Madison Patch: Latest Articles

Madison Still Cleaning Up Mess From Weekend Storm

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:19:00 -0400

Fire Department pumped 17 basements so far after major storm hit Madison over the weekend.

By Rick Burchfield

1:19pm

Department of Public Works crews wrapped up this afternoon the removal of a large tree that came down across Fairwood Road in the storm this weekend.

Director David Maines said the tree damaged three cars and a homeowner's garage.

Acting Fire Chief Lou DeRosa said in addition to the fallen tree, the fire department has been pumping basements around the borough pretty much continuously since the storm began Friday night.

"The sad thing is we will continue the next few days with cleanups," he said. "We'll be busy tonight."

The storm also wreaked havoc in other areas of Madison. Trees were blown on NJ Transit lines this weekend causing delays to service. Power also went out at Madison High School, though power was up as usual by the time classes started on Monday. Sanitary sewer backups were also causes of some residential flooding problems on Cook Avenue and North Street over the weekend.

As bad as things have been in the borough, other Morris County towns suffered worse damage. The flooding is so bad in Lincoln Park, that the county fire coordinator has requested aid from surrounding municipalities.

The Madison Fire Department will be sending five members, made up from the career and volunteer corps, with an engine to cover Lincoln Park's fire duties while its department continues with clean-up duties tonight.

If you have photos or stories to share, e-mail editor Rick Burchfield at rick@patch.com.

Vitale Appointed to Open Seat on Planning Board

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:00:00 -0400

Mayor points to past service of former councilwoman, her selection to take place of departing Greg Reed.

By Rick Burchfield

6:00am

Mayor Mary-Anna Holden has appointed former Councilwoman and Planning Board Member Carmela Vitale to take the seat recently vacated when Class IV member Greg Reed stepped down.

Vitale, who has served two full terms on the Borough Council and served under special circumstances as recently as this past October, was part of the Planning Board the last time a thorough update of the master plan was produced in 1992.

Holden said Vitale was part of the group which evaluated Green Village Road School, which makes her a good fit at this time.

"The main objective then was to amend and look at the property from a high altitude for general parameters to guide us," Holden said. "Now the point is to rezone this area in anticipation of the Board of Education putting out a bid to sell. So it's the perfect time, and I know she's excited to serve."

Holden cited other traits Vitale will bring to the post.

"She was always very fair," Holden said." She is a lifetime Madisonian. She's got a good grasp on issues. She is a realtor, an expertise we don't have on the Planning Board right now when looking at these applications. I will also miss Greg Reed, who had his certificate on historic preservation, as well."

Reed's last meeting was on Feb. 23. He stepped down to move closer to his job in New York City as Vice President/Senior Analyst in the commercial real estate finance department for Moody's Investors Service.

For the past few months leading to his resignation, he had been commuting while helping the board in dealing with several high-profile developments, including Greenwood Property Group's application for the property at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Main Street.

Planning Board Member and former Chair Judy Mullins said Reed also served on the Downtown Development Commission and was involved in that group's parking study of downtown before he joined the Planning Board in 2006. She says Reed will be missed.

Madison Boys Basketball Hopes This Season A Preview Of Things To Come

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:30:00 -0400

Dodgers' 21-win season has young team thinking big in 2010-11.

By Kevin Meacham

March 14, 2010

The Madison High School boys basketball team got its first taste of the "contender" label during the 2009-10 season. They expect that label to stick heading in to next year.

After a stunningly successful campaign keyed by a junior-dominated lineup, the Dodgers will use this offseason to dream of future glory. And they'll return to the court in November with suddenly-great expectations for a worthy follow up to this year's 21-4 record.

"We're definitely proud of our season," said head coach Bill Librera. "But we feel like we have more work to do."

The Dodgers won the inaugural Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference-Independence Division championship (Madison finished 11-1, one game ahead of Hanover Park), a holiday tournament title, and the program's first playoff win under Librera; Madison opened the season with an unprecedented 17-game win streak.

"We had a good season," said junior point guard Aaron Fant. "We can build on it. We want to win everything next year."

Madison's 21 wins are the most under Librera, and the highest win total since 2006, when the Dodgers won 22 games under current MHS girls basketball coach Stephen Finkelstein.

All this came from a team that began the season fighting to prove its credibility nine months after a sub-.500 Madison team made a Cinderella run to the 2009 Morris County Tournament final.

