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CHATHAM TOWNSHIP — Chatham High School students filled cafeteria doorways waiting for the governor to arrive shortly before 10 a.m. on Friday.

One student shouted to another signing in late, “did you see the governor? We’re going to be on tv!”

Sen. Bramnick and Assemblymember Munoz arrived first, as an announcement over the loudspeaker directed students to remain in their classrooms for the remainder of the 3rd period block.

“Guys, inside” one teacher directed curious students lingering in the hallways to return to their classrooms.

Acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen McMillan arrived next, “feels good to be in a school again” she said.

Murphy arrived at 10 a.m. and saluted Bramnick.

All four officials took turns patting the large mosaic cougar statue in the entryway.

The group walked through the halls headed to the first classroom stop. Students along the way gasped and pointed as the party passed.

“Oh my god hi!” one student shouted.

First stop was an American Sign Language class, “everybody good? I’m lousy at sign language” Murphy said.

The governor asked the students what year they were in and where they would be attending college. He gave two thumbs up to a girl who said she would be attending Rutgers.

A student invited the governor to their production of Anastasia later.

“I actually used to act in high school so I’m going to sing a few songs,” the governor said.

Leaving the classroom Murphy said “that was cool.”

The governor and other officials then entered the auditorium where students were seated on risers on the stage.

“I did a lot of musical theater in middle school, high school and college but never Anastasia,” Murphy said.

The governor, citing his Allbird shoes, told the students “I don’t have my tap shoes but I do know how to tap dance.”

"I was trying to get a union to support me when I was running for governor the first time,” Murphy told the students “They said 'what did you do in high school and college' I said I was an actor but I'm not an actor, I thought about doing that for a living but I don't do it anymore. And the guy said to me 'how do we know that?'"

His comments were met with laughter.

Someone asked Murphy what parts he played. He said in college he was in the Hasty Pudding theatricals in Harvard, "so those were original shows" but during high school and summers the governor said he acted in Camelot, No, No Nannette and The Sound of Music.

Murphy then headed to an algebra classroom.

“I’m starting to get nervous just walking in,” Murphy said.

The officials entered a classroom where the walls were covered in whiteboards with equations. The desks and tables had whiteboard tops as well.

“Can I go back and tap dance?” Murphy asked.

“Sup?” Murphy waved and thumbs-upped one student.

The governor then asked to borrow a white board marker and signed one of the tables “Wow!!! Phil Murphy!”

Someone commented that the signature is erasable. “There are a lot of people in this state who’d like to erase it,” Murphy said.

The governor then visited a physics class, asked one student if he “got a lot of heat” for wearing an Eagles sweatshirt. The student said “no.”

“How’s it going?” Murphy asked one student at another lab table.

“Tiresome,” she said.

The student talked about how she found the class difficult but rewarding, then Murphy saw her sweatshirt which advertised the Anastasia show the school would be putting on and asked her if she was part of the cast and crew. The student said she was in the ensemble.

“I love that. STEAM!” Murphy said.

Leaving the final classroom, Murphy and School District of the Chathams Superintendent ??Michael LaSusa discussed the changing demographics and enrollment trends in the district.

Standing in a separate gym that had been converted into a lunchroom, the governor remarked “lunch is in 15 minutes? But it’s 10:40 in the morning.”

LaSusa explained that it’s halfway through the school day.

Murphy, LaSusa, Bramnick and Munoz then discussed the popularity of the idea to push school start times back later.

“You’re probably the most popular guy in town if you push the start of school back,” Murphy said.

“Half the town, the younger folks maybe not as much” LaSusa said.

“I suspect—the high school you're man of the year" Murphy said.

"Well, we'll see, I don't know" LaSusa said.

Murphy and the officials also discussed that every town in Bramnick’s district would be seeing an increase in school aid due to the ongoing redistribution of state aid under the S2 reforms of the school funding formula.

The officials took photos.

