The Morris County Freeholders and the county Board of Transportation have asked NJ Transit to modify the agency's planned elimination of six of the seven Morris Metro bus routes through the county.

The county has told NJ Transit that if all of the cuts are allowed to stand, they will have a direct impact on county residents who depend on bus service to access places of employment, the County College of Morris, a number of NJ Transit rail stations, and various human services providers in the county complex on West Hanover Avenue and in the new Central Park of Morris County area in Parsippany.

Instead, the county wants Morris Metro bus routes 1, 2 and 3 preserved, along with bus route 10, the only route that will not be eliminated under NJ Transit’s plan.

The county has also asked NJ Transit to save its Wheels 966 minibus, which provides shuttle service from the Convent Station Rail Station to Fairleigh Dickenson University, Verizon, AT&T, Crum & Foster, and Honeywell in southeast Morris County.

The cuts are part of NJ Transit's plan to close a $300 million budget gap. The freeholders have told the agency they realize some service cuts are warranted, but the virtual elimination of bus service in Morris County is unacceptable.

Detailed information on the county's position may be found on the Division of Transportation Web site, http://www.morrisdot.org .

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The Morris County Heritage Commission, the Trust for Historic Preservation, the Morris County Historical Society and the Morris County Tourism Bureau are seeking nominations for the 2010 list of the 10 Most Endangered Sites in Morris County.

"The annual list helps to raise public interest and awareness of the sites, and often sparks efforts to protect the historic places that give each of our towns its distinctive character," said Peg Shultz, Heritage Commission archivist.

Citizens, groups and organizations are encouraged to nominate sites for consideration, and to provide information about the range of threats the sites face.
Threat conditions under which an historic site may be nominated include the lack of a local ordinance; inappropriate zoning; lack of funding; vandalism; neglect; development; degradation of context; and lack of recognition.

"Each year, some sites are saved, some are lost and others remain on the list," Shultz said.

Eligible endangered sites are not limited to buildings and may include properties such as cemeteries, Shultz said. Only Morris County properties may be nominated.

Photographs are required and digital images on CD-ROM are preferred. If photos are e-mailed, the individual photo files must be 56kb or smaller. Photographic prints will not be returned.

Nomination forms are available on the Heritage Commission Web site, www.morrisheritage.org and by contacting the Morris County Tourism Bureau at lbensley@morristourism.org or by calling (973) 631-5151. Completed forms may also be mailed to Morris County Tourism Bureau, 6 Court Street, Morristown, NJ 07960.

Nominations must be received by the Tourism Bureau via mail or email by 5 p.m. April 30.

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The Morris County Freeholders on March 24 honored 11 veterans for their service to our nation by presenting each of them with the Morris County Distinguished Military Service Medal.

Praising them for their patriotism and sacrifices, Freeholder Director Gene F. Feyl told the veterans the freeholders were honored to pay tribute to individuals who bravely served this country here and abroad, both in wartime and in time of peace.

"We deeply appreciate the hardships you endured while serving so faithfully and standing strong for our country," Feyl said. "You are among a group of very special Americans we proudly call veterans."

The freeholders presented medals to Korean War veteran Herbert P. Kean of Morristown; and Vietnam-era veterans Robert G. Caputo of Hopatcong; Ken Hacker of Morris Plains; Richard Kohn of Cedar Knolls; Elston Pirro of Mount Arlington; and Richard Tilney of Columbia, N.J.

Post-Vietnam veterans receiving medals were Russell Redhead of Dover; Karl Vonderheyde of Flanders; Amery E. Vasso of Morristown; and John D. Clark of Rockaway.

A medal was posthumously awarded by the freeholders to World War II veteran Wendell D. Slayton, of Jefferson. His medal was accepted by his wife, former Jefferson Mayor Fran Slayon, and his son, Dewey.

Since the freeholders began honoring Morris County veterans in 2000, more than 8,950 medals have been presented to veterans or to their family members.

More information about the program may be obtained by contacting the Morris County Veterans Service Office at 973-285-6866.

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The Morris County Freeholders on March 24 hosted the Local History and Research class from Morristown High School.