"We weren't really one of the teams people were talking about in the beginning," Librera said. "It's easier to surprise people sometimes. We weren't the best team out there, but we exceeded expectations. Now, we're going to have to deal with being expected to win."

While Madison's record this season spoke for itself, there were several notable disappointments: Madison suffered heartbreaking back-to-back losses to Hanover Park (ending the 17-game win streak) and Chatham (ending Madison's hopes of winning the Morris County Tournament), along with a home loss in the North 2, Group II quarterfinals to Newark Tech.

However, the Dodgers are in the enviable situation of having put up an exceptional won-loss record, combined with a lineup almost entirely consisting of underclassmen. Of the eight Dodgers who saw regular game action this year, five were juniors, one was a sophomore and one was a freshman.

Two of those juniors, Aaron Fant and Jake Meister, topped Madison in just about every offensive category. Matt McHale provided a consistent defensive and rebounding presence. Mike Haughey and sophomore Matt Gilbert provided spark, hustle, and solid outside shooting. Eddie McAndrew and Justin Goodwin were solid defenders and could see their roles increase next year.

All will be back next year, along with a promising younger group that led Madison's junior varsity to an 18-6 record.

"Our program is extremely healthy right now," Librera said. "Competition is going to make everyone better, and we think we have a lot of kids who could press for playing time next year. There are minutes to be had."

The loss to graduation of senior defensive stopper Robbie Savacool will hurt, but Madison figures to be among the deepest, most experienced teams in Morris County next season.

Perhaps most importantly, the youthful Dodgers learned how to win in 2009-10. After they blew out Kittatinny in the opener Dec. 18, Madison won its next eight games by eight points or less, in every conceivable fashion.

They barely held off furious comebacks–leading MKA by 22 points and barely hanging on for a 63-55 win in the Oratory Prep tournament first round (Dec. 28).

They went back-and-forth with division rivals–including a gutty 49-45 road win at Group II state finalist Pequannock and a tense 49-47 home win against rival Chatham.

They needed late-game heroics–like Fant's memorable buzzer-beating floater to send the Jan. 12 game against Hanover Park to a second overtime. Arguably the play of the year for the Dodgers, it catapulted Madison to a 62-59 2OT win over the then-unbeaten Hornets.

They needed perfection at crucial moments–like when Madison outscored Livingston, 16-0, in the fourth quarter for an improbable comeback win on Jan. 16.

The clutch plays continued going Madison's way. By Feb. 6–the NJSIAA's state tournament cutoff date–Madison improved to 17-0 and locked up the top seed in the North 2, Group II tournament.

The Dodgers' finish wasn't quite as perfect–Madison split its final eight games, beginning with a last-second layup loss to Hanover Park in an all-time Morris County classic Feb. 9.

Four days later, two Chatham free throws with five seconds to play in regulation ended Madison's dream of a repeat run to the County College of Morris.

Madison's last two losses, to Morristown and in the state tournament against Newark Tech, revealed a fatal flaw that Librera hopes to correct next season.

"We're going to try and schedule some different styles of play," Librera said. "Our league was a little homogenous, and we know we have to get out and schedule more teams like Morristown, Morristown-Beard, Newark West Side, that push the tempo and can run on you."

Still, the end of February and early March each had high points for the Dodgers:

Fant put up an incredible line of 16 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, willing Madison to a 70-67 quadruple-overtime victory over Chatham days after the county tournament defeat.
Meister's 19-point effort against Dover helped the Dodgers clinch a share of the NJAC-Independence title (which they won outright after Hanover Park's loss to Pequannock a week later).
Madison got off to a horrid start in their first-round playoff game against Parsippany, a 19-4 second quarter lifted the Dodgers to their first playoff win in four years.

In the end, the 2009-10 season will likely be looked at as a transition year for Madison. The Dodgers began the year with a chip on their shoulders, needing to prove they could contend for conference, county and state titles.

It didn't always go exactly as planned, but the Dodgers think they have put themselves in an excellent position for a blockbuster season in 2010-11.

"A lot of us have been playing together for a long time on varsity, and we'll be seniors next year," Meister said. "We want to do something big before we leave."

Week in Review: Public Gives Input

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:00:00 -0400

Vocal members of Madison show up at budget work session, Board of Education meeting.

By Rick Burchfield

March 14, 2010

Madison residents made their thoughts heard on a number of issues this week, voicing their feelings at the budget work session on Thursday and at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.

