If outdoor ice skating is one of your favorite winter activities, try it at Central Park of Morris County in Parsippany.

One of the two outdoor in-line skating rinks at the park is flooded when weather permits, and is available for ice skaters of all ages.

Kristin Biase, superintendent of recreation for the Morris County Park Commission, which operates the Central Park complex, said the rink is available for skating seven days a week, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

"Since it is outdoors, it really needs to be cold for several days in a row for us to get the ice down," Biase said. "We will only put ice down if we are expecting a week or so of suitable conditions."

If the weather conditions are right, skaters can take to the ice from sunrise to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and sunrise to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, said Biase. She said the rink is lit, with the lights coming on at 4:30 p.m. and turning off at closing. Restrooms are on site.

When skating is not advisable, "No Skating" signs will be posted, and violators will be subject to penalties, said Biase, who noted the Central Park facility on Central Avenue in Parsippany is patrolled by the Park Police.

The Park Commission urges the wearing of helmets by skaters, especially children.

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In an effort to keep a lid on county taxes, the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders on Jan. 27 approved a measure reducing the tax rate used to fund the county's Open Space, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

The dedicated open space tax this year will be set at 2 cents per $100 of assessed property value, down from its 2009 level of 3 cents.

Estimates are that the new rate will save the county approximately $10.3 million, and will generate between $20 million and $21 million this year to help fund projects designed to preserve open space and farmland and protect the county's drinking water resources.

Freeholder Director Gene Feyl said the savings from the tax reduction will be applied to the county's 2010 operating budget and will help the freeholders meet their goal of developing a spending plan that keeps taxes flat or reduces taxes.

"Preservation of our open space remains an important initiative in the county," Feyl said. "But, over the past few years, open space applications have declined, and in today's difficult economic climate, a tax reduction is warranted."

The freeholders said bringing the open space tax down from 3 cents per $100 of assessed property value to 2 cents would result in a $40 tax cut on a home assessed at $400,000, and would not have a negative impact on preservation programs.

The freeholders in 2009 approved more than $14 million in funding for 17 municipal and non-profit open space projects totaling 1,049 acres in 12 towns.

Since the Open Space program began awarding grants in 1994, more than 21,900 acres of open space in Morris County have been funded for preservation. Morris County voters approved the program in November 1992.

Any of the 39 municipalities in the county and qualified charitable conservancies are eligible to apply for open space funding. The open space tax also funds acquisition of county parkland and preserves and protects historic sites throughout Morris County.

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The 4-H program in Morris County is adding three new clubs to its list.

Morris County 4-H currently has 21 clubs with approximately 500 members, and is now adding new horse, woodworking and poultry clubs. Each of the new clubs plans to meet once a month.

Morris 4-H also has two Cloverbud clubs for children in grades K-3 that allow them to explore the variety of activities that 4-H has to offer before choosing a specific 4-H club to join.

Laura Graham, the leader of the new horse club said having a horse is not necessary to join. She said the club will be cover basic horse care, model horses, and hippology, or the educational study of horses.

The woodworking club will be run by leader, Rich Everett, who said members will learn the fundamentals of woodworking, project planning and the basic use of tools on an age appropriate basis.

Roseanne Oblen, the leader of the new 4-H Poultry Club said children will learning about chickens, ducks and all of the many farm animals on her farm in Budd Lake.

All of the clubs will be working with youth in grades 4-13, with the Poultry Club allowing those in grades 1-3 to participate as well.

Additional information about the new clubs and about Morris County 4-H may be obtained by calling the Morris County 4-H office at 973- 285-8300 ext. 3.

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The Morris County Partners in Substance Abuse Prevention continues the Natural High Initiative it began three years ago with an evening of free family ice skating at the Mennen Arena, 161 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township on Thursday, March 25, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Kellye Smith, Morris County Community Prevention Services Coordinator, said young people can achieve highs naturally, without the aid of drugs or alcohol, by engaging in fun, uplifting activities such as the Natural High Skating event or a family movie or game night at home complete with popcorn and soft drinks.

Besides skating fun for the entire family, the evening will include music, raffles and prizes and, while supplies last, Natural High T-shirts to individuals who fill out a brief survey on substance use/abuse. The Natural High T-shirt was designed by Lara Balick, a 7th grade student at the Pearl R. Miller School in Kinnelon.

Admission to the event and skate rentals are free, but capacity is limited and pre-registration is required by calling 973-285-6860.

The family skating night is supported by the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and is made possible through collaboration among the Morris County Department of Human Services, the Morris County Partners in Substance Abuse Prevention, Morris County Prevention Is Key, the Morris County Park Commission, and the United Way of Morris County.

The Morris County Partners in Substance Abuse Prevention, composed of Municipal Alliances, law enforcement, human services providers, schools and community organizations, is committed to strengthening communities and empowering youth and defines a natural high as an excited or elevated state brought on by a non-drug related life event.

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A $725,000 grant from the Morris County Preservation Trust has helped Schiff Natural Lands acquire the 17-acre O'Leary Tract in Mendham Township for preservation as open space.