Carly Sitrin

POLITICO

VIDEO

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kva6novvewou0qv/Ingest%20NJTV%20News%20-%2020220325_Murphy_Bramnick_Munoz_Allen-McMillan_ChathamHighSchool_Tour_Gaggle.mp4?dl=0

NJ Spotlight News

The Chatham Borough Council has left residents in the dark, again, with two ill-timed meetings about Post Office Plaza. These meetings demonstrate that the Mayor and Council continue to mishandle the POP redevelopment process, undermine the public's right-to-know and ability to provide input, and potentially place the Borough in legal jeopardy.

During a hastily called Special Meeting on May 31, the Borough Council voted to designate a new redeveloper for the Post Office Plaza project and to authorize Mayor Kobylarz to sign a redevelopment agreement with that redeveloper (Resolution #22-204).

The Mayor and Council failed to notify the public of the Special Meeting during the regular meeting on May 23rd, even though they notified the press the following day. The Special Meeting also coincidentally followed the extended Memorial Day weekend. This meant that many residents were out of town and didn't learn of the meeting in time to attend.

"In the mad dash to meet a June 1st deadline, the Mayor and Council once again followed a process that left residents in the dark, limited the public's ability to participate, and inhibited any real-time accountability" said Bob Weber, candidate for Borough Council.

During the Special Meeting, the Council voted 6-0 to authorize Mayor Kobylarz to execute a redevelopment agreement with the newly designated redeveloper - an agreement the Council members had not even seen. The redevelopment agreement was not provided to or shared with the public, meaning they voted to pass an agreement both residents and Council had not been able to read. Worst of all, there was no opportunity for public comment on the Council's actions until AFTER the vote, denying the public a chance to be heard before decisions were made.

"Decisions like this affect the property value of everyone in town," said Freddie Bicknese, Borough Council candidate. "To decide something like this without allowing the public to comment beforehand is unacceptable."

Following the May 31 meeting, the Borough's former redeveloper initiated legal action seeking to reverse the decisions of the Borough Council and alleging the Borough acted in bad faith. A hearing on that application is scheduled for July 8.

Then, in a case of déjà vu, on June 22 the Mayor and Council held yet another Special Meeting on short notice, following another 3 day holiday weekend, to replace the redeveloper named at the May 31 meeting. The Council voted 6-0, based upon "later developments" (with no further explanation provided) to name a third redeveloper for Post Office Plaza. The Council again voted to give Mayor Kobylarz the authority to execute a still-to-be negotiated redevelopment agreement with the newest redeveloper (Resolution #22-206), with public comment only allowed AFTER the vote.

"Given the Council's most recent and repeated actions, Chatham residents are left to wonder what is behind the impulsive nature of this important process. The dysfunction residents are witnessing by the Council repeatedly voting to pass resolutions based on agreements which have yet to be defined raises both competency and ethical concerns," says Weber.

Bicknese adds, "Legal actions brought against the Borough can be costly, and may drain the resources our community needs to function. The poor decisions made by our current Borough Council and Mayor Kobylarz might open the door to such destructive litigation."

The questionable actions of the Mayor and Council once again represent a decision-making process that lacked transparency and severely limited the public's ability to hold our local government leaders accountable. While the Borough's procedural machinations may satisfy the letter of the law, they certainly don't meet the spirit of the law. The residents of Chatham Borough deserve better.

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WESTFIELD, NJ — When the director of the Westfield Regional Health Department updated the local Board of Health on monkeypox cases Monday, there were 13 confirmed and probable cases in Union County and 155 cases statewide.

By Wednesday, those numbers had risen to 14 cases in Union County and 175 across New Jersey with the majority clustered in northern counties, according to the state Health Department’s communicable disease service, which one month ago put the number of cases known statewide at 11.

Health Officer Megan Avallone said her office has received an influx of calls from health providers required to report suspected cases of monkeypox.

“The local health departments are responsible for investigating probable cases of monkeypox,” Avallone told the board of health. “Providers are still supposed to report any suspect cases to us, so lots of calls this week.”

