Dog Day Afternoon At Obals

Today was the Fourth Annual Fundraiser for the Bloomfield Animal Shelter! There was food, drink, and prizes for the dogs in attendance (best wag, best costume, prettiest eyes, etc). All proceeds went to benefit the Animal Support Fund of the Bloomfield Animal Shelter. A good time was had by all.

Bay and Broad in Transition

Before the current construction began, Fred the Barber told us the story about a blind customer he recently pointed down the sidewalk on the east side of Broad St. heading toward Clark. The customer later reported that his seeing eye dog stopped abruptly at the corner and refused to turn left as directed. The clearance around the Garden center did not meet the definition of a sidewalk according to his training so he had to find a two legged guide to lead him eastward on Bay. Hopefully, the sight lines will soon improve for both pedestrians and drivers.

"Save Bloomfield Now" Group Alerts Residents to Planning Board Meeting

On Saturday a couple of dozen local residents got together at Bloomfield College to discuss the implications of the 4 largest residential developments that are confronting the Bloomfield planners. In order of magnitude,they are:

 1) 350 Apartments ar Oakes Pond at 225 Belleville Ave.

 2) 315 Apartments at the former Hartz Mountain Factory site.

 3) 215 Apartments as part of the Downtown Redevelopment plans.

 4) 104 Condominiums at the former Scientific Glass site.

The non-partison group plans to continue updating residents on the true impact of planned developments on Bloomfield's quality of life as well as alerting state agencies such as the NJDEP on environmental issues that need to be addressed.
A special Planning Board meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday night to begin a discussion of issues concerning the 225 Belleville site. More info can be found here and on their Facebook Page.

"The Town Paints" Annual Art Exhibit On The Green

The Bloomfield Art League is one of the oldest art organizations in New Jersey. It serves the community and neighboring areas in promoting and stimulating interest in art. The organization is sponsored by the Bloomfield Recreation Commission which opens their Civic Center to all their meetings. Membership is open to all who wish to avail themselves of its fine programs. Classes, lectures and demonstrations are held in the Civic Center.

New Developments on Newest Developments -- Special Meeting Saturday

Regarding upcoming initiatives on Bloomfield's biggest pending developments, we received this timely release:

The following information will be covered in a meeting on May 12, 2012, 3PM, at Bloomfield College sponsored by the Save Bloomfield Now Group.  4 KILLER Building Projects and more $ surprises!

 4 large residential apartment projects in various stages of approval at critical four points in town.

 At least one project with a 30 year Tax abatement…builder doesn’t pay…you will pay.

 1 development on a toxic site; two developments in flood zones.
Severe impact on our infrastructure with the need to upgrade roads, sewers, schools and the need to hire more police and fire will dramatically increase.

Two meetings we hope you will attend Save Bloomfield Now will be holding an informational meeting on Saturday, May 12, 2012 – 3PM Bloomfield College - College Hall on Liberty Street – Room 16 - FREE parking available in college lot on Liberty Street - Information available: Email SaveBloomfieldNow@gmail.com or go to https://www.facebook.com/SaveBloomfieldNow.

IF you can't make it Saturday, try to come to the Planning Board Meeting on 221-225 Belleville Avenue and 205 Belleville Avenue Tuesday, May 15th at 7:00pm – Bloomfield Town Hall – 1 Municipal Plaza - Council Chambers – 2nd Floor - http://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/content/notice-minutes

Bloomfield's Takes Control of It's Newest Park

It's official. Today, Bloomfield took full control of the Copeck/Ruvio/DeSimone site on Liongate. The property is in a floodplain and defined by water on two sides with the Third River on the east and Spring Brook on the west. Par Gilleran, Vice-Chair of the Open Space Trust fund Committee reflected on the 12 year long battle:

Councilman Nick Joanow amd the Third Riverbank Committee were the driving force that kept this project going. Many residents worked very hard to create the Bloomfield Open Space Trust Fund Committee and many committee members have worked for years on this project. Lois Ross, Mary Shaughnessy, and Susan Hebert come to mind immediately
The township has hired Tim Delorm of Terra Noble Design in Glen Ridge to design the park and oversee the remediation to bring this land back to a natural state.