The 13 students met with the six county government department directors as well as Prosecutor Robert Bianchi, Sheriff Edward Rochford and Surrogate John Pecoraro, each of whom detailed their responsibilities.

The students also observed a freeholder work session, during which they heard a number of topics discussed, including a homelessness prevention program in the county and the board's concern over NJ Transit's proposed cuts in bus service.

"If we want our young people to become involved, they have to know how all levels of government work," said Freeholder Director Gene F. Feyl. "We invite students here to make them more aware of county government and the many services and programs it offers."

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A search is on throughout Morris County to identify older people whose service and commitment to others have made them "living treasures."

The treasure hunt is being conducted by the Morris County Office on Aging, the St. Francis Residential Community and the Lakeland-Morris County Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons. The agencies want to recognize older people who are an inspiration to friends, neighbors and especially the younger generation.

Nominations will be accepted from organizations and individuals and will be judged by a panel of representatives from the sponsoring groups and the community.

To be eligible, the nominee must be 70 years of age or older, a legal resident of the United States and a current resident of Morris County. A nominee should be an active individual who enjoys life and who acts with compassion and kindness and who has a history of commitment to others through volunteerism and sharing his or her talents, time and "elder wisdom" in community programs and activities.

Those who are selected will be honored at a reception at St. Francis on May 20.

Nominating forms may be obtained by calling St. Francis Residential Community at 973-627-5000 or they may be requested at the lobby desk at St. Francis. All applications must be completed and returned to St. Francis Residential Community, 122Diamond Spring Road, Denville, N.J. by April 15.

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The Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority reminds county residents that putting corrugated cardboard into the garbage is illegal in Morris County.

All businesses, institutions and residents are required to keep corrugated cardboard separate from garbage in order to recycle it.

"Inspectors at our two garbage transfer stations are seeing a significant increase in the amount of corrugated cardboard being delivered there in garbage trucks," said Christine Vidal, assistant recycling specialist with the MCMUA. "They have also noticed corrugated cardboard boxes being used as receptacles for materials from office or warehouse cleanups."

According to Vidal, unopened corrugated cardboard boxes containing damaged or unwanted products have also been discovered.

"Using corrugated cardboard boxes as garbage containers is unacceptable and illegal," Vidal said. "A better idea would be to use trash bags."

By recycling their corrugated cardboard and other mandated materials, businesses and institutions will decrease their waste tonnage, reduce disposal fees at the garbage transfer stations and avoid receiving notices of violation and fines from the Department of Environmental Protection, the Morris County Health Management Office and their own municipality, Vidal said.

In addition to corrugated cardboard, Vidal said businesses, institutions and residents in the county are required to recycle plastic bottles coded 1 and 2; aluminum and steel (tin) cans; glass bottles and jars; paper including office paper, construction paper, junk mail, advertisement flyers, circulars, catalogues, envelopes, books, newspapers and magazines; lead-acid batteries; hazardous dry cell batteries; metal appliances; whole tires; leaves, grass, brush and natural wood waste; and used motor oil.

Additional information may be found on the MCMUA Web site, www.mcmua.com .

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The Housing Partnership is sponsoring its 18th Annual Home Buyers Expo on April 17 from noon until 4 p.m. at the County College of Morris in Randolph.

The Expo is free and will feature more than 25 exhibitors including lenders, Realtors and federal housing agencies providing information on topics ranging from down payment assistance to low interest mortgages.

Workshops on foreclosures, short sales and the tax benefits of home ownership will be conducted, and programs for first time home buyers will be detailed.

To register or to obtain additional information about the Home Buyers Expo, call the Housing Partnership at 973- 659-99222.

The Housing Partnership is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help strengthen families and communities through home ownership. The Dover-based agency conducts monthly home buyer workshops and one-on-one counseling and serves as a resource for home buyer education and related programs in northern New Jersey.

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The Morris County Division of Community Development will conduct public hearings on its Draft Five-Year Consolidated Plan on Thursday, April 8 and Monday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. both days.

The public hearings both days will be in the Freeholder Meeting Room, 5th floor, Administration and Records Building, Court Street in Morristown.