Citing figures from the state Health Department, she said, the cases are primarily clustered in the northeastern part of the state, including in Bergen, Union and Essex counties.

The Westfield Regional Health Department serves eight towns in Union and Morris counties: Westfield, Garwood, Fanwood, Mountainside, New Providence, Roselle Park, Summit and Chatham Borough.

“We are still trying to make testing more accessible,” Avallone said. “We have heard reports of individuals struggling to get tested. So, we’re trying to get residents that need testing navigated through that.”

She added that most commercial labs do now offer monkeypox testing.

Vaccine Availability

The vaccine, Avallone said, is being made available to people who have been deemed close contacts or are at high risk of contracting the virus.

“Essentially, it’s a smallpox vaccine that we believe works against monkeypox,” she said. “But the vaccine is currently in limited supply.”

If someone is deemed a close contact to a person who has had monkeypox, she said, then the municipal health department must visit one of the six places in the state where the vaccine is stored, pick it up and administer the vaccine to the person who has reported a close contact within 24 hours of that close contact being made.

“It is logistically challenging, especially during the summer months, to make sure all this happens within 24 hours,” Avallone said.

Despite the limited doses, she cited news reports that the federal government last week announced nearly 800,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine, known as Jynneos, would be released.

A report from the Associated Press, however, said the announcement came amid growing criticism that authorities have been too slow in deploying the vaccine, potentially missing the window to contain what could be an entrenched infectious disease.

What Is It?

Monkeypox can affect anyone, according to the state Health Department. It causes flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes and a rash that often begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body, health officials say. Monkeypox does not spread easily to people without close contact and in the United States includes individuals who identify as men who have sex with men, the health department says.

Avallone said the most efficient way to catch monkeypox is through skin-to-skin contact while a person has the rash. Another way of catching the virus, she said, is through fomites, which are objects or materials likely to carry infection, such as bedsheets and towels.

“Let’s say you share a bed with somebody that has the rash, and they’re on your side of the bed and then you roll over. Maybe you don’t actually touch them,” Avallone said. The virus can also be spread through close contact such as through cuddling or kissing for a prolonged period, she said.

Not all patients with the virus are covered in the rash, Avallone said.

“They may only have a few hotspots, if you will,” she said. “Originally, we thought that everybody with this virus would be covered in a rash, and it would be very obvious because that’s what we’ve seen with previous outbreaks, but now we're really understanding that with this particular outbreak that’s not really true.”

Who is eligible for the vaccine?

With the limited vaccine supply in New Jersey, the following people are eligible for the vaccine, according the state Health Department.

Vaccines are by appointment only, the state Health Department says. For a list of sites across New Jersey that offer the vaccine, click here. To reach the Westfield Regional Health Department, call 908-789-4070.

MORE: The Sophia in Westfield Gets Planning Board OK, Sees Objections From Public MORE: Golf: Westfield’s Barnes Blake Runner-Up to Record Performance at 20th Carter Cup MORE: Westfield Man Swindled Out of $18K Cash in Grandparent Scam, Police Say

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The Chatham Township Volunteer Fire Department blessed and dedicated three pieces of equipment that aid in their lifesaving mission.

CHATHAM, NJ — Members of the Chatham Township Volunteer Fire Department, joined by Rev. Msgr. James Mahoney, blessed and dedicated three pieces of life-saving equipment during a ceremony last week.

The department, which was founded in 1925, is entirely made up of volunteer members, including 25 active firefighters, junior firefighters and associate members who provide services on a daily basis.

The department has its headquarters on River Road and a second station on Southern Boulevard, and it responds to about 350 calls per year, both within Chatham Township and as mutual aid to departments in neighboring communities, officials said.

Rescue 14 was dedicated in honor to Edward P. Sagendorf Jr. The Sagendorf family has been serving Chatham Township for over 60 years, beginning with Ed, who joined the CTVFD in 1962 and remained a member until his death in 2007.

