Food Season

Reflecting its ethnic diversity, Bloomfield has become increasingly known for its growing number of restaurants. Restaurant Week will be held Sunday, March 4 through Saturday, March 10. Participating restaurants invite you to participate by offering a prix fixe menu of $30 or less (not including drinks, tax and tip) for dinner and $15 for lunch. This can include lunch and/or dinner.

Restaurant Week will showcase all of its best restaurants. From French to Thai, from Japanese to Italian and from our traditional Steakhouse to Mexican, every taste and every palate will be satisfied at the first annual Bloomfield Restaurant Week. Each restaurant will raffle away a gift certificate to the guests that come during restaurant week date. Mark your calendars and start planning which restaurants you will want to visit.


The North Essex Chamber of Commerce is throwing their annual Taste of Essex on Monday, March 5. This Taste is unique, since it offers food from restaurants throughout North Essex.

Restaurants from Fairfield, Montclair, Caldwell, West Orange, Bloomfield, and many other towns will be well represented at this affair.

This is the 12th annual Taste of Essex, and like a fine wine, it just gets better with age.
Proceeds from this event will be dedicated towards the North Essex Chamber Foundation award scholarships, along with other community service programs this business owner club runs all year long.

Bloomfield at 101

Long before the NY Times profiled our town, The NY Tribune sent it's reporters here to take a close look at the township just after it celebrated its centennial. The date was Sunday, July 6, 1913. We're starting the month with this "time capsule" as a reminder that our BiCentennial Gala kickoff is barely 3 weeks away on March 23.(Click on photo to enlarge it.)

This framed page can be more easily read at Bloomfield's Historical Museum in the second floor of the Children's Library.

A Model Proposal to Control Cell Towers

At this weeks conference meeting, Bloomfield's town council agreed to update a township ordinance on wireless communication.

The motion, put forth by Bloomfield Residents for Responsible Wireless Communications, Maria Probst and Sandra Cummins, calls for a wireless communication system that reflects up-to-date technology as well as a design that is aesthetically pleasing and has a carefully considered “fall zone” to protect citizens. There was no such zone in T-Mobile's plans to erect a new cell phone tower last year near the corner of Bay and Broad Street.

Probst and Cummins concluded that there must be a 120-foot fall zone around any wireless communication structure. They have written an extensive report on the issue, noting that Bloomfield's current Wireless Communication Ordinance was adopted over 10 years ago and is no longer viable.

The Mayor and council voted 6 to 0 on first reading for Nick Joanow's proposed ordinance to be reviewed by the Planning Board.

A small group of concerned and dedicated Bloomfield residents came together to write the proposed ordinance. Extensive research was done on other municipalities’ wireless telecommunication facilities ordinances across NJ the US to determine the best practices for a policy that would hold up under legal scrutiny. Their overriding challenge "was to make sure that in writing it we did not violate the 1996 Telecommunications Act by making it impossible for cell towers and other telecommunications facilities to be built."

Clerk Louise Palagano stated that "The Council will pass a resolution on Monday, March 5th sending it to the Planning Board as well as introduce the ordinance. At some point, the Planning Board will send it back to the Council “as is” or with recommendations.

Dealing With Bloomfield's Homeless

My recent encounters with impoverished homeowners and renters has helped make me more aware of the effect of the rocky economy on everyone. Until recently, the homeless have been nearly invisible in Bloomfield. (Illinois has developed an interesting program called PADS for effectively dealing with suburban homeless. They designed the chart on the left.) The lack of bathroom facilities in the Lackawanna RR Station area has lead to formal complaints by commuters. Yesterday's Baristanet story on the subject drew a dozens of thoughtful comments.

From my perspective, blmfld grl's was the most constructive:

"...agreed there are several directions to take

FACT – you should all know there is a Sergeant who has been working with Chief Goul to address the homeless situation in Bloomfield. Most of the individuals who are on the streets have homes or have family, though some do not.