The Five Year Consolidated Plan is the end product of a collaborative process whereby a community establishes a unified vision for community development actions for the ensuing five-year period.

In Morris County, funding priorities are established for the federally funded Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships and Emergency Shelter Grant programs from the results garnered from participating municipalities and non profit organizations. These priorities will guide all funding decisions made throughout 2011 to 2015.

Additional information about the Consolidated Plan may be obtained by calling the Morris County Division of Community Development at 973-285-6061.

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Morris County's boat shrink-wrap program is back, once again giving boaters and marina owners a program allowing them to protect the environment as much as their own vessels.

In an effort to keep boat shrink-wrap out of the trash, the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority and the Morris County Park Commission are partnering for the third year in a row to conduct a free recycling program for the material.

The Park Commission will host a collection container for boat shrink-wrap at Lee's Marina County Park on Lake Hopatcong from March 15 to June 30.

Plastic shrink-wrap is a popular and cost-effective material used by marinas and boat owners to protect boats and other marine vessels from harsh winter weather conditions, sunshine and other harmful elements. However, the material does not degrade and usually winds up in landfills where it may take up space for years, said Liz Sweedy, senior recycling specialist with the MUA.

"Dumping the shrink-wrap in a landfill simply adds to our trash problem," Sweedy said. "Recycling keeps the material out of landfills and is a much better option."

The collection container at Lee's Marina, 443 Howard Boulevard, Mount Arlington, will be marked for shrink-wrap.

To prepare the shrink-wrap, all doors, vents, rope, ribbon strapping, labels and any other non-shrink-wrap materials should be removed. When dry, the shrink-wrap should be rolled up on a clean surface and tied into a bundle using a strip cut from the end of the wrap as a tie. The shrink-wrap may be placed into the recycling container between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day of the collection program.

Owners of boats or watercraft that are stored or docked elsewhere will also be able to take their shrink-wrap to Lee's Marina County Park for recycling.

"We've found boaters and marina owners want to help protect the environment and have welcomed this program,' Sweedy said. "Since this program began in 2008, approximately 19 tons of boat shrink-wrap has been collected and kept out of landfills."

More information about the program may be obtained by calling the MCMUA at (973) 285-8394.

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The Morris County Board of Freeholders on March 10 recognized a student at the Morris County School of Technology for having been selected for a new internship program aimed at teaching green energy technology.

Jillian Young of Newfoundland received a $1,000 check for her scholastic achievement in green energy technology while interning with the Morris County Park Commission.

"The green internship is a wonderful program that prepares students for the emerging green economy," said Freeholder Director Gene Feyl. "It gives the students hands-on experience with the technologies that will be central to our economic future."

The internship program was developed by the NJAC Foundation, an educational nonprofit run by the New Jersey Association of Counties, in conjunction with the vocational-technical schools in the state. The program is funded by Wal-Mart.

It is also hoped the internship program will encourage students to pursue careers in green technologies in county government.

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The Morris County Freeholders have introduced a $308 million county operating budget that cuts $2 million from the total county tax levy.

"This marks the second year in a row that we've been able to cut the net tax levy by $2 million," said Freeholder Director Gene Feyl. "We've done it in spite of increased costs, reduced ratables and a heavy demand on our human services."

Feyl, a member of the freeholder budget sub-committee, said the reduction in the tax levy is inclusive of the 1-cent cut in the county's Open Space Tax approved by the freeholders earlier this year.

The 2010 budget reflects a gross reduction of 53 county employees through attrition. There were five positions added to the Communication Center, and these will be fully funded by the municipalities being served, bringing the net reduction of county employees to 48.

Freeholder Margaret Nordstrom, who chairs the budget sub-committee, said one of the goals the freeholders had in developing the budget was to minimize the tax levy while maximizing county services to the greatest extent possible.

"We've reduced the cost of providing services to county residents rather than reducing the services themselves," said Nordstrom. She said the priority areas in the budget included social services, health and public safety and economic development.