The section above doesn't look like much now, but soon, the weeds will be pulled, the cyclone fences will come down, and environmentaly friendly landscaping will open the 5.7 acre space to residents for Passive Recreation. The surviving trees will be left in their wild state.

Bloomfield to DEP: Reject Liongate Wetlands Permit

By a 4 to 3 vote, the town council authorized the following letter to be sent to NJDEP.

"We the Council members of the Township of Bloomfield strongly recommend that you reject the 5 year extension of the Freshwater Wetlands Permit that is being reviewed by your department. The construction of 104 condominiums [is] on a 100 year FEMA-designated floodplain/wetland located in the Lower Passaic River Basin that has a long and well documented history of flooding…. The Army Corps of Engineers has stated that "Development in the floodplain increases future property losses, threatens the economic stability of communities and puts public health and safety at risk''....

In the interest of public safety, these flaws warrant correction before the department issues any permits to develop this flood-prone site. We are asking the DEP come to Bloomfield to see the site first hand and to hear our concerns about the true nature of flooding in the neighborhood."

Back to the Present -- Watsessing Park Lawn Bowling

Saturday's annual Watsesssing Park Cleanup was highlighted by an instructional session at Lawn Bowling.  It was  led by members of the Essex County Lawn Bowling Club who have been utilizing the recently restored Bowling green that has been in use since since the beginning of the 20th Century. The sport was brought to the United States from England in the 17th century with the first settlers. Until recently, it was the only Bowling Green in NJ. The event was Sponsored by: The Bloomfield Open Space Trust Fund Committee, The Watsessing Park Conservancy and The Bloomfield Bicentennial Committee. Pictured at right is Nick Joanow; in back is Mimi Michalski; in foregroud, Eric Ihde. (Photo by Doreen Sarcone)

Weekend Bloomfield Event Highlights

Looks like perfect spring weather for a variety of in-town events:

Free Comic Book Day
Saturday, 9:00 am
The Comic Book Market, 28 Washington St.

 Free Paper Shredding
 Saturday 9:00 AM
 1 Municipal Plaza

Watsessing Park Conservancy Clean-Up
Saturdsy, 10:00 am
Maolis Ave & Glenwood Ave,

Kitten Preview at John A. Bukowski Animal Shelter
Sunday 1 to 4
61  Bukowski Place
Come on down to see some of the kittens in foster care
who are looking for forever homes and will be available for adoption very soon!
Don't overlook the adorable adult cats, like Liam(left in photo) either!

May Day for Volunteerism in Bloomfield

Several prominent Bloomfielders attended the April meeting of Bloomfield's Board of Health in the Mayor's Conference Room. Three of the six who spoke are pictured. (l to r) Carol Meyer Humphreys, Doreen Sarcone, and Karen Banda. They each spoke about the issues that have been plaguing the shelter in recent months, culminating in the recent dismissal of nearly all the shelter's longtime volunteers.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, several questions were asked of the Board members. There were no answers other than an initial statement that the board was "not allowed to reply" to statements or questions from the public. Doreen Sarcone (center) later noted:

I am very concerned about the manner, in which the meeting was conducted. There was no accountability, no response, no statement of how it will be addressed. I also addressed the quote in the media regarding the Acting Director stating this is a business. The Township is not a private business - rather it is a service organization first and foremost. If the services are lacking or are not effective, they must be re-evaluated, but not removed during this process.

 Having been to other Bloomfield board meeting when interaction with the public occurred,  I later emailed the board asking for the rationale for this rule. So far, there's been no comment on the "no comment" comment.

A Tree Grows in Bloomfield

From left to right: Nick Joanow, Ray MacCarthy, Gary Iacobacci, Joseph Caputo. At Podium: Mike Sceurman.

