as Testa said but loans the city is using to cover increased costs (owed) to Essex County due to increased property assessments,” said Baraka, in an opinion essay posted that same Tuesday. “The first loan is $22 million for six years with almost zero percent interest; the second is a bridge loan for $30 million to be repaid in six months with zero interest. Without these loans, we’d have to increase our taxes on our residential homeowners by 30 percent – impossible when the city average annual income is $36,000.”
The proposed CY 25 budget calls for a $564 increase to $4,459 on the average assessed homeowners tax bill over the year. The average house is valued at $191,065 at a rate of $2.33 per $100 of an assessed home’s value.
City taxpayers are to pay the proposed $513,351,746.48 tax levy — including paying for Newark Public Schools’ “local contribution” and Essex County. (Newark, like all municipalities, is also the collector for the school district, the county and special charges like for the open space trust fund.) The city levy is 5.41 percent more than 2024’s $485,561,099.17 outlay.
IRVINGTON – A recent township resident has 30 days until Oct. 10 to either file an appeal to the Federal Communications Commission or pay a nearly $1 million forfeiture fine for what the agency has called an authorized or pirate radio station here.
The FCC ended a two year investigation on Manser Beauplan, now of Middletown, N.Y., by levying $920,000 under the 2020 Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act. Beauplan, while in Irvington and Maplewood, is accused of running “Radio Leve Kanpe,” 97.1 FM for 46 days between Nov. 7, 2023 and Jan. 8, 2024. The PIRATE Act allows the agency to impose higher fines on unauthorized station operators $119,555 per broadcast day up to a $2.4 million limit.
Agents from the FCC New York Field Office first discovered “RLK” on 97.1 and traced its signal to a rented office on Maplewood’s Vermont Street Aug. 30, 2023. They noticed a directional antenna on the residence’s chimney, and was shown an FM transmitter in a shed by the property owner Sept. 7.
FCC agents returned to the Irvington, Maplewood-Hilton and Union-Vauxhall area Nov. 16, 2023 and traced RLK’s signal to a residence at the former’s Tiffany Place. and that the signal exceeded strength limits for 97.1 FM. That address also had a roof-mounted broadcast dipole broadcast antenna that “closely resembled the one at Vermont Street. Agency documents showed that no radio transmission equipment were authorized to operate at any frequency.at or around Tiffany Place.
Further signal listening and records checking found an advertisement naming Beauplan as host of “Journal Radio Leve Kanpe” and subscriber of the station’s call-in phone number. The news program was broadcast 8 a.m.-Noon weekdays and repeated 9 a.m.-Midnight the same weekdays and Midnight-1 a.m. Saturdays. The FCC confirmed the fine again Beauplan on Sept. 10, a year after sending its intention to fine him.
“Local Talk” recalled seeing RLK-97.1 FM on an office/residential awning at 1382 Clinton Ave. It is not clear whether the Haitian Creole news talk station was affiliated with radiolevekanpehaiti.com “88.1 and 100.3 FM” radio internet stations or with the original station at Hinche, HT.
EAST ORANGE – A city driver who was stopped in Maplewood Aug. 23 for DWI has since been making court appearances there and in Newark for suspected earlier collisions in the latter city. Maplewood Police Off. Troy Rhodes said that he had stopped a 2009 Honda Accord along Springfield Avenue that Saturday whose driver was identified as Patrick Manasse, 51, of East Orange.
Rhodes radioed back Manasse and the Accord’s identification to MPD Headquarters – and was joined by members of the Newark Police Division minutes. The NPD officers said that the Honda matched the description of a similar car which was involved in several collisions in the city earlier that day. Those incidents were not immediately posted by the division’s traffic bureau.
Manasse was arrested and charged with DWI and at least two counts of leaving the scene of an accident. He was released overnight with summonses from Maplewood and Newark
I-280 Overpass Work Continues
Although the temporary lane shifting and superstructure replacement was conducted on the North Munn Avenue Bridge over Interstate 280 overnight Sept. 12-13, motorists may want to add more traveling time for future detours around the other 13 bridges above the East-West Freeway here.
North and south bound North Munn drivers were reduced to one lane each direction while NJDOT and its contractors replaced the 1960s-era bridge’s southbound side that Friday-Saturday. A similar replacement of the northbound side is to be announced. Similar lane reductions were made that weekend on the Dr. MLK, Jr. Boulevard/Main Street and North Oraton Parkway for related work.
The work is part of a $20.4 million project to repair or replace the 53 to 65 year-old bridges. Those bridges in East Orange and Orange were installed once the New Jersey Highway Department, bowing to local demand, chose to depress 280 instead of elevating it. That work included realigning Main Street/Freeway drive over the Oraton and Garden State parkways and severing Maple Street.
ORANGE – “The Orange Parking Authority is Dead – Long Live the Orange Township Parking Utility!” could have been the shout from City Hall late Sept. 2. The City Council voted to approve the dissolution of OPA and the creation of its succeeding OTPU in two ordinances that Tuesday night.