Nordstrom said the 2010 spending plan is 2.8 percent higher than last year's budget, and said it includes funds to provide 700,000 meals under the county nutrition program, 80,000 rides to senior citizens and the disabled under the county's MAPS program and to meet the increased requests from those in need of general assistance programs.

The freeholders said shared services agreements with several counties for use of Morris County's Juvenile Detention Center and the Morris County Youth Shelter will result in approximately $1.13 million in revenue to Morris. The freeholders also said operational efficiencies and revenue enhancements at Morris View Healthcare Center produced a net savings of $2.5 million last year, with additional reductions being pursued in 2010.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for April 14 at 7:30 p.m.

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The Morris County Library is partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau and will serve as an assistance center for anyone needing help filling out the census questionnaire.

Census personnel will be stationed in lobby of the library, 30 East Hanover Ave., Whippany, from March 20 to April 19 to provide assistance and answer questions.

The Census Bureau this week began mailing advance letters to about 120 million addresses nationwide, notifying households that 2010 Census forms will be arriving in their mailboxes March 15 to March 17. The one-page letter urges households to complete the 10-question census form when it arrives and to return it in the accompanying prepaid envelope as soon as possible.

Strict confidentiality laws protect the respondents and the information they provide.

Census staff members are scheduled to be at the Morris County Library on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Mondays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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The Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders would like interested Morris County Service Providers to know that Year 2010 Special Addendum to GIA Youth Services funding is available for Family Outreach Services.

A Request for Application (RFA) package is available on request by contacting the Morris County Department of Human Services at 973-285-6853, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

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"Strengthening Our Community: A Conference for Not-For-Profit Organizations," will take place March 25 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Skylands at Randolph, 729 Rt. 10 in Randolph.

The conference is free of charge to all nonprofit organizations providing service to Morris County residents, and will provide these agencies with an opportunity to come together to network, share ideas and explore ways to collaborate.

The event is aimed at nonprofit leadership such as executive directors, board leadership, directors of development, finance directors and those charged with fundraising.

The conference will feature a keynote address by New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez, who has held that post since June 2007 and is one of the few cabinet members asked to stay on by Governor Chris Christie.

Breakout sessions will cover such topics as Mergers and Collaborations in the Nonprofit Sector; Collaborating to Help Military Families and Veterans; and Unleashing a Nonprofit Organization's True Potential.

During lunch, Beata Caranci, director of economic forecasting for TD Bank, will share her forecast on the economy and the potential impact on the nonprofit community.

Registration is required by March 18. Seating is limited and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To register for the conference or for additional information, contact the Morris County Department of Human Services at 973-285-6881.

The conference is sponsored by TD Bank and hosted by the Morris County Freeholders, the county's Department of Human Services and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. The program portion of the event is underwritten by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

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The Morris County Clerk's Passport Division will be on the move this spring for people who may not be able to come to the passport office in Morristown.

According to Morris County Clerk Joan Bramhall, any Morris County resident in need of a new or renewed passport may go to the Parsippany Library, 49 Halsey Road on Monday, March 15, where passport division staff will process applications from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Proof of citizenship, including a birth certificate with a raised seal of the town or state of birth, or naturalization papers; two identical passport photos; and proof of identification, such as a valid driver's license are required.

Passport fees established by the U.S. Department of State's Passport Division are $75 for an adult plus a $25 processing fee, and $60 for children ages 15 and under plus a $25 processing fee. All fees are payable with two checks.

Significant changes in passport laws now require a passport for all air, sea, land or border crossings to or from the United States, Bramhall said. She warned customers to allow at least several weeks to receive their passports before traveling.

The passport division staff will also be processing passport applications at the
Lincoln Park Community Meeting Room, 34 Chapel Hill Road on Thursday April 22, and at the Rockaway Township Library, 61 Mt. Hope Road on Thursday April 29.

In addition to the "on the road" program, the county clerk's passport office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday with Wednesday evening hours until 8 p.m.

The county clerk's office is on the first floor of the Morris County Administration and Records Building on Court Street in Morristown.

More passport information may be obtained by calling the Morris County Passport Office at 973-285-6161.

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All of northern and central New Jersey's local transportation projects funded with federal stimulus dollars, including those in Morris County, were authorized in advance of the deadline set by Congress.