Seedlings from Space and Historic Concert Highlight Weekend Bicentennial Events in Bloomfield

Bloomfield continues the year-long celebration of its Bicentennial. On Friday, April 27, a Bicentennial Tree will be planted from an Eastern White Pine seedling which was grown from seeds that traveled aboard the space shuttle Columbia on April 4, 1997. The event will take place at 6 p.m. at the Town Green at Broad Street and LibertyStreet, across from the Bloomfield Civic Center.

On Sunday, April 29, The Bloomfield Civic Band in conjunction with the Bloomfield Bicentennial Committee, Bloomfield Federation of Music and the Bloomfield Recreation Dept. will perform a Bicentennial Concert at Bloomfield Middle School, 60 Huck Road at 3 p.m.

The tree was provided through the 86th Annual NJ Shade Tree Federation Conference. Seeds from the New Jersey Forestry Tree Nursery were provided for the space shuttle flight, traveling at 17,500 mph for a distance of 1.5 million miles. The seeds germinated in half of the normal 10-14 day rate for these trees, in what the Federation believes to be the first effort to have tree seeds experience the weightlessness of space. The tree is currently being cared for at the N.J. Community Forestry's Greenhouse in Jackson, N.J.

The concert will feature various historic compositions complete with narration by Bloomfield Bicentennial Committee volunteers. Both events are free to the public. Rita's ices will be served on Friday, and you can bring home a tree of your own to plant. On Sunday, an array of refreshments will be provided free to all attendees.
These events are part of the Bloomfield Bicentennial events schedule that began with a heralded Opening Ceremony on March 23, which marked 200 years to the day of the town's incorporation. Future events include an old fashioned picnic, concert series, historical presentations/ tours and more. A list of event dates and details, information on sponsorship, merchandise, donation and volunteer opportunities are available at
www.bloomfieldbicentennial.com or by request via email at info@bloomfieldbicentennial.com.

Councilman Rallies Residents Against New Liongate Developent

Many Bloomfield residents received this urgent email from Councilman Nick Joanow:

 April 23rd, 2012
 Dear Friends, As the founder of the Bloomfield Third Riverbank Association, a Bloomfield resident for the last 39 years and your 2nd Ward Town Councilman - I am again reaching out to you for your help and support. The property known as the Scientific Glass/Liongate, off Broad Street opposite Glen Ridge Parkway has been recently sold to another developer. The proposal to construct 104 town houses is particularly disturbing as this site has a pre-existing problem with flooding and serious river bank erosion for those homeowners and businesses who border the river. In addition to flooding there is contamination and school related issues that will negatively impact all residents in the 2nd Ward. This development will severely impact our quality of life and negatively influence our property values. With 52 three bedrooms units and 52 large two bedroom in these town houses the potential for a substantial number of new children attending our local schools is significant.

With all of our schools north of Bay Avenue at full capacity, the only options available would be redistricting or trailers, either of which would further jeopardize real estate values. In order to move this project forward, the developer is seeking a 5 year extension of a Freshwater Wetlands Permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The EPA is accepting comments on this application until May 15, 2012.

 I urge you to contact them via e-mail (rick.reilly@dep.state.nj.us) or snail mail (telephone comments are not accepted) and have enclosed a sample letter for you to use or you may draft your own. Please attach the Freshwater Wetlands Application – Notice to Neighboring Landowners – it is required and your comments may not be taken into consideration without it. It is critical that you respond in a timely manner to expression your concerns as to the negative impact this project will have on our community. Should you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me at my home number 973-748-6379 or you may email me at nicholasjoanow@comcast.net
Respectfully,
Nick Joanow 2nd Ward Councilman

Here's the text of the Wetlands Application that was recently sent to residents in the immediate vicinity of the Liongate site (email the councilman or myself for pdfs):

Date: 4/16/12

Freshwater Wetlands Application

Notice to Neighboring Landowners

Re: Application submitted by:

SF Management Co., LLC

(Print applicant's name)

Regarding property at:

8 Lion Gate Drive (Street address of property)

Lot No. 55, Block No. 871 (Block and lot of property)

Township of Bloomfield,Essex County

Dear Interested Party:

I am sending you this letter to inform you that I am submitting an

application for a permit or approval to the New Jersey Department of

Environmental Protection (NJDEP) under the Freshwater Wetlands

Protection Act rules, N.J.A.C. 7:7A. The permit or approval will either

establish the boundary of freshwater wetlands on the above property, or

will authorize me to conduct regulated activities on the property.