I personally know many of them and know of the efforts put forth by this Sergeant. He is aware who receives SDI, who has other income, who has family. He has helped place individual in rehab/detox when possible (and when they want). He doesn’t stop there. He creates short term and long term arrangements for these individuals. Some have participated in the programs willingly, some have not.

There are many reasons behind each of their circumstances. I have purchased clothes for one who has a medical condition that caused them to bleed through their pants. I have purchased a coat/gloves for another who would be out in the cold. I have purchased food/drink for many of them. I will NOT give them cash.

But I address them all by name. They have names. Herbie, Lizzie, Eddie, Theresa…

I feel sorry for any of you whose lives may turn to a direction that you need help – especially if the people who are near you judge first.

I will be following up on this matter to ensure that public safety is addressed."

Two Newcomers Will Join Incumbents in Run for BOE

Daniel Anderson, a retired music teacher, and 2011 Republican council candidate Kent Weisert have filed petitions for this year's Board of Education election. They will join incumbents Mary Shaughnessy and Diana Fuller in competing for 3 available seats on the BOE. Former BOE President Joseph Lopez has apparently decided to retire since he did not file in time for today's 4PM deadline.

Volunteers Wanted

Just fiinished our first food run, delivering a week's worth of groceries from Montclair's Food Pantry to several of the hundred or so neediest Bloomfield families in the program.
Under Bloomfield's Health and Human Services Dept. Through the NTNN, Human Services collaborates with community organizations, local citizens and businesses to recruit volunteers who provide resident services not available through traditional programs. After the division conducts a home‐based assessment, volunteers are matched with residents in need to provide services such as minor home repair and maintenance, shopping, tutoring, visitation and transportation. NTNN also serves people whose lives are unexpectedly disrupted by hardship. The Network fills immediate gaps and then finds ways to bring long‐term resolution.

Next assignment is to visit with a Senior 3rd warder who just needs little company and assistance shpping on her own.

We encourage you to join the NTNN and assist your fellow residents in need, by
either donating your time, your assets, or both. Please contact Paula Peikes of
the Human Services Division at 973.680.4017 for more information or to see how
you can help.

Historical Society Exhibit at Main Library

In anticipation of the BiCentennial Kickoff next month, Bloomfield Public Library is showing off several of it's vintage objects and historic postcards.

Bloomfield Household Income and Home Values

City-Data.com has the largest concentration of statistical info on most communities -- although it has been slow to update it's website.

"When We Were Bloomfield"

Hard to imagine that Glen Ridge's businesses, public works, schooling efforts and social events were intertwined with the neighboring Township of Bloomfield for most of the 19th century. But Glen Ridge ended its relationship with Bloomfield with a contentious secession in 1895.

Want to find out more?

The Glen Ridge Historical Society and Town Historian, Sally Meyer, will host, “When We Were Bloomfield,” a presentation explaining the reasons behind the separation of these municipalities. The event will be held at 7:30 P.M. on February 16 in Robinson Hall at the Glen Ridge Congregational Church, 195 Ridgewood Ave. The event is in recognition of the 2012 bicentennial celebration of the Township of Bloomfield.
The presentation is free and open to the general public. If you can't make it, an interesting
summary can be found here.

12 Years of Bloomfield Home Sales

Trulia recently send us this chart showing the ups and downs of home sales in bloomfield over a 12 year period. Note that these are Median Sales. An interactive map of more recent sales can be found here.

Whitney Houston's Bloomfield Connection

While Whitney didm't live in Bloomfield, she grew up on the northern border of East Orange, s block from Watsessing Park, and probably spent many afternoons playing there.

Neighbors say Whitney Houston grew up at 362 Dodd St. in East Orange. Houston and her family moved to the home from riot-ravaged Newark, when she was 4. She was the daughter of John Russell Houston Jr., an entertainment executive, and gospel singer Cissy Houston. Dionne Warwick was her cousin, and Aretha Franklin was her godmother.

It's ironic that this was the year of a major restructuring and consolidation in Grammy Gospel and Roots Music award categories,

Morris Canal towpath underneath Berkeley Ave., 1920

Citizen Legislators Wanted

You Don't Need to be an elected official to get things done.