In all, 62 projects totaling approximately $124 million have been authorized in the 13-county region of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, the agency that establishes the region's eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, all projects using stimulus funds were required to be authorized by March 2. Authorization means the project has received all necessary federal approvals and can be put out for bid.

Projects in the NJTPA region include road resurfacing, bridge repair, pedestrian improvements and other work.

Morris County Freeholder Director Gene F. Feyl said Morris County has the distinction of having the region's first completed local stimulus project, the resurfacing of Mendham Road between Indianhead and Kahdena roads. The county also is resurfacing several other roads, restoring the Chester Branch Railroad and improving traffic signals and an intersection with stimulus funds, according to Feyl.

"County roads and bridges are a critical part of the overall transportation network," said Feyl, who is also First Vice Chairman of the NJTPA Board of Trustees and Chairman of the NJTPA Project Prioritization Committee. "With these investments, the NJTPA is working to improve key infrastructure that is used every day by tens of thousands of people in our region."

For more details on the NJTPA and local area projects, visit the agency's website at www.njtpa.org .

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Morris County is working together with Novartis Pharmaceuticals, the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, the Morristown Partnership, Morristown Memorial Hospital and the Parsippany Hilton to sponsor the first countywide Workplace Blood Drive on March 5 at the Parsippany Hilton, 1 Hilton Court in Parsippany-Troy Hills.

Freeholder Director Gene Feyl has issued a proclamation designating March 5 as Morris County Workplace Blood Drive Day and urging businesses, offices and eligible Morris County citizens to participate by giving up an hour that day and donating blood.

Blood collected will help to supply the blood bank of Morristown Memorial Hospital, a state-designated regional trauma center.

The blood drive will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments may be made by calling 1-800-247-9580.

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Public schools, grades 6 through 12, in Morris County are being offered the chance to participate in a pilot litter abatement program sponsored by the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority through the Morris County Clean Communities program.

According to Liz Sweedy, Morris County Clean Communities coordinator, "Slam Dunk the Junk, Put Litter in its Place," is a statewide effort by the New Jersey Clean Communities program that focuses on the cleanup of litter, enforcement and changing the attitudes of those who litter through education.

Under the MCMUA pilot program, Sweedy said a public school must have at least 20 students and their adult supervisors participate in a litter cleanup of at least two acres of school grounds, which may include school property, ball fields and any wooded areas on the school property, between April 15 and June 5, 2010.

Once the project is complete, the school will receive a $500 grant to purchase outdoor containers for trash and recyclables or indoor containers for recyclables only.

The other pilot program component is an optional school-run poster contest for
public school students in grades 6 though 12. County winners will each receive a $200 gift certificate, and will have their artwork replicated on a recycling container for their school, Sweedy said.

Public schools may participate in one or both elements of the grant program, but to do so, an application must be completed by a school administrator or faculty member and returned to the MCMUA by March 10. Only students in schools that are participating can enter the poster contest.

Additional information about the pilot grant program may be obtained by contacting Sweedy at 973-285-8393.

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Morris County's Interim Draft Wastewater Management Plan is now available on the county's Department of Planning and Development Web site, www.morrisplanning.org .

The plan, which was submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on Dec. 31, 2009, is a guide to the county's future development. It will be used to determine the amount of future growth that wastewater systems can accommodate.

The plan consists of a cover sheet, a completed application form, chapters for each of the 39 municipalities and information about sewage treatment plants.

Each municipal narrative includes a description of the municipality and its infrastructure, an existing zoning build-out analysis, a capacity analysis of each sewage treatment facility, a septic capacity analysis, build-out/capacity analyses and three maps.

For the Highlands Planning Area Conforming municipalities, the Highlands Council will be working with them to create their chapters and maps.

Once completed, these chapters will be included in the Draft Wastewater Management Plan.

The draft plan is subject to amendments and revision. Updated documents will be posted in the county's Scribd.com library. Scribd can be easily accessed from the county government Web site, www.co.morris.nj.us or directly at www.scribd.com/MorrisCountyNJ .

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