The property is located in the corridor of the North Branch of the Raritan River, adjacent to a large expanse of preserved open space and farmland. The O'Leary tract was identified as a priority in Mendham Township's Open Space Plan.

"These 17 acres are now part of the more than 18,890 acres Morris County has helped preserve since the county's Open Space program began awarding grants in 1994," said Morris County Freeholder Director Gene Feyl. "Having worked with this organization on other projects in the past, the county congratulates Schiff on its acquisition of the O'Leary Tract, and we applaud their on-going preservation efforts."

Michael Catania, Schiff board president, said the mature forest and steep slopes on the tract provide critical habitat for a variety of species.

"The land forms a critical piece of the puzzle in a regional greenway," Catania said. "Inappropriate development of this property could have seriously impaired the water quality of the North Branch and its tributary, McVickers Brook, both of which are trout-producing waters."

Another $253,000 in Green Acres funding helped Schiff to purchase the tract.

Schiff is a nonprofit organization dedicated to acquiring and preserving open space. Purchase of the O'Leary Tract brings to 600 the total number of acres owned or managed by the organization.

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The Morris County Heritage Commission and the Washington Township Historical Society are joining forces to present a program March 3 at the Morris County Cultural Center offering some practical tips for the care of historical documents.

The program will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is aimed at anyone who is responsible for the preservation, archiving, display or handling of historical documents or collections or both.

Heritage Commission archivist Peg Shultz said this includes professional historians; historical societies; library staff and volunteers; church or organizational historians; family historians; and genealogy groups.

The program will feature archival consultant Joseph M. Ciccone, a certified archivist with extensive experience managing both library and archival operations.
Among the topics to be discussed, said Schultz, are collection preservation, including environment, storage, reformatting and digitization; collection access, including arrangement and description; and funding opportunities.

The program is free, but advance registration by Feb. 26 is required. To register, contact the Washington Township Historical Society at 908-876-9696 or at info@wthsnj.org.

Additional information about the program may be obtained by contacting Shelly Heretyk of the Washington Township Historical Society at (908) 876-9696 or at info@wthsnj.org.

The Morris County Cultural Center is located at 300 Mendham Road, approximately two miles from the center of Morristown. For details, visit the Morris County Heritage Commission website at http://www.co.morris.nj.us/MCHC .

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The Morris County Board of Freeholders presented a resolution to the Martin Luther King Observance Committee of Morristown on Monday honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Monday marked the 40th anniversary of the observance committee, which has been commemorating King's birth since 1970. It also was the 40th anniversary of the Annual Service of Celebration, and the 25th Annual Interfaith Breakfast, co-sponsored by the Morris Area Clergy Council.

"The Morris County community has, through these special events, rightfully remembered and celebrated Dr. King's life, which was devoted to advancing equality, social justice and opportunity for all," the resolution reads.

The resolution was presented at Monday's Interfaith Breakfast, which was held at the Hyatt Morristown Hotel, and which was followed by the Annual Service of Celebration at the Calvary Baptist Church in Morristown.

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The Morris County Library's series of free career resource seminars continues in February.

The first session, Local Resources for Job Seekers, is Monday, Feb. 1 from noon until 1:30 p.m. and will concentrate on the free job search sources available to all job seekers. This session will also cover such topics as cover letters, resumes, job outlooks, interviews and networking, recruiters, agencies and career change.

Company Research for Job Seekers will be Monday, Feb 8, from noon to 1:30 p.m. This session will cover everything you need to know to about researching potential employers, including company profiles and financial information, products and services, company history and its corporate family tree.

Internet Job Search Tips will be discussed at a seminar Tuesday, Feb. 16, from noon to 1:30 p.m. This strategy session will focus on the practical aspects of searching for jobs on the Internet and will include “hidden” job sites, New Jersey jobs, Civil Service jobs, salary surveys, online ads and online resumes.

A fourth workshop, Online Job Applications, will be conducted Monday, Feb. 22, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Filling out sample job applications online, data entry and security issues will be among the topics discussed. Those planning to attend should note that this is a demonstration only and not a hands-on job application session.

Space for each seminar is limited and registration is required. Individuals may sign up for the entire series or a single session. All of the seminars will be held at the Morris County Library, 30 East Hanover Avenue in Whippany.

To register, call the library at (973) 285-6939, or visit the library's Web site, www.mclib.info .

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The Morris County government last year spent $93,074 in its shared service program of removing deer carcasses from county and municipal roads, nearly $5,000 less than was spent in 2008.

According to Stephen W. Hammond, director of the Morris County Department of Public Works, 1,634 deer carcasses were removed from county and municipal roads last year, four more than were picked up in 2008 when the total cost was $97,800. However, a new firm hired by the county in July is charging $54.50 per carcass compared with the $60 per carcass fee that had been charged by a previous company.

Under the contract, the new firm, D & R Animal Recovery of Long Valley, removes dead deer from both county and local roads in the county at no cost to the towns.

The Morris County Board of Freeholders in 2006 decided to assume the cost of carcass removal when the New Jersey Department of Transportation transferred that responsibility to towns and counties. Under the county program, each town is responsible for reporting deer carcasses on local and county roads within its municipality directly to the company.