Take the FREE Citizen Legislator Class on Saturday February 11, from 10am-12 noon.
Join your friends and neighbors at Bloomfield College's College Hall (Liberty and Spruce St).
Enter through the side door on Liberty - Park for FREE the Bloomfield College parking lot on Liberty - put a note on your dash - at BNAC meeting in College Hall. Refreshments will be served

The Citizens Campaign, a non-partisan non-profit has educated thousands of New Jerseyans in how to navigate the power structure of government and to exercise leadership beginning with their own hometowns.

Sponsored by the Bloomfield Neighborhood Association Committee. The BNAC is a nonpartisan group of residents, community leaders, neighborhood and civic leaders dedicated to a better Bloomfield. The group meets regularly to promote civic participation and community building through the ongoing exchange of ideas and information. All meetings are free and open to the public.

Nice Win for Jersey Giants

Enjoyed seeing our home team come from behind to take the Super Bowl at two of Bloomfield's finest taverns, The Town Pub and Obals. The Town Pub crowd was at least two decades younger than Obals. The Pub had the most free food, but Obals had the movers and the shakers led by our favorite cheerleader/bartender: retired councilman Ray Tamborini.

Bicentennial Preparations Accellerate

There is a general meeting of the Bloomfield Bicentennial Committee tomorrow, Saturday, February 4 at Bloomfield College (College Hall - corner of Liberty & Spruce) at 10:30 AM.
Enter through side entrance near the front of the parking lot on the Liberty Street side of the building.

Brookdale Time

Brookdale Soda, the legendary Bloomfield beverage of choice, has recently been bubbling with hints of a comeback. Check out their Facebook page for updates.

Some Key Local Stats Updated

Nearly a year ago, we introduced you to the innovative website called TownStats on our EcoRealty blog. At that time, we posted comparison chart for Bloomfield, Montclair and Nutley that has recently been updated, along with the addition of demographic stats (click on chart to enlarge).

TownStats is an non-profit, non-partisan online database designed to give you access to important information on your town, its budget, and its taxes in a format that makes it easy to make comparisons with other towns. A project of The Independent Center, TownStats is a prototype that will soon be rolled out in other states. The project aims to provide the access and transparency that citizens need to participate fully in decision-making at the local level.

To help compare municipal spending, TownStats shows town-by-town spending in standardized categories and provides an easy comparison tool to evaluate differences. These tools are designed to give your and your elected representatives a clearer picture on potential areas to reduce taxes and/or improve services.

The project was funded through the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers as a joint project of The Fund For New Jersey and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

Westinghouse Memories

Jean Giaimis just posted this request on the popular Facebook page "I Grew Up in Bloomfield, NJ":

Folks, I really need your help. I'm trying to contact people who either grew up in the Watsessing area or worked in Westinghouse or knew people who worked there. I understand if you are busy and don't have the time to speak with me, so I've created a one page survey that you don't even have to put your name on. After speaking with some people, I've expanded time frame: 1938-2000. Please know that anything you reply to will be respected as confidential which in this case means that no names will be used. If you are willing to fill out the survey, you can contact me at:giaimis@andromeda.rutgers.edu or you can call me at 973-736-5873. Thanks for your help!

When Forests Mattered

Interesting forest oriented NNJ Map from 1900 centering on Bloomfield.(Click on map to enlarge)

Joint Fire Deal With Glen Ridge Goes Up in Smoke

Breaking news from from Bloomfield Life:
Bloomfield officials and its fire union president were shocked Tuesday morning to learn the bid went to Montclair. Bloomfield Mayor Raymond McCarthy said it appeared Montclair was able to see Bloomfield's bid before it submitted its own.
"If you look at the bid, it's just under ours," the mayor said. "I'll say honestly, we allowed Glen Ridge to play us. I'm not happy about that. But you know, we gave it a shot."
"Those are serious allegations," Montclair Mayor Jerry Fried said of McCarthy's allegation.
McCarthy "is definitely not accurate...."