Resolutions 51 and 52 – 2025 were approved by Council President Adreienne Wooton, Vice President Weldon “Monty” Montague III, East Ward Councilman Kerry Coley, North Ward Councilwoman Tency Eason, Councilman Clifford Ross and South Ward Councilwoman Jamie Summers-Johnson. West Ward Councilwoman Quantavia Hilbert was absent.
The authority, which the council had created Dec. 19, 2023, was deemed by the council in Res. 51-2025 as, “after careful examination and analysis, that it would be in the best interests of its residents to dissolve. OPA did not provide any services or own or operate any facilities.”
OPA’s ability to oversee and manage metered parking, parking lots and garages and parking violations were turned over to OTPU thanks to 52-2025. All authority property, assets, contracts and funds were turned over by OPA officers to the utility. The immediate changeover was made official by Mayor Dwayne D. Warren’s signature.
The key difference between an authority and a utility is found in their respective financing. An authority has the ability to issue bonds for capital improvement projects. A utility has to derive its improvement funds from the parking meter, permit and/or violation ticket revenue. (There is an exception that requires council approval.)
Orange joins Bloomfield and Montclair is switching from parking “authorities” to “utilities.” Newark, East Orange and South Orange retain their authorities. Other “Local Talk” towns’ parking rest with a combination of police, public works and engineering departments.
WEST ORANGE – Mayor Susan McCartney, the Township Council and some 150 members of the public crowded into the Municipal Building Council Chamber Sept. 10 to review and comment on West Orange’s Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share plan that will ultimately go to the state Department of Community Affairs for approval.
Susan S. Gruel, of the township-hired Heyer, Gruel & Associates planners, of Red Bank, highlighted the 15 locations where West Orange can meet its DCA-calculated 1,064 affordable housing unit obligation now through 2035. The state agency and the township entered into a binding agreement to build an obligatory 409 units and another 660 prospective need units the next 10 years.
Gruel highlighted the 474-page draft documents on the likelihood of building said units on the 15 lots before the public questioned the prospective sites’ traffic and environmental concerns. Township elders intend to make a Nov. 4 final hearing before sending the document to the DCA in Trenton but the homework is already late.
The DCA gave the 563 municipalities (two literally had no space) June 30 to submit their plan. McCartney and the council had pointed fingers at each other for why they could not finish in time.
Submitting late homework, however, comes with penalties – and West Orange has two as of press time as “builders’ remedies.” The state agency will allow developers to construct denser affordable fair share housing by waving a municipality’s zoning and planning limits.
481 Eagle Rock LLC, of Ft. Lee, filed suit over the 11.1-acre Mayfair Farms site July 8. It wants to build a 421-unit complex on the former catering banquet hall lot, including 82 affordable housing units and “a 41 unit bonus unit for developing the property.”
The Daughters of Israel at 1155 Pleasant Valley Way filed a builders’ remedy suit July 26. The 158-bed senior care center wants to convent itself into a 432-unit “inclusionary community” in part containing 168 age-restricted independent senior living apartments and 68 affordable housing units. The planning board rejected a previous DOI expansion plan May 6.
NOTE: Township police detectives are investigating how a dump truck ran into a South Valley Road house at its T-intersection with Walker Road here Sept. 10. Eight people from two families were given temporary lodging after township inspectors deemed the house as structurally unsound. No injuries were reported.
SOUTH ORANGE – Respective village and township mayors spoke out on U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents abducting three people from their municipal streets Sept. 8-9.
South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum confirmed on Sept 9. that ICE picked up a person “within our borders earlier that Tuesday. She said that she had talked with the abducted person’s family member through the bilingual SOPD Capt. Adrian Acevedo.
“It was through the swift actions of residents sharing what they knew that allowed me to identify a family member and speak with her and Capt. Acevedo,” said Collum. “There’s no other details I’m going to share at this time other than reiterating my heartfelt appreciation to the community and that we’re on it. The Trump Administration and ICE’s subsequent actions are terrorizing communities; their tactics are nothing but thuggery that thrives on threatening the vulnerable.”
Collum, village officials and law enforcement are still seeking details on a man who was picked up at 8:45 a.m. June 6 from Maplewood’s Park Place by the Marshall School by four armed and masked men wearing ICE vests. The Sept. 9 abduction came about 24 hours after three armed, masked and uniformed ICE agents picked up a pair of brothers-in-law along Prospect Street and spirited them off in one of their three unmarked cars for parts unknown.
Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams referred to the Township Committee’s Jan. 3, 2017 adoption of Resolution 3-17, limiting police involvement with federal law enforcers regarding detaining and arresting suspected immigration violators. Adams added that the ICE agents made their abduction “just four blocks from my home.
“The Township of Maplewood reaffirms our commitment to the fair and equal treatment of all residents, regardless of their immigration status,” said Mayor Nancy Adams, “as we adopted Resolution 3-17, that the Police Department adheres to the New Jersey Attorney General’s directives and guidelines with the respect to the manner local law enforcement agencies interact with federal immigration authorities.”
MAPLEWOOD – The roughly 150 people who attended the “North Village/Movie Theater Redevelopment Area Plan” Community Meeting here at the Woodland Sept. 11 came away with what most considered good news about Maplewood Theatre’s status.
