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With the election just weeks away, the Mendham Borough School District is hosting an informational forum to answer community questions.

Vianella Burns, Patch Staff

MENDHAM, NJ — Mendham Borough's Board of Education will hold a special meeting next week to discuss the upcoming bond referendum.

Ahead of the Jan. 28 bond referendum, the Mendham Borough School District is inviting residents to an in-person Community Referendum Information Forum this Thursday.

The school district established this community forum to ensure that residents are fully informed about the projects associated with this referendum and have ample opportunity to share questions and feedback.

The in-person information session will begin at 6 p.m. at Mountain View School, located at 100 Dean Road, Mendham. Residents are also encouraged to submit any questions in advance to the district's dedicated referendum email at [email protected].

During the district’s strategic planning process last fall, the Mendham Borough community came together to celebrate the district’s strengths and identify areas for continued growth.

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Teachers, administrators, board members, parents and community members collaborated to define key priorities for the district over the next five years. The goals set during the 2024-2029 strategic planning process have directly influenced the projects proposed in the two-part bond referendum scheduled for Jan. 28.

Question 1: Upgrades to learning environments, infrastructure and security

Question 2: Addition of an auditorium at Mountain View School

If question one passes, homeowners with an average-assessed property can expect a decrease of about $6 per month in their property tax. This is because the new debt suggested in question one is lower than the current school debt, keeping the tax rate nearly the same.

If both questions pass, homeowners with an average-assessed property will see an increase of about $22 per month in their school debt tax. Question two will only take effect if question one is approved.

For example, if both questions are approved, a resident with a home assessed at $500,000 would see a tax increase of $16 per month, while someone with an assessed value of $800,000 would face an increase of $25 per month.

However, it’s important to note that assessed value differs from and is often lower than, market value. To find your home’s assessed value, visit njpropertyrecords.com.

According to the school board, all the proposed projects in question one are eligible for the maximum amount of state aid. However, the district can only receive this funding if voters approve the bond referendum.

Here is a breakdown of the improvements for question one:

MOUNTAIN VIEW SCHOOL

HILLTOP SCHOOL

Here is a breakdown of the improvements for question two:

MOUNTAIN VIEW SCHOOL

The proposed addition would include a state-of-the-art auditorium with over 380 seats, providing a dedicated venue for events such as promotions (currently held offsite at West Morris Regional High School), school assemblies and more. According to the district, the auditorium would also be available for community use.

If voters approve question two, the auditorium is expected to be completed by early 2027.

For more information, click here.

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MENDHAM, NJ —The new year is nearly here, and there are plenty of ways to ring in 2025 with family and friends in the Mendham and Chester area.

Here is a look at some additional events happening in and around Mendham and Chester. Patch has you covered no matter what your mood is.

In the United States, one of the most popular New Year’s Eve traditions is the dropping of the giant ball in New York City’s Times Square. Other U.S. cities have their own versions of this celebration, such as the Peeps Chick Drop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the giant Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho.

The transition from one year to the next is often marked by the singing of “Auld Lang Syne,” a Scottish folk song whose title roughly translates to “days gone by,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica and History.com.

The tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates back 8,000 years to ancient Babylonians, who made promises to return borrowed items and repay debts at the beginning of the new year, which was in mid-March when they planted their crops.

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According to legend, if people kept their word, the pagan gods would grant them favor in the coming year. However, if they broke their promises, they would lose favor with the gods.Many secular New Year’s resolutions focus on imagining new, improved versions of ourselves.

The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is about 80 percent, according to U.S. News & World Report. There are many reasons, but a big one is they’re made out of remorse — for gaining weight, for example — and aren’t accompanied by a shift in attitude or a plan for coping with the stress and discomfort that comes with changing a habit or condition.

Happy New Year from Patch!

When Karen Gillingham bought her circa-1905 Mendham Township home just after her 26-year marriage ended, she hoped it might one day become the centerpiece of a happy new life. Her intuition proved prophetic when she met Duke Gillingham in 2015, and the joyful couple married inside the property’s red barn in 2016.

The residence had been renovated by previous owners in stages, but Karen and Duke have remade the curated country farmhouse over the past eight years. Karen’s passion for design first blossomed during the construction of her former home in Harding Township, where she immersed herself in researching and refining the details. “I love reading books on historical architecture, decorating and art. And Duke and I travel extensively. So we brought all those interests and experiences into our home,” she says.

“Our decor borrows from what we’ve experienced during our annual European trips and also on our weekly jaunts through the back roads of the Northeast,” Duke adds. Their holiday haven exudes a simple but welcoming country vibe, decorated with a soulful mix from the United States, France, Italy, England and other countries. The couple, who recently returned home from a 30-day whirlwind getaway to Croatia, Germany and Austria, believe their eclectic lair is unbound by rigid adherence to schemes or trendy choices.

Each year, the Gillingham holiday table is a reflection of recent globe-roaming adventures and a gathering spot for their ever-expanding blended family of three generations, along with their beloved mini goldendoodle, Fergus. “We’ve hosted raucous gatherings of the entire crew in the barn at a long table for 20, as well as smaller, more intimate settings in the house,” Karen notes. For Christmas 2024, Duke says, they will host a lavish soiree that “embraces the peace and tranquility of the holiday” amid the pastoral setting adjacent to Dismal Harmony Preserve.