On Monday, we told you about how the Madison High School ice hockey team knocked off favored Chatham to make it to the Public B semifinals. We also gave you a photo gallery of the Madison Young Playwrights Festival from events at Playwrights Theatre. We also told you about Gov. Chris Christie's Chief of Staff Rich Bagger was mum about budget specifics.

On Tuesday, we told you about an organic co-op group that was bringing food closer to Madison residents. We also told you about new business Mama C's, which has a few inexpensive specials to choose from. Finally, we told you how certain residents may become eligible for underground electric replacement aid.

On Wednesday, we told you about a reported luring attempt near the Board of Education office. We also told you about how a man had been arrested on shoplifting chargers after putting bottles of alcohol in his pants. We also gave you Cindy Loh's latest restaurant review, this one on Nicky's Firehouse Restaurant.

On Thursday, we told you how Madison Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Richard Noonan e-mailed letters to all district parents regarding beefed up supervision at Torey J. Sabatini Elementary School after multiple parents spoke about bullying and harassment at the BOE's most recent meeting. We also told you about how the ice hockey team's magical season came to an end in a hard-fought loss to West Essex in the Public B semifinals. We also told you about how Silken Wool has been saved from closing its doors. Finally, we showed you photos from the demolition of a warehouse on the corner of Central Avenue and Locust Street.

On Friday, we told you how most of the residents speaking at the last borough budget work session were in favor of recommended capital projects. We also told you about the Assembly Tourism and Arts Committee meeting at Paper Mill Playhouse which members of the Madison Arts & Culture Alliance attended. Finally, we previewed Monday's Taste of Madison event at Fairleigh Dickenson University.

Madison Public Schools Will Forego Full February Vacation Week

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:30:00 -0500

Most Parents, Board of Education supported approved 2010-11 calendar.

By Rick Burchfield

March 13, 2010

Students at Madison Public Schools will start classes later and end earlier than the alternative option, while having another year with no full February vacation week during the 2010-11 school year.

The Board of Education recently voted to keep the full week out of the calendar. The district has taken the same approach each of the past two years.

There were two calendar options presented for vote. The one without a full February week off had students starting on Sept. 7, the day after Labor Day. It also has the last day of school scheduled for June 17. Students would have a single session day on Feb. 18 and two days off on Feb. 21 and 22.

The second calendar option, which was not approved, had students starting classes before Labor Day on Sept. 2. It also had the last day of classes on June 20. In the unapproved calendar, the week of Feb. 21 would be an entire vacation week.

"If reinserted, then we'd have to start students before Labor Day," Superintendent Dr. Richard Noonan said before the calendar vote. "So when we discussed that with the PTOs in an unscientific survey, they said, 'boy, that's not a good idea.' It did not go over well."

Noonan said he thought parents had gotten used to the calendar without the full week. He also said that the teachers association would like to see the full week restored, while the administrative team favored retaining the calendar without the full week.

Kevin Blair was the only board member to vote against the schedule without the full week.

One other key change in the approved calendar is that the spring recess will be moved back to align with Harding. That vacation will be from April 11-15.

Editor's Note - Both calendar options are attached to this article in the photo gallery.

Photo of the Week

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:00:00 -0500

Highlight from a historic season.

By Rick Burchfield

March 13, 2010

The Madison High School ice hockey team had never won a state playoff game coming into this season. That, and many other things, changed during its 2009-10 run.

There were many wins that made fans smile during the Dodgers' Haas Cup runner-up season, but none ranked with its Public B quarterfinal state playoff victory. Not only did the Dodgers make it one step away from playing for the championship, but they knocked off favored rival Chatham.

This celebration photo from the victory, taken by Alex Lewis, is the Photo of the Week.

Residents Come Out to Support Recommended Projects

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Lincoln Place, North Street Pump Station high on CFO, administrator's budget list; Pine Street residents looking for more support.

By Rick Burchfield

March 12, 2010

Judging from the final budget work session, residents are in support of the same capital improvements as Madison's CFO and administrator.

Madisonians came out to speak up for upgrades to Lincoln Place and the North Street Pump Station at Thursday night's meeting at the Madison Public Library's Chase Room.

Those two projects are on the recommended list for capital improvements submitted to the Borough Council by Chief Financial Officer Robert Kalafut and Administrator Ray Codey. One project which a few residents spoke up for that isn't on the recommended list is road reconstruction to Pine Avenue, which according to those speaking has been in discussion since at least 2005.