I am applying for the following approval(s):

__ Letter of interpretation (establishes the official boundary line of any

regulated freshwater wetlands, open waters, or transition areas on the

property, and if freshwater wetlands are present, identifies their resource

value)

X General permit authorization (authorizes regulated activities, such

as construction or development, in wetlands and adjacent transition areas)

__ individual transition area waiver (authorizes regulated activities,

such as construction or development. in areas adjacent to wetlands)

3230342.3

__ Individual freshwater wetlands permit (authorizes regulated

activities, such as construction or development, in both wetlands and

adjacent transition areas)

__ Open water fill permit (authorizes regulated activities, such as

construction or development, in open waters)

The activities for which my application requests NJDEP approval are (I

have checked all of those that apply):

No regulated activities, just establishing where regulated

wetlands (if any) are found on my property

Cutting or clearing of trees and/or other vegetation

Placement of pavement or other impervious surface

.lL Placement of one or more buildings or other structures

Expansion of existing pavement, buildings, or other structures

X Other (describe):

This application is a request for a five year extension of the Freshwater

Wetlands General Permit #11 Permit. which was originally approved on

April 19, 2007, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:7A-14.6(b)(1).

If you would like to inspect a copy of my application, it is on file at the

Municipal Clerk's Office in the town in which the property is located, or you

can call the NJDEP at (609) 777-0454 to make an appointment to see my

application at NJDEP offices in Trenton during normal business hours.

The rules governing freshwater wetlands permits and approvals are

found in the NJDEP's Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act rules at N.J.A.C.

7:7A. You can view or download these rules on the NJDEP Land Use

Regulation Program website at www.state.nj.us/depllanduse. or you can

find a copy of these rules in the county law library in your county

courthouse.

As part of the NJDEP's review of my application, NJDEP personnel

may visit my property, and the portion of any neighboring property that lies

within 150 feet of my property line, to perform a site inspection. This site

inspection will involve only a visual inspection and possibly minor soil

borings using a 4" diameter hand auger. The inspection will not result in

any damage to vegetation or to property improvements.

The NJDEP welcomes any comments you may have on my application.

If you wish to comment on my application, comments should be submitted

to the NJDEP in writing within 30 days after the Department publishes

notice of the application in the DEP Bulletin. The Department shall consider

all written comments submitted within this time. The Department may, in its

discretion, consider comments submitted after this date, Comments cannot

be accepted by telephone. Please submit any comments you may have in

writing, along with a copy of this letter, to:

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Land Use Regulation

Mail Code 501-02A

P.O. Box 420

Trenton, New Jersey 08625

Att: (County in which the property is located) Section Chief

: '. When the NJDEP has decided whether or not my application qualifies

for approval under the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act rules, NJDEP

will notify the municipal clerk,of the final decision on my application.

, . If you have questions about my application, you can contact me or my

agent, at the addresses below,' ,

.'

Wolff & Samson PC

1 Boland Drive

West Orange, New Jersey 07052

Attn: Keith E. Morris, Esq.

Sincerely,

SF Management Co., LLC

Name: Ralph Zucker

Title: Authorized Signatory

SF Management Co., LLC

clo Somerset Development, LLC

911 E. County Line Road

Lakewood, New Jersey 08701

Church on the Green Prepares for Repairs

A long term plan to restore and stabilize the Bloomfield's largest historic building has begun to take shape and, hopefully, can be completed by the end of our Bicentennial Year.

