News

HOLD TRIBUTE TO BUN-NIE RATNER

At the Livingston Board of Education meeting, held on Tuesday, September 26, boardmembers discussed school safety and security.

During the Tuesday, September 26, Township Council meeting, discussion continued about Brightview Livingston Urban Renewal’s planned 150-unit senior living facility and the town’s skate park. An ordinance that would have approved an application for a long-term tax exemption - also known as a payment in lieu of taxes, or a PILOT - was initially listed on the agenda but pulled prior to the start of the meeting. Introduction of that ordinance had been tabled at previous recent meetings, as well.

The Island Giants Exhibit at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo opened on Wednesday, September 20. The new exhibit space includes natural habitatthemed spaces for the alligators and Komodo Dragons. In addition, it was dedicated in honor of Essex County Commissioner and Livingston resident Patricia Sebold, who has served on the Board of Commissioners for over 30 years and has been a member of the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund since it formed in 1998.

At its meeting on Tuesday, September 26, the Livingston Township Council approved a number of resolutions, including adding revenue items to the municipal budget and awarding contracts. Also approved was a resolution establishing fees for the use of municipal car charging stations.

The Livingston Planning Board, at its September 19 meeting, approved Anthony and Lisa Yu’s application to renew a minor subdivision approval with variances at 60 Chestnut Street.

The Livingston Police Department is investigating a residential burglary that occurred last week.

Jim McGovern has lived in Livingston, and has been passing by the Northfield Baptist Cemetery on West Northfield Road, for over 30 years. So when he saw it becoming very overgrown, he and his wife, Joanne Brenckle, became very concerned.

Ameeting to discuss the proposed redevelopment at the site of the former Bottle King property was held on Monday, September 18, before a standing room only crowd of residents at Town Hall. Residents living near the proposed development have spoken in opposition to the project at Township Council meetings all summer, and this meeting offered them a chance to share concerns and ask questions directly with the proposed builder of the project, Jonathan Schwartz of the BNE Real Estate Group. The meeting grew heated enough, at times, for one Council member to threaten to adjourn the gathering early on, but it ultimately lasted three hours.

During the period prior to the November 7 election, the West Essex Tribune will make space available to both of the Board of Education candidates, at no cost, in order for them to present their views to the public. It is our hope that this will allow the voters to make a direct comparison which will assist them in making an informed voting decision. The Tribune will not, however, accept “Letters to the Editor” from the candidates during that portion of the campaign. Nor will the Tribune publish letters of endorsement or opposition for any candidate, though we may choose to publish, in the issues before the election, excerpts from letters of endorsement received during the campaign.