The call for upgrades to the pump station stems mainly from a Feb. 20 incident on Fairview Avenue. A deodorizing block was lodged in sewer piping after the netting the block sits in became unattached. The backup caused by the block resulted in what multiple residents called a geyser of sewage rising from manholes.

"It was disgusting to say the least, but that's not the only problem we have," Beth Bagley of 23 Fairview Ave. said. "On a day-to-day basis we have smells on the street that fluctuate back and forth between raw sewage and the deodorant bricks they put in, which basically makes my driveway smell like port-a-potty. I hate to be disgusting, but that's the reality of the situation, and it's not just me."

Residents also expressed concern that there wasn't enough cleanup done after the incident. Codey assured the residents that the borough would be out the following day to street sweep again. Mayor Mary-Anna Holden also told residents that proposed upgrades by Engineer Bob Vogel to the station, which would eliminate odor at the station, was the top priority when budgeting for sanitary sewer projects.

Other residents, mostly from, but not limited to, the business community came out to support the proposed upgrades to Lincoln Place. Main Street Executive Director Jim Burnet again went over parts of the proposal to the council, and said he thought the Downtown Development Commission may be able to help bring down the proposed cost by raising money for lighting and signage. Vogel also said he thought PSEG would help with some of the cost because gas pipes underneath Lincoln Place need repair regardless of the other upgrades. There was also talk of approaching New Jersey Transit about help with sidewalking, since Lincoln Place is adjacent to the tracks.

Lincoln Place is also in the recommended budget submitted to the council. What was not, however, were road improvements to Pine Avenue. Three residents asked that the council get upgrades done on their road soon. They also detailed safety issues and drainage problems on the road.

This was the final budget work session. The council, through a recommendation by Kalafut, decided to cancel the originally scheduled March 18 session. That is also the same day the borough will receive detailed state aid documents following Gov. Chris Christie's budget address on March 16.

State Officials Warn of Possible Art Funding Cuts

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:47:00 -0500

Cultural leaders testify at the Assembly Tourism and Arts Committee meeting at Paper Mill about the importance of the arts to the state's economy.

By Jennifer Connic

March 12, 2010

While arts and tourism leaders emphasized how their industry makes significant cultural and economic contributions to the state, Assembly Tourism and Arts Committee members told them to be prepared for state aid cuts.

The newly formed committee held its first meeting at the Paper Mill Playhouse on Wednesday afternoon, calling witnesses from several arts and tourism organizations. Among them was Paper Mill Executive Director Mark W. Jones. Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, R-21, who represents Madison, serves on the committee.

Judy Mullins was one of the residents from Madison who attended the meeting. Mullins attended as a Trustee of the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts, a downtown business owner benefiting from arts traffic into Madison (she and her husband own Poor Herbie's), and a Board member of the Madison Arts & Culture Alliance.

"This meeting was an opportunity to meet the new committee members, which include Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz who represents Madison and District 21," Mullins said, "and I had a chance to talk to Assembly Majority Leader Joe Cryan, who has actually been to Poor Herbie's, it turns out, and who remarked, in his public comments, about the important link between theaters, museums, galleries, performance attendance and downtown businesses."

Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan, D-20, said often people lose perspective on how important the arts are to New Jersey. State officials focus on return on investment, and one of the strongest returns on investment is in the arts.

The restaurants in downtown Millburn thrive when the Paper Mill is busy, he said, and his brother's business in South Orange does well when SOPAC has a performance.

Committee Chairman Matthew Milam said the arts and tourism industry generates billions of dollars to the state's economy and creates at least 500,000 jobs. And there are indirect benefits to the local businesses.

Jones said Paper Mill's success can be seen in the community because the theater creates jobs, brings income to the many shops and restaurants downtown and adds to the tax base in the state. Paper Mill alone adds $25 million to the state's economy. And the theater brings in an audience from outside New Jersey—7 percent of subscriptions are from outside the state.

"There is no greater return on the public funding dollar than investing in the arts in New Jersey," he said.

He warned that the downturn in the economy and cuts in state funding "imperil every publicly supported charity that relies on the (state arts council) as the lynchpin for its programs and other funding."

Jones cited Paper Mill's hard financial times, which almost closed the theater and lead to the sale of the property to the township in 2008. Since then the theater's leadership has worked hard to change the way it approaches its finances.