Jack Leigh opened up the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green for a brief update on their massive Building Project. He spoke with Councilman Nick Joanow and Mayor McCarthy about how the town could assist in publicizing the church fundraising programs. The interior scaffolding has just been completed. It covers the length and the width of the huge church from floor to ceiling. Donations are welcome and can be sent directly to the Church at 147 Broad St., Bloomfield 07003, Checks should be made out to Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green and marked "Building Fund." [office phone: (973) 743-1796] http://bloomfieldgreenways.blogspot.com/2012/03/church-needs-some-green.html

Bicentennial Market on The Green

Saturday turned out to be a perfect warm spring day for a flea market on the green to benefit the Presbyterian Church building fund. It was also one of the best opportunities for residents to check out the growing collection of Bicentennial collectibles that is available for purchase. Manning the table (Left to Right) are Michelle Davidson, Nick Joanow, grandson James Joanow, and Walter Davidson.

WSJ Targets Redevelopment Quagmire

The Wall Street Journal has finally discovered Bloomfield at a time when both residential and commercial property sales could benefit. We'd like to think the story could light a fire under the key developers mentioned, such as Cary Heller, who have put legal obstacles in the way of finalized redevelopment plans. The WSJ has timed the article for publication less than a week before an Essex County Superior Court judge is expected to issue a key decision on the Heller lawsuit. {If you'd like a copy of the full story, drop me an email}

The Best Team Wins B O E Elections

Board President Shaughnessy retained her seat with 1,332 votes, while her "BEST Team" running mates Anderson and Weisert received 1,226 and 1,108 votes, respectively. Incumbent Diana Fuller lost her seat with 1,075 votes. The tax levy of $60.4 million was approved 1,107 to 892.

Shaughnessy promised to tackle the Board's pressing challenges with renewed vigor:


“The first thing I’m going to do is try to pull together a legislative committee made up of the superintendent, school staff members and interested community members, to see if we can go after that state money that the state itself says it owes us."

Sacred Heart Church on Broad St.

Green Space

Bordering Bloomfield's northernmost stretch of the Morris Canal is this cute home which happens to also be adjacent to the Montclair Golf Club. At 337k, it's one of the lower priced properties we've seen in the

Oakview section of town. It had its first open house today.

The Morris Canal -- A Virtual Tour

The Historical Society of Bloomfield Presents: The Morris Canal Presented by Richard Rockwell DATE: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 TIME: 8:00 PM PLACE: Presbyterian Church on the Green -- Parish House. 147 Broad Street Parking available at the School Administration building, corner of Broad and Belleville Historic Society of Bloomfield member Rich Rockwell has created a virtual tour of the Morris Canal from South Bloomfield to Brookdale. Explore Bloomfield’s Lock, Inclined Plane, bridges and aqueducts through historical photographs, maps and postcards from the Historical Society’s archives including photos by Charles Warren Eaton, and Rev. Wilson S Phraner. Visit each of the eight Morris Canal sign posts throughout town and compare historic photos to current scenes.

Rockwell is responsible for digitizing, archiving and maintaining the HSOB’s vast collection of historical photos and maps. He has created a number of historical websites, including those for the Halcyon Park Historic District. He also serves on Bloomfield's Zoning Board of Adjustment.

The Bicentennial Kicks Off

The Bloomfield Bicentennial Opening kickoff attracted hundreds of people from the community to Bloomfield High School's auditorium along with dozens of politicians and dignitaries from Essex county and beyond. The evening was a memorable salute to Bloomfield's 200 year history. The featured speaker was the legendary motivational speaker and atheleteRich Ruffalo(top photo)who shared many of his most memorable experiences growing up in Bloomfield within "a spear's throw of the Green."

The highlight of the evening was the sight of Mayor McCarthy and members of the township council in formal colonial costumes performing a reenactment of the signing of the town charter prompted by General Bloomfield himself(John Cataldo).

Birthday Cake

Science Fair at BHS

Bloomfield's first district wide Science Fair drew students and their families from schools throughout the township. The projects filled the High School cafeteria.