1/28 update:
Baristanet did an interesting piece on the issue -- mostly from a Montclair perspective. Call it sourgrapes, but most of the many comments thought Montclair may have gotten the raw end of the deal.

Liongate

Sidewalking on the Wild Side

"I left for work in the morning and I had a sidewalk. When I came home, the sidewalk was gone," Rosemary Ceracchio says.
The Bloomfield homeowner was shocked to find the sidewalk she'd recently paid $1,300 to fix was completely ripped up. She called Mayor MaCarthy's office and said, "Someone stole my sidewalk."
The "thief" turned out to be a contractor working for Bloomfield's Engineer, Paul Lasek. The contractor ripped out the new sidewalk.

Last August, Ceracchio's home owner's insurance company inspected her property and cited her for cracked front walks. She was told that she had 30 days to fix the problem or potentially lose her insurance.

Four months later, the city sent the crew without notifying Ceracchio.
The town said it was Ceracchio's fault for not contacting the city that her sidewalk no longer needed repair.
After Arnold Diaz, the "Shame on You" reporter at Fox 5 News, contacted the town about the issue (neither Lasek, or any town representative would go on camera), a new sidewalk was quickly poured. Ceracchio is glad to have a sidewalk again, but she was sorry that she had to shell out the $1,300 when she could have had the repairs for free.

The way things have been going in town lately, Shame on You may soon have Bloomfield on speed-dial.

Ruins of Old Factory on Second River

Suggestion for Filtering Bloomfield Water

As of this evening, there have been no updates from the town on the contamination issues mentioned in our last post, but Baristanet's publication of the alert has provoked many comments from residents. Tuesday's council agenda has no mention of the issue, but the public comment portion of the meeting may well see some fireworks.

Jane Calif, former head of Bloomfield's Recycling Committee, suggests an alternative to both tap water and bottled water:

I have had a Multi-Pure filter on my sink for a number of years. It is one of the best. You can read about it at their website. It takes out the most pollutants that could possibly be in your water including the one listed in the Bloomfield Water Dept. report: trihalomethanes - which is a by-product of chlorine.

I do not believe in bottled water. There have been studies which show there are brands which are simply bottled from municipal water supplies and not from pristine springs as they advertise. There have been pollutants found in such water. Bottled water that is in plastic has been found to have leached chemicals from the plastic into the water, especially if they have been heated such as being left in a hot car or in the sun. Aquifers have been lowered by companies sucking up the water to bottle it or for production of sodas. This has compromised the water systems in countries such as India where farmers who are already facing drought, find less water in the water table due in part to water extraction by companies. Their farming has been very negatively affected.

The whole idea of paying for water that we used to get for free is a way for big corporations to make money off of what should be a right - clean water. There has to be a way to have clean water in our homes without, for ex., using so much chlorine, resulting in by-products that may put our health in danger....

Jane

There are also less expensive options that will help.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

(Note: Bloomfield's Official website has long since been capable of updating residents on issues like this. We will add updates here, as we receive them, but suggest calling their suggested hotline -- Water Operator at 973-680-4168 -- until this is resolved.)

Total Trihalomethanes Violation at Bloomfield Water Department

Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation.

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Testing results from third quarter and fourth quarter 2011 show that our system exceeded the standard, or maximum contaminant level (MCL), for Trihalomethanes. The standard for Trihalomethanes is 80 ug/l. It is determined by averaging all samples collected by our system for the last 12 months. The level of Trihalomethanes averaged at our system for third quarter 2011 was 83 ug/l and fourth quarter 2011 was 86 ug/l.

What should I do?
• There is nothing you need to do unless you have a severely compromised immune system, have an infant, or are elderly. These people may be at increased risk and should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

• You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. If a situation arises where the water is no longer safe to drink, you will be notified within 24 hours. We will announce any emergencies on Channel 35, Bloomfield Public TV.