Figures show Washington Township, which has had more dead deer removed than any other Morris community since the program began, again led the way with a total of 230deer carcasses picked up last year, followed by Randolph with 170, Morris Township with 107 and Chester Township with 104.

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Morris County Freeholder Director Gene F. Feyl was elected First Vice Chairman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority at the agency's Jan. 11 board of trustees meeting.

The NJTPA oversees regional transportation planning and annually authorizes more than a billion dollars in federal surface transportation funding for 13 counties in northern and central New Jersey.

"Wise investment in transportation is integral to maintaining our quality of life in Morris County," Feyl said. "In this position, I will continue to provide guidance for federal transportation investment in the county and the greater region.

Feyl became a member of the NJTPA Board of Trustees in 2007. The Executive Committee provides guidance and leadership to the full board on a wide range of planning, policy and administrative issues. It meets as needed to review financial, personnel and policy matters. Feyl joined the Executive Committee in 2008 and currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the NJTPA's Project Prioritization Committee.

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The Morris County School of Technology's Child Related Careers Program in Denville is accepting Preschool applications for the fall 2010 a.m. and p.m. sessions.

The preschool a.m. and p.m. programs run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from either 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or 12:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Preschool is in session from the end of September to the beginning of June. The preschooler must be 3 1/2 years old by October 10 and a resident of Morris County.

Enrollment is on a first come, first serve basis. For an application or for additional information, contact Jean Constantine at (973) 627-4600 Ext. 276 Monday -Friday between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

The Morris County Vocational School District ( www.mcvts.org ) offers programs for Morris County high school students, including Academic and Career Academies, Share Time Programs and Share Time Programs for students with Special Needs. Adult Education programs are also available.

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With household debt at an all time high and with the shortage of employment opportunities, many families are struggling to make ends meet. Bad things happen to good people, and the result is that many people are facing the possibility of foreclosure.

The Housing Partnership, in collaboration with Money Management International, is holding a free pre-foreclosure workshop, Keeping the Dream of Homeownership Alive, on Thursday, Jan. 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Parsippany Library, 449 Halsey Road, Parsippany.

The seminar will provide homeowners with information about the foreclosure process, foreclosure prevention options offered by banks, information about avoiding rescue scams and much more. The presentation will feature speakers from Money Management International, Housing Partnership and Legal Services of Northwest New Jersey, which specializes in foreclosure counseling. Information on other local resources will also be available at the seminar.

Pre-registration is required for this event. For more information or to register call 973-659-9222 or email contact@hpnj.us. According to the Housing Partnership, no children will be allowed at this event.

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The Morris County Freeholders have unanimously elected Gene F. Feyl and William J. Chegwidden to serve as director and deputy director respectively of the board for 2010.

The action occurred during the freeholder board's Stated Annual Meeting on Jan. 6, which was attended by New Jersey Governor-elect Chris Christie.

Christie, a former Morris County Freeholder, administered the oath of office to Feyl, Chegwidden and John Murphy, who were sworn in to begin new three-year terms on the freeholder board. The meeting also featured John Pecoraro being sworn in for a fourth five-year term as Morris County Surrogate.

Feyl, who also led the board as director in 2009, thanked his colleagues for their confidence in once again entrusting in him the leadership post. He said the board's goals in 2010 include one that is similar to its accomplished 2009 goal of reducing taxes.

"We reduced county taxes in 2009 by $2.2 million dollars and have, through retirements and attrition, reduced 223 county jobs during the past three years," Feyl said. "Our goal for 2010 is again no tax increase, and if possible, a modest decrease."

Feyl, starting his second three-year term on the board, thanked Christie for participating in the meeting, and pledged the board's support of a Christie administration.

"We look forward to the culture of accountability and determined leadership that you will bring to the state of New Jersey," Feyl told Christie. "We all realize the enormous task that lies ahead. Please be assured that we, in Morris County, are committed to assisting you and your administration in any way possible."

Chegwidden, who also served as deputy director last year, touted the Morris County Improvement Authority's renewable energy pilot program that will install solar panels on the roofs of 14 public school buildings in five school districts and several county government facilities. According to Chegwidden, the initiative is being financed by the Improvement Authority with county-guaranteed bonds and no debt service incurred by the local entities.

"The numbers are in and we are saving $2.4 million over 15 years for our local governments," Chegwidden said. "That's 20 percent off of the price of utility- provided electricity, with the price locked in for 15 years. That provides budget certainty at a time when we need it most."

Murphy, who has been a freeholder since 1998, commended the progress that was made in 2009 in the development of a nonprofit area of Central Park of Morris County in Parsippany.

"We presented the keys to a county-owned facility on Executive Way at the new Central Park of Morris County to Hope House, Eric Johnson House and the Interfaith Council for Homeless Families," Murphy said. "These three nonprofit agencies are collaborating to use the building to provide increased services to their clients, who include homeless families and those suffering from HIV and AIDS, and the freeholders are proud to have in some way facilitated that collaboration."

The freeholders in 2010 will continue to conduct their regular public meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. The meeting schedule may be found on the county government Web site, www.co.morris.nj.us

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