Mayor Nancy Adams told the Woodland Great Hall audience that owner Anthony Lofreddo’s prospective sale of 155 Maplewood Ave. to someone new had fallen through. Lofreddo, who owns the 98-year-old building’s Roman Gourmet storefront, had tried to attract a buyer with a township-issued liquor license in July.
While some that Thursday night sighed relief, some are still asking what will happen to the theater and most of the 11 properties on the block bordered by Maplewood Avenue, Highland Place, Ridgewood Road and Inwood Place. The block includes the Maplewood Trust building that Bank of America vacated last year.
The township designated the block as an area in need of non-condemnable redevelopment earlier this year. Maplewood Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022 – which means that the building’s interior must be preserved but allows for interior renovation or alteration.
Film Society of Maplewood members urged Adams and township officials to retain the theatre as an arts location. There is a concern that the theater’s interior could be repurposed into apartments.
BLOOMFIELD – The Bloomfield High School Class of 2026 will be ceremonially graduating with a “Plus One” – Superintendent of Schools Salvatore Goncalves – June 24.
The Bloomfield Public Schools Board of Education accepted Goncalves’ retirement notice at their Sept. 9 meeting. Goncalves, after 12 years as superintendent and five decades as a district employee, will make his retirement effective as of June 30.
“I’ve been blessed to be in this school district,” said Goncalves in his Sept. 8 resignation notice. “It’s been 50 years of great memories, great work. I look forward to my last year being super successful because I’m surrounded by great people.”
Goncalves was Bloomfield Middle School Principal when the school board voted to appoint him, 5-3, in a special Oct. 17, 2013. He was an acting superintendent until he was approved by then-Essex County Superintendent of Schools Joseph Zarra. The appointment allowed the board to return Nicholas Dotoli, the acting super since that May, to Director of Human Sources and Labor Relations.
The BBOE picked Goncalves over other finalist James Earle – then Montclair High School Principal. Goncalves succeeded Jason Bing, who resigned that may after a contentious 2013-14 school budget was passed. Bing became the South Orange-Maplewood district superintendent July 1, 2024.
The current school board has not said how they will select Goncalves’ successor as of press time.
MONTCLAIR – Stephen Colbert may not have landed a new job for himself and his “Late Night with Stephen Colbert” staff at Sept. 14’s Emmy Awards in Los Angeles but the longtime Montclair resident and his crew came home with this year’s Best Talk Series award.
“May I have your attention?” asked Colbert, whose presenting the Best Actor in a Comedy Series award was halted by the audience chanting his name and applauding. “Is anyone hiring? I have 200 very qualified candidates here tonight who’ll be available in June.” He then presented his resume and headshot to actor Harrison Ford.
CBS-Paramount, which was recently bought by Skydance, claimed financial expenses in July for ending the 11-year-old Colbert Show in May.
Councilwoman Resigns
The township’s respective Town Council and Planning Board may come up with a successor to Councilor-at-Large Carmel Loughman, who resigned from both panels Sept. 12, as early as the council’s Sept. 30 meeting.
Loughman, who was 15 months into her four-year council term, confirmed her departure Saturday. Her stepping down came after the Sept. 9 Council meeting, where her proposal to cut the single public comment segment into two agenda and non-agenda sessions – and limit speakers to two minutes per session, was tabled.
The former 2020 solo campaigner ran on a five-person Montclair Good Government ticket May 14, 2024. A majority of voters selected her for at-large and colleague Aminah Toler as Fourth Ward Councilwoman; three of their running mates were denied. She was appointed to the Montclair Planning Board in 2017 but was reclassified as the Council’s representative on that panel last year.
The Town Council, by state law, has 30 days to select Loughman’s successor. That person would automatically be appointed onto the planning board. The council successor has the option to run for the rest of Loughman’s unexpired term in the May 12, 2026 election.
BELLEVILLE – Some of Elementary School No. 5’s students got an unplanned preview of Belleville High School thanks to a “building situation” at the former building Sept. 12.
“Earlier in the day (Friday), a staff member accidentally bumped into a fire extinguisher, causing it to fall and discharge,” said Belleville Superintendent of Schools Dr. Erick Alfonso in his community open letter that afternoon. “At the time, the hallway was empty and no students or staff were in the immediate area. Out of an abundance of caution, students were temporarily relocated to BHS.”
The some 377 Kindergarten-through-Sixth Grade students walked some four blocks west on Greylock Parkway from 149 Adelaide St. to BHS. (No attendance figures for the new school year are given until after Oct. 15.)
Dr. Alfonso meanwhile posted on Facebook in English and Spanish that the grammar school day would be a single session ending at 12:35 p.m. Parents and guardians were advised to pick up their students at the high school’s auditorium doors.
“I thank the incredible staff and leadership from School 5, BHS and the Central Office who worked side-by-side to ensure a smooth relocation and reunification procedure,” added Alfonso. “It was truly an ‘all hands on deck’ effort. It was inspiring to see the professionalism, calm and care displayed by every team member.”