What does this mean?
This is not an emergency. If it had been an emergency, you would have been notified with 24 hours.

People who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

What is being done?
The Township of Bloomfield purchases 100% of its water supply from the City of Newark, and does not maintain any sources or treatment processes.

We are working with the City of Newark, our water supplier, to improve water quality and establish compliance.

We intend to perform additional monitoring in our service area to better characterize the water supply and elevated Trihalomethanes levels.

We will evaluate our hydrant flushing program (normally performed twice per year) to determine if additional flushing in our service area will minimize water age and reduce Trihalomethanes (disinfection by-products) in our water supply.

For more information, please contact Anthony Marucci, Water Operator at 973-680-4168 or Township of Bloomfield, Engineering Department – Room 203, One Municipal Plaza, Bloomfield, N.J. 07003

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by The Township of Bloomfield Water Department. State Water System ID# NJ0702001. Date Distributed: January 11, 2012.

Covering the News

The cover photos on last week's Bloomfield newsweeklies were a study in contrasts, reflecting each paper's publishing model. The Independent Press still has the largest circulation, reflecting its traditional status as the "paper of record" -- where all the legal ads were required to be buried. Only last month, the council voted unanimously to move its ad budget to Blife, so they may soon catch up. In an effort By its Worrall Publisher to economize, The Press has grown more distant from township issues -- rarely editorializing and eliminating such niceties as letters to the editor. With a strong online presence via its North Jersey Media publisher, Blife was the first to add color and invite residents to write extended Op Ed articles. The one saving grace of the Press is that they still manage to keep most of their stories on one page. Full disclosure: I once freelanced for North Jersey Media, but strongly believe having two weekly papers in Bloomfield is a great benefit for all residents. I still pickup both papers, but often check for Shoprite coupons before buying The Press.
If only they would bring back that editorial page...,

Bloomfield Life: circulation 1,946
Independent Press of Bloomfield: circulation 3,000-4000

Baristanet.com: 86,000 website visitors/month

Newark Star-Ledger 210,586

Open Letter from A Third Warder

The following was sent from a friend to their new Third Ward Councilman:

Our few remaining business owners along Bloomfield Avenue, near the torn-down buildings of the “redevelopment center” are totally demoralized. Yesterday afternoon I was purchasing some items from one of the merchants located in the center of town, along Bloomfield Avenue, when he informed me that he was planning to close shop in about a year. He told me that he and all the other small merchants were totally fed up with the town because nothing has been done in more than 10 years, and that nothing, in his opinion, would be done because of all the lawsuits and shenanigans. He was also very angry at the fact that he pays lots of money for police and fire protection and that neither he nor any of the other merchants EVER see a police officer on foot. PLEASE bring this up with Chief Goul. I tried to convince this merchant that things will change, but he kept on telling me that we would NEVER get anything done and that there is no foot traffic other than homeless individuals, panhandlers, and would-be thieves. I was very disappointed to hear how he and other merchants feel about our town, but I understand perfectly the reason for his frustration.

Ron Rice: Your Next Congressman?

Bloomfield's First Ward may soon see a heated congressional fight between it's newest designated congressman, Donald Payne, and Ron C. Rice, the son of it's State Senator, Ronald Rice.
Rice has formed an exploratory committee and intends to make a final decision about running sometime in February.

Marching Towards March BiCentennial

Here's an interesting photo of Bloomfield High School students, dressed in pioneer costumes, proudly marching in Bloomfield's Centennial parade down Broad Street.
Perfect time to remind everyone to take a look at Bloomfield's new BiCentennial website. When you click on the link on the right you'll get a preview of the main events planned starting with a Gala March 23 kickoff event at Bloomfield High. Starting on January 14, the website is scheduled to begin adding links to more events and historical memorabilia.
If you want to get involved NOW, come to Saturday's volunteer meeting. It's at 10:30 AM in Bloomfield College's Science Building on Liberty Street. If you can't make it, the next one is Jan. 28th.