Rehearsing the Bicentennial

That's Joseph Bloomfield on stage at Bloomfield High School as volunteers measure some of the bunting that will be hung in time for Friday's Bicentennial kickoff.

At the kickoff event, at which Mayor Raymond McCarthy and members of the Town Council will participate , the Bloomfield Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts will perform a full flag ceremony and local singer Molly Frieri, accompanied by the Bloomfield High School Chorus, will perform. Township resident John Cataldo, portraying General Bloomfield, will then read the charter

Brookside

Last day of winter.

Volunteers Needed -- No Volunteers Need Apply

It has been widely known that prospective volunteers have been discouraged from applying to the Bloomfield Animal Shelter since last July. As of Friday, all active volunteering has been suspended as well. Here are the highlights of a disturbing letter that was sent to many of the most active volunteers at the Shelter: Dear Volunteer,

The BLOOMFIELD ANIMAL SHELTER (John A. Bukowski Shelter for Animals) is about to undertake a positive reorganization. As you are well aware, our facility is being expanded and modernized. We have a new manager on staff and many promising fundraisers in the works. We plan to align with the best practices of our nation’s most respected animal welfare agencies, and we are strengthening our policies for staff and volunteer work procedures. The Board of Health is confident this reorganization will serve not only the disadvantaged animals that temporarily rely on our care, but also will bring a heightened sense of community service and cooperation within the shelter community. ...However, over the next several months, while administrative pieces of the reorganization are put into place, we are suspending volunteer services inside the animal shelter facility. In part, we are restructuring the volunteer program and you will be able to reapply for service once it is completed. If you wish to resume, you will be asked to participate in a volunteer orientation and training program, and you will be asked to sign off on new policies and procedures developed during the reorganization. We have chosen this particular time to reorganize because we are in the fortuitous position of having a lower number of animals currently housed, a highly unusual circumstance. We are confident our paid staff can manage the shelter on their own for a brief time using streamlined procedures for feeding, cleaning and exercising; pet adoptions, vet checks and home visits. ....An interim volunteer agreement will only be given to committee members who wish to continue serving during the reorganization. Signature on this agreement will be required to continue on a committee. .....The suspension of in-shelter volunteer services is effective immediately. The Health Department will announce resumption of volunteer service on the department website, and periodic updates will be posted.

The response from volunteers has been fast and furious -- primarily on various Facebook pages and, most recently, the Bloomfield Patch. Since it was published this morning,The Patch article has already generated a remarkable number of responses by both volunteers and the public:

This situation is very troubling. Whatever legitimate reason the Health Department may have had for their decision to suspend the volunteer program, their complete lack of transparency makes them look exceedingly shady....

I too would like to know why the shelter administrators decided to (1) ban a person from a publicly-funded building without any explanation and then (2) close down the volunteer program entirely, again without sufficient explanation for such a drastic move. Why end a program that was providing free labor and desperately needed care and socialization for shelter animals? The lack of transparency is indeed troubling and gives the distinct impression that the admin and the health department are attempting to cover something up....

Committee members who have been allowed to stay on as volunteers have been forced to sign a paper stating that they will NOT discuss the shelter on Facebook....

I offered my 25 years of grant writing PRO BONO to help the Shelter's budget and access funding (NOTHING happened after months of my pursuit and numerous emails with no follow through from the Health Department Management) and my awe of the dedication of volunteers, none of whom I would call "friends" ...but I can't believe their true dedication witnessed firsthand. I am so sad to hear any nonoprofit do this, as I have consulted with agengies that really need volunteers since 1990...social media used correctly can do so much for individuals and animals in need! As a resident of Bloomfield, I find this decision very painful mostly of course to those precious animals!!!...

An animal shelter restricting the help of volunteers?! What? This is very odd, and so sad for the animals, who are probably experiencing more anxiety with less frequent walks and human interaction. Sounds like Bloomfield is forgetting it is about the animals.....

