Community Corner

School Canceled Again as Madison Gets More Than a Foot

Second straight day Madison Public Schools students will miss classes; Police advising no overnight parking.

Snow accumulations have now reached more than a foot in Madison. The Madison Public Schools have also announced they will be closed for the second straight day on Thursday.

Unlike last weekend's false alarm, this time the snow has been for real.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Morris County, that began at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and is in effect through midnight.

Find out what's happening in Madisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Madison Patch measured between a foot and 13 inches at 7 p.m. However, the snow couldn't prevent children and parents alike from going out and having some fun (check out our gallery that runs with this story).

Reports are indicating Madison could get between 12-18 inches before the storm is finished dumping snow on the area. The lower-end expectation has already been surpassed.

Find out what's happening in Madisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A report from the Madison Police Department tonight notified residents of school closings for another day. Another alert by the department said there would be no permission given for overnight parking.

"Please stay indoors if at all possible and limit travel," the alert read. "This will allow the snow plows to effectively clear the roads."

The Madison YMCA was closed for business today due to the storm, as were most of the stores in the area. The entire Staples strip mall on the east side of town was shutdown. Other places like Yuki Hana Sushi and Whole Foods were also closed. Some of the rare stores open were Dunkin' Donuts and Quick Check.

Borough administrator Ray Codey and the rest of the borough's employees at Bayley-Ellard were working through the conditions. In contrast, municipalities such as Chatham Borough, Chatham Twp., Hanover Twp. and Summit closed their municipal offices.

"We're a service," Codey said. "It's also the last day to pay taxes for the grace period."

Codey also said that he had spoken to the borough's garbage vendor, and if residents who usually have their garbage and recycling picked up on Wednesday find that they were not due to the weather, they should put it out Friday evening for Saturday pickup.

"There will be catch-up day on Saturday," Codey said.

Though all of the borough's services were up and running, schools were closed for the safety of the students.

Madison Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Richard Noonan announced the first school closing at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night. The announcement came around 8:30 p.m. Shortly thereafter, Honeywell alert phone calls were received by many parents in attendance.

The high school wrestling team's sectional match against New Providence that was scheduled for tonight was originally moved back to Thursday. No word has come yet on if Thursday's school closing will affect the wrestling match.

The Madison Department of Public Works is busy clearing the roadways.

The department was already getting ready for the storm on Tuesday, loading trucks and setting up materials.

"We have 400 tons of salt coming in today," DPW Superintendent David Maines said.

Maines also said Tuesday that the department hadn't changed its preparation for the event. He said the department prepares for small snow forecasts the same as it does for large ones because it never knows what is actually going to come.

"We have the plows on already," Maines said. "The five sanders are loaded and ready to go."

Madison Mayor Mary-Anna Holden stopped by the Public Works Building on Tuesday and said the department was ready for the snow.

"I am confident that we are prepared and monitoring the impending storm," Holden said in an e-mail to Madison Patch. "Our Department of Public Works is a seasoned, dedicated group of employees that handle each crisis with ease. Most of the employees are headed home a little early to get some rest for what could be a long, grueling early morning. One is staying around to receive a planned delivery of added salt.

"About four years ago, former Councilwoman Carmela Vitale and I rode the ploughs during a really bad storm and we learned first-hand that ploughing is far from an easy job."

Holden asked Madisonians to, "please give a wave and say thank you," if they see Madison ploughs drive by while they are shoveling.

Maines also asked that residents stay off the road as much as they could, something echoed by the police department.

The police department issued an alert Tuesday night to "take appropriate precautions. ... Those residents with special needs such as well water and medical assistance devices should take the appropriate precautionary measures."

The department also asked that residents follow all local ordinances regarding snow removal.


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