Beyond the Bloomfield Greenway

I started this blog 5 years ago when Bloomfield's Master Plan began including elements of a greenway plan into it's approved "grand design" for the township. The earliest posts included many of the slides that opened a presentation in our "Greenway Forum" at Bloomfield College's Van Fossen Auditorium.

While will continue to advocate for the greenway as well as other local environmental and green issues, we have long since expanded the blog to include many other issues that we hope will make our town a better place to live.

Renewed and Updated Council

Bloomfield councilmen Elias Chalet, Nicholas Joanow and Carlos Bernard were formally sworn in to their respective ward council seats at noon today. Mayor Ray McCarthy noted that Bernard is the first Hispanic elected to office in Bloomfield and Chalet is the first elected foreign-born person.

With a capacity audience in the council chambers, Joanow, the second ward councilman, took his seat for a second term, joined by newcomers Chalet and Bernard, in the first and third wards. Peter Strumolo, Bloomfield's Democratic Party Leader, was conspicuously looking on in the doorway(photo). County Clerk Christoper Durkin introduced Bernard by praising "his loyalty"(party?) and Bernard followed up by asserting that the third ward had "not had any leadership" during the past three years. The ward had been represented by Robert Ruane, who lost to Bernard in the June primary. This comment drew audible hissing from the audience.

State Senator Ron Rice administered the oath while Nick Jr, held the bible and the councilman held his 10 month old granddaughter Nicolina. From left to right: councilman Bernard Hamilton, Mayor McCarthy, councilman Peggy Dunnigan, O'Boyle, Michelle and James Joanow, James Jr., Marlene and Nick Joanow, Ron Rice, and Laura and Nick A. Joanow. From left to right is councilman Bernard Hamilton, Mayor McCarthy, councilman Peggy Dunnigan, O'Boyle, James and Michelle Joanow, James Jr., Marlene, Nick, Ron Rice, Laura and Nick A. Joanow.

Wishing Bloomfield a Happy 2012!

New Year's Eve of Destruction On Belleville Ave

The current plan by Garden Commercial Properties is to create two buildings along the lower bend of the Third River, four stories each with a parking deck beneath, to serve as luxury one or two-bedroom apartments. The developer has said that the properties could begin as rental units and potentially become condominiums when the real estate market improves. In the process, about two dozen back office and warehouse businesses were given eviction notices in preparation for the demolition.

The planned 300 unit development has sparked controversy at many town council meetings. Reminded that she approved the bill when it first came up (along with the rest of the council), Council Janice Litterio replied that the full scope of the project was not made clear. “I feel snookered,” she said when summarizing her traffic concerns. There was also much debate regarding the planned 30 year tax abatement negotiated with the developer, Zygmunt Wilf, the owner of the Minnesota Vikings, who has himself been the subject of controversy.

Commenting on the news of a $100,000 grant received for studying the causes and cures of flooding along Bloomfield's segment of the Third River, Councilman Nick Joanow asserted that

You don't build on a floodplain. There's a cost/benefit analysis that needs to be understood …. Homes along that river have lost 5 to 10 feet of their property due to riverbank erosion. There are homes that are consistently flooding...the water has to go somewhere.

He referenced the township's 2002 Master Plan which included the Army Corps of Engineers conclusion that

The increase in the intensity and number of 100 year and 500 year flood events can be attributed to the way that development has occurred in Bloomfield. Impervious surface coverage along stream corridors in wetlands and floodplain areas leaves stormwater with no place to go. Generally these areas would absorb and filter the waters acting as a natural detention basin for the surrounding community. In Bloomfield, storm water travels through streets, driveways, and sometimes basements, rather than vegetated riparian corridors and wetlands.

Demolition of the structures on the north side of the site is planned to be completed by New Years Day.

Sunday on Washington St.

Puttering around with the car on Sunday afternoons was the usual Sunday pastime for the male half of the population. A closer look at the construction of these "houses" suggests that they were built as speedily and as cheaply as possible. Additions are tacked on wherever and whenever and the high basements obviously predict the flood waters expected from nearby Toney's Brook. This entire area is now covered by black top and has become a parking lot.