When he first became executive director, the Paper Mill had a $19 million budget and was operating at a $5 million loss. But it had an additional $3 million loss from grant and contributions. That meant half the budget was missing, Jones said. But now Paper Mill will present its first balanced budget at $15 million with the need for $4 million in grants and contributions.

The playhouse also has cut back on its season from six to five performances and the number of weeks from five to four. Jones said there was a time when the theater could afford to run performances for eight weeks.

Today's ticket prices—with a top price of about $93 for a Saturday night—don't cover all of the costs of a performance. Jones said the Paper Mill performances would cost much more—$125-$130 per ticket—if they were produced on Broadway. The playhouse has no intention to raise ticket prices, he said, but it means the theater will need to raise more money.

Munoz, though, cautioned there are difficult financial times in New Jersey, and there may need to be cuts to state arts funding. It's not that state officials do not support the arts if they make a "difficult decision" to cut funding. The decisions are to make New Jersey a stronger state.

"We still support the arts even if it may be painful for a year," she said.

Gary Chiusano, R-24, a committee member, said the assembly is facing long-standing financial problems from across the state. As an example of questionable practices the state may no longer be able to afford, he cited the example of five public employees retiring in New Brunswick who have cashed in their unused sick and vacation time for $1.4 million.

"There are a lot of things we need to fix and will benefit everyone," he said.

A part of the discussion centered on improving arts education throughout the state.

Robert Morrison, of the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership, said New Jersey's education is at a crossroads, and some students aren't even being educated. A census of art programs shows 72,000 students in New Jersey public schools do not have access to art education. Only 3 percent of elementary schools give the art education required through sixth grade through state mandates.

Munoz questioned how districts could get away with not providing art education to elementary school children as required.

Morrison said there is no accountability on curriculum. Students are tested, and the score results are posted in the newspaper. But there's no measure for instruction to ensure every student has equal access to art.

He would recommend another census in 2010-11 to see if there have been any changes in arts education since 2005-06. Plus New Jersey needs to catch up with other states in its data systems detailing what districts have included in their curriculum.

Jones cited the playhouse's efforts in every New Jersey county working with 130 schools on education programs, including artist in residency programs. School districts should be working with more artists, who many times need work, to supplement their education programs.

Hearty Appetites Encouraged for Taste of Madison

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:00:00 -0500

In its ninth year, event will be hosted at Fairleigh Dickenson on Monday.

By Rayna Lewis

March 12, 2010

Over 30 restaurants are participating in this year's edition of Taste of Madison, which will be held on Monday night from 7 - 9 in the Ferguson Recreation Center at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Those attending the event, which is in its ninth year, will be able to sample signature dishes from the participating borough restuarants. Four local wine shops will offer wines and spirits to go with the meals. Other treats, like tricky trays and a silent auction, will be held for items, some of which are valued at $1,000 or more.

"This gives [the restaurants] good exposure: visitors try a new restaurant and dish all in one night," said Carmella Moeller, a Co-chair for the event.

According to Moeller, the Taste of Madison event, which draws people from as far as Morristown, is organized by three groups: the Madison Rotary Club, the Madison Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Developmental Commission.

The Taste of Madison event is held as a fundraiser for these organizations, which in turn recycle those proceeds into local projects, scholarships, and other non-profit organizations. This is also a way to spread the word about local restaurants and wine shops.

"It's a great place to network, learn about Madison, sample food and different wines and spirits from different liquor stores in our town," said Karen Meyer, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce. "It creates awareness, allows for samplings, and is a great way to get the businesses recognized."

To reserve tickets visit http://www.garyswine.com/taste_of_madison/index2.html. General admission is $65, and persons attending must be 21 or older. For more information call 973-377-7830.

Warehouse Comes Down at Central and Locust

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:01:00 -0500

Property will eventually contain three two-family homes.

By Rick Burchfield

March 11, 2010

Demolition of the former warehouse at the corner of Central Avenue and Locust Street began this week.

The property, which Mayor Mary-Anna Holden said dates back to 1905, had been the site of Madison Moving and Storage and then Chatham Moving and Storage (which is now on North Passaic Avenue in Chatham).

The property is now being developed by Carmine Vacchiano, who Planning Board member (and its former chair) Judy Mullins says has built other residences in Madison.

The development will feature three unique two-family buildings. The developer worked with the Planning Board so the new construction would blend with the area. The neighborhood is zoned for two-family homes.