Sagendorf was a primary driver on the original Rescue 14, which was purchased in 2001. " Ed brought tremendous skills and commitment to the CTVFD, helping whenever and however he could to support the members and maintain the infrastructure of the department," said Richard Gentles, Chatham Township Volunteer Fire Department President.

When Rev. Msgr. James Mahoney blessed Engine 10 alongside the newly constructed Station 2 on Southern Boulevard in 2010, it was never dedicated. Last week, Engine 10 was proudly dedicated in memory of John R. Atchison.

Atchison, nicknamed "grumpy," joined the CTVFD in 1974 and remained with the department for 43 years until his death in 2017.

Atchison was a lifelong truck driver, from serving his country in the Korean War to driving a milk truck, a flatbed or wrecker for his son, and driving the first engine out of Station 2 for 40 years, officials said.

Earlier this year, the fire department received a new brush truck. Brush Truck 13, which is essential in fighting off-road fires and rescues, was named after Joan Horak, who was not affiliated with this department but donated the truck upon her death in Feb. 2020 at the age of 93.

Joan Wold Horak and her husband Emil have been residents of Chatham Township for over 40 years. Horak was a talented musician who studied at The Juilliard School in New York City, where she mastered the tuba and piano.

Horak dedicated 30 years of service to Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville and was a former member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Zion Lutheran Church in Clark. "The new brush truck is fittingly dedicated in her memory," the Chatham Township Volunteer Fire Department said.

Chief Matt Chase concluded the ceremony by thanking all of the members who put their lives in danger to help the community, as well as their families who support them.

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Chatham Borough Mayor Thaddeus Kobylarz included himself in his mayor's report on Covid-19, having contracted the BA.5 subvariant.

CHATHAM, NJ — Chatham Borough Mayor Thaddeus Kobylarz revealed that he tested positive for the coronavirus during the mayor's report on Covid-19 during the Borough Council's regular meeting on Monday night.

Kobylarz, who joined the council meeting virtually, said he got the bug on Thursday and was likely infected by the latest BA.5 variant, an Omicron mutation.

"A doctor said I'd likely been infected by the latest BA.5 variant, which in his words, and I quote 'One of the worst versions of this virus we've seen so far.' That's because, apparently, it takes evasion of your built-up immunity to the next level, well beyond the earlier highly transmissible versions of Omicron," Kobylarz said.

Read more: More Masks Recommended In NJ As BA.5 COVID Threat Emerges

According to Kobylarz, who has received two vaccinations plus two boosters, the BA.5 variant appears to be the most highly transmissible form of Covid-19 yet, leaving even the most heavily vaccinated among us vulnerable to infection.

"My wife, who caught it last week as well, has received all four shots, plus was infected with an earlier version of Omicron back in December, unlike myself. So her immune system was truly primed and yet she still got it," Kobylarz said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status, stay home for five days and until their symptoms resolve. The agency also recommends people wear masks around others for an additional five days after the isolation period ends.

"The first 48 hours were rough going with just about all of the classic flu-like symptoms, along with a very persistent splitting headache that a handful of ibuprofen could do absolutely nothing for… One thing I can tell you is that this was not fun, but I suspect I would be a whole lot worse without the four shots," Kobylarz said.

There have been 2,023 cases in Chatham Borough since the COVID-19 outbreak began, with 73 new cases reported in June, down from 174 the previous month, according to the council.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morris County is one of six in New Jersey with "High" COVID-19 community levels, with the rest remaining at low or medium risk.

As a result, residents of Morris County are advised to wear masks in public places, stay up to date on vaccinations, get tested if they have symptoms, and take extra precautions if they are at high risk of severe illness.

"My message here is plain. Please do yourselves a huge favor, make sure you're vaccinated and try as best you can to avoid this exceedingly nasty bug. This latest incarnation, this latest permutation is extremely nasty and not pleasant to suffer," Kobylarz said.

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