Frederick Branch,

Historical Society of Bloomfield

Breaking News: Bloomfield is Turning Republican

Bloomfield woke up today to find it has been broken into two congressional districts. Neither of them will include our current congressman, Bill Pascrel.

Most of the 1st and 2nd wards(along with Upper Montclair and Nutley) will be represented by Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen's 11th District. The 3rd Ward will fall mostly into the 10th district of Democrat Donald Payne.(Click on graphic to enlarge.)

It all becomes official in 2013.
Final confirmation of the new maps won't happen until the new legislature confirms everything when they meet in January. More details and the best analysis of the process so far can be found at NJSpotlight.com.

7 year Old King of Bloomfield's Inflatables

James Joanow likes balloons. His grandmother recalls that he's been collecting them since he was around 5 years old. James especially likes the oversized inflatables that are the latest thing to decorate front yards for holidays and special occasions. The problem is that James lives in a 2 bedroom condo where holiday displays are frowned upon -- especially those that take up lawn space.

So, James called on grandparents Nick and Marlene Joanow to donate their front yard to showcase his collection on major holidays. The fact that the Joanows live on an isolated Lakewood Terrace cul-de-sac -- with a tiny, hilly, front yard -- has not dampened James' enthusiasm. "He loves standing out front in the cold and answering questions from neighbors and passersby," notes Councilman Joanow.

Each holiday serves up new and bigger additions to his displays. James is now 7. Even though he still lives in the Roseland condo, he manages to spend most of his December weekends visiting "Poppy" and giving guided tours while fine tuning his latest project. He told me that he's been working on this year's Christmas display since taking down an equally amazing Halloween show that startled neighbors with two fog machines. "He really does it all himself," says Nick. "He arranges all of them and configures all the wiring so that no one gets tangled up and no circuits are overloaded." Check out this Youtube clip of James in action.

Young James still has two items on the top of his Christmas list: more inflatables and more extension cords.

Christmas in Bloomfield

Seems like there is a bit more optimism in the air as indicated by an increase in homes lit up for the holiday season. Especially nice to see lights on side streets that are mostly only seen by neighbors. These homes are on Garner St. We've seen some spectacular displays in even more isolated neighborhoods. Stay tuned....

Highlights

2011 has been quite a year of ups and downs in Bloomfield. Here's a tast of out "highlight reel" for the year. They can all be found in our blogroll at right. Recognise any?

The Russians are Coming!

.

Among it's many diverse ethnic groups, we're aware that Bloomfield has a vibrant Russian community. Google analytics is showing us that late this afternoon hundreds of folks from the heart of Russia have suddenly become fascinated with this humble Bloomfield blog. We're open to theories as to who, and why....

Bloomfield Centennial

Broad Street at Franklin.
Time for another reminder that Bloomfield's Bicentennial Committee will be meeting for the last time, in this pre-Bicentennial year, on Saturday at 10:AM in Bloomfield College's Science Building. All are welcome.

Besides hundreds of photos like this on The Historical Society of Bloomfield's website, you are invited to the grand opening of our new unofficial Bicentennial blog: Vintage Bloomfield.

Au Revoir, Janice

It's hardly a goodbye, since we'll be seeing her this Saturday when she chairs another meeting of Bloomfield's Bicentennial Committee:

Dear Friend:

Khalil Gibran once wrote, “You give but little when you give of your possessions, it is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” For the past 9 years I have abided by these words serving as the First Ward representative in the municipality of Bloomfield. Although my term expires December 31, 2011, my last council meeting will be Monday, December 12, 2011.

During my tenure on council, I am proud to say that my many initiatives were attained and that growth and accomplishments for Bloomfield and in particular, Ward 1, are evidenced. Many of these accomplishments were in direct response to the needs and desires of the constituents. I would also like to thank those town hall employees and advisors who worked diligently in assisting me in my township goals. Further, I would like to thank various members of the governing body and other elected officials who, throughout the years, fostered within me an “education in people,” second only to a Harvard Doctrine.