This year, Karen, a retired pediatric nurse and former home stager, and Duke, a retired business leader, are inviting the outside in. Their dining room tablescape and staircase banister overflow with fresh cuttings of spruce, magnolia, holly and boxwood foraged from the four-acre property. Dried citrus, cinnamon sticks and pine cones embellish the table and harken back to earlier, simpler holidays. Pears, real and faux, can be found at each place setting and nestled in nooks and crannies throughout the communal first-floor space.

“Our tablescape is styled with an Italian textile, pewter chargers, antique plates and stemware, along with handmade Lithuanian napkins that celebrate the maternal side of my family,” Karen says. French bistro chairs and a bench with vintage kilim and velvet pillows make holiday meals feel relaxed and cozy.

Photo: Laura Moss

When the guest list can range from 6 to 20 each holiday, flexibility is key. So the couple have established a tradition of cocktails and charcuterie that suit a fluctuating crowd. The kitchen’s roomy island with quartzite counter is party-central. “We all get together at the island to sip wine and enjoy our favorite foods,” Duke says. “The meats and cheeses are arranged on our vintage cutting boards, and it’s the perfect spot to laugh and consume.”

Karen adds, “Based on our travel across cultures, we’ve experienced the preparation of food with family, so we worked closely with our contractor to create a space that encourages this kind of interaction. Now it’s become a family tradition, and our kids can also pass on the idea of preparing, eating and cleaning up together.”

The space comes alive with open white-oak shelving, inspired by deVOL Kitchens of England, an Italian Ilve range, brass shelf brackets, handmade Zellige tiles and antique chestnut floors. Fresh-baked gingerbread people and the fragrance of roasted chestnuts welcome guests. Soft amber light projected from Italian and French fixtures enhances the traditional experience.

After a home-cooked dinner of turkey, filet mignon, butternut-squash lasagna, and risotto with chestnuts, guests move to the family room to discover overflowing stockings made from vintage kilim textiles hung from the hand-hewn mantle of the antique home’s original stone fireplace. An original oil painting from a New Jersey artist is festooned with just-cut greens and vintage bells. But the focal point of the festivities is the jolly tree that evokes old-world simplicity with sparkly crystal snowflakes and a vintage topper.

Santa’s goodies are wrapped in festive papers reproduced from William Morris designs, and rich satin and velvet ribbons add distinction to each package. Inside the boxes are tucked gifts of travel, tickets to meaningful events, cooking experiences, and inspirational items gleaned from the couple’s journeys. “Our holiday gifts reflect our ethos of collecting experiences rather than objects,” Karen says. “We believe that a house becomes a home when it tells our ever-evolving story,” Duke adds. “Our home is the curation of our life.”

Follow our home & style editor on Instagram (@susanbrierlybush).

[RELATED: 5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Guests Feel at Home]

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Morris County Commissioners approved $1.8 million to preserve 65+ acres across three municipalities, including Mendham.

Vianella Burns, Patch Staff

MENDHAM, NJ — Three projects, totaling 65 acres, have been approved to split $1.8 million in open space preservation grants, after recommendations made by the Morris County’s Open Space Trust Fund Committee were approved by the Board of County Commissioners.

The three projects, spanning from recreational spaces to vital ecological areas, are located in Denville, Madison and Mendham, with sizes ranging from 3.5 to 51 acres.

The Morris County Board of County Commissioners voted last week to approve the latest round of funding from the county's 2024 Open Space Program, which includes roughly $447,234 for Mendham.

"We are proud to approve these projects for funding, as they protect critical habitats, expand recreational opportunities, and ensure the long-term health of our environment," said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw.

The board had previously received recommendations from the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund Committee to allocate part of the funding for the expansion of Mendham's Schiff Preserve.

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The proposed $447,234 grant would fund the acquisition of 11 acres, with the Raritan Headwaters Association as the applicant.

Located along the Somerset County border, the Schiff Preserve Addition borders the North Branch of the Raritan River and includes a conservation easement to protect Category One waters and steep slopes.

Once acquired, the property will be transferred to the Schiff Natural Lands Trust, expanding their existing Nature Preserve. The newly acquired land would be managed for conservation and passive recreation, officials said.

“Since 1994, we’ve preserved more than 18,300 acres of open space, which is an area larger than the Township of Parsippany, reflecting our commitment to protecting and enhancing the quality of life for all residents,” Shaw added.

Funding for the project comes from a voter-approved preservation fund, which supports farmland and historic preservation, county park acquisitions, trail development and the purchase of flood-prone properties.

The Schiff Nature Preserve, originally a 340-acre tract in Mendham Township and Mendham Borough, has expanded to 768 acres across Mendham and Chester, and is now managed by the Schiff Natural Lands Trust, Inc.

The trust privately owns and oversees four nature preserves, open to the public from dawn to dusk for passive recreational activities such as walking, hiking, dog walking, bird watching, photography and picnicking.

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