I do not leave this position with a heavy heart, but with one that beats excitedly. I shall remain committed to our town. Presently, I serve as chair to the Bicentennial committee, helping to navigate Bloomfield’s 200th Birthday with honor and grace. On a personal note, I cherish the blessings that God has bestowed upon me, I continue to plan and lay the groundwork for my future and with open arms I am ready to love life to its fullest. As I pen this farewell address, I glance down upon my hands and recall the times I filled Brian’s juicy cup with my left hand and simultaneously moved mountains with my right. I proudly ponder, that these are my hands; small yet independent. It is at this juncture in my life that I choose to use my hands to gently wave farewell.

Warmly,

Councilwoman Janice Litterio

Pinpointing Poverty in Bloomfield

WNYC created a Pinpointing Poverty map based on newly-released statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Interesting to see that the Montclair tract at left has over 3 times the rate of poverty as can be found anywhere in Bloomfield. Baristanet raised the issue to much back and forth comment by it's regulars. This census tract(#153), along with two others in the 10% range, covers a sector of Bloomfield East of the Garden State Parkway and south of Hoover.(click on map to enlarge)

Christmas Carol for Rent Control

Following Monday's Christmas Tree lighting festivities, John Street resident Beresford Jones sang to the council during the public portion of the meeting. He was applauded by fellow rent control protestors who had earler picketed outside.
See video via link below:
Next Line of Attack for Rent Protection Advocates: SINGING? [Video] - Bloomfield, NJ Patch:

'via Blog this'

Bloomfield Census Consensus

The NJ Star Ledger and the Philadelphia Courier have collaborated on an interesting piece regarding NJ outmigration appropriately titled: "N.J.residents are leaving for Pennsylvania in increasingly large numbers." They cite many 2010 Census stats to reinforce their premise, but they don't point out that -- while Pennsylvania is the leading northeast state for in-migration -- the number LEAVING Pennsylvania for other states is comparable to those leaving NJ. The 130 odd comments at following the NJ.com piece reinvorce the message. One summed it up
especially well: "...I would love to see a stat on how many baby boomers are fleeing this money pit of a state. You would have to be an absolute idiot to retire here."

All this got me wondering about how many Bloomfielders have been leaving town and when the exodus began. We all have friends and relatives who have decided it was time for them to migrate to another state. Having participated in last year's Census in Bloomfield, I can attest to the fact that every stone was unturned to count every possible resident in every neighborhood. It turned out that we were down several hundred from the previous census. Although the township is considering a formal challenge on the numbers, the adjacent chart from Wikopedia shows that the pattern has been fairly steady for the past 40 years. We've shrunk from a high of 52,029 in 1970 to our current 47,315. Going into our Bicentennial year, it's hard to imagine what Bloomfield was like in 1900 just before it began it's biggest population surge -- quintupling in size by 1950.

We can speculate that much of the decline is attributable to factors such as declining family sizes and uncounted undocumented residents, but there's no doubt that taxes also have a lot to do with it. We continue to wonder if anything can be done to reverse the process and whose going to fill those empty rooms.

Assessing Bloomfield's Neighborhoods

At Monday's Council meeting Tax Assessor Joe Pisauro presented an update on his 2012 Compliance Plan for property taxes. He explained that he breaks Bloomfield into has 150 neighborhoods that must be reviewed each year.

I asked Mr. Pisauro if he could provide a copy of his map and he forwarded the copy below. It would make an interesting parlor game -- and jigsaw puzzle -- just to figure out which segment you live in. (click on map to enlarge) Pisauro explained to me that his "neighborhoods" are not defined in terms of streets or traditional communities, but of assessed land values and similar types of housing. Not all towns use this systems, but it facilitates fine tuning annual tax updates. To get you started, green depicts parks, light green is for golf courses....

He can change up to 50 percent of the township’s property evaluations annually, based on current market conditions. These changes are then brought before the County Board of Taxation for approval.