Posts on the Shelter Fb page have had a tendency to disappear only to be reposted on the Save the Shelter Fb page. At this point, the Management seems to be shooting itself in the foot by censoring posts and threatening volunteers who share information. The official Shelter page currently has 265 "likes", while the Save the Shelter page has 5,833. Today's latest Save the Shelter post encourages volunteers and their supporters to share their concerns at Monday's council meeting:

ANIMALS HELD HOSTAGE - Day 3 If you want to make your feelings known, here is contact information. PLEASE: be polite and be factual in reporting what you have read here. Exaggerating or expanding on facts won't help the volunteers or the shelter animals we love. When contacting council members ask that your emails be read into the record at Monday night's meeting and send a copy to the township clerk Louise Palagano: Phone (973) 680-4015 FAX (973)680-0048 E-Mail: twpclerk@bloomfieldtwpnj.com PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL FOR COUNCIL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT Mike Fitzpatrick, Health Officer: 973-680-4026, 973-680-4024 and 973-680 4025 Karen Lore, Acting Director Health Dept: 973-680-4018 Mayor Raymond J. McCarthy Rosemary Brown, Secretary Email: rbrown@bloomfieldtwpnj.com Phone (973) 680-4080 FAX (973) 680-4040

COUNCIL MEMBERS (ALL): Phone: (973) 680-4077 FAX: (973) 680-4040

Civic Expressions

Revolting Developments

This week's Planning Board meeting brought back memories of the decade old battles over two ambitious developments at the end of Liongate Drive. Local residents won their initial year long battles to stop both projects. But they lost later battles when modified projects were resubmitted to a modified Planning Board.

The "War" was ultimately won by the housing market. Homebuyers would not pay the 500k+ that was needed to make the project work. The developer for the larger Scientific Glass site claimed that he had remediated the cleared soil to the point where it could be safely eaten by a school age child. The NJ DEP disagreed and ordered that the mountains of top soil be covered with tarps. The smaller development(lower 3 photos), originally owned by the Copeck family, was tentatively approved for purchase by the township for use as a "passive park."

Fundraising at Foley

Bloomfield's first Bicentennial banner made its debut Sunday at the annual Felis 50 benefit. The event was organized by Bloomfield personal trainer Steve Crooks. Nearly 500 cans of food was donated to the United Way food pantry. Bloomfield animal shelter volunteers offered pet adoption information, and signed up one of their smaller dogs for the walk. At the last minute, he was disqualified by Foley Field management for having too many legs up on the competition.

Developer to Ask Planning Board for More Givebacks from Town

Most of our Bloomfield friends fall into at least one of the following categories:
1, Outsider 2. Insider 3. Gadfly
Some are a combination, and a few fit into all three.

We recently received an email from one (or more) of the above alerting us to this Tuesday's Planning Board meeting:

.New Business:
A.) Discussion of a request for a reduction of fees for Bloomfield Belleville
Associates, LLC 221-225 Belleville Avenue.

B.) Discussion of a proposed amendment to the Bloomfield Center
Redevelopment Plan Phase II sent to the Planning Board by the Mayor
and Council.

Our friend suggested that all concerned taxpayers should try to make it to this Tuesdays meeting to voice their feelings about the 225 Belleville Ave. project. They added that present and past employees of the many business affected should attend the meeting and:
"tell the entire board how many people have been put out of work and small businesses ruined.  It is an outrage that we, the residents of Bloomfield, will be forced to finance worthless developments that enrich.  Our property taxes have gone up considerable.  We are paying through the nose for political appointments, newly hired police and firemen, and worthless development projects."
Another friend is a true outsider, having lived in Glen Ridge and worked at 225 for many years, She plans to bring along some colleagues from the affected companies to speak their peace.

The Tuesday meeting starts at 7:30 PM in Town Hall's Council chambers.

When Baristanet ran the earlier piece we posted on this subject, there were over 2 dozen comments, None favored the project. Here are a few of them and some others we received later on:

This whole thing stinks. More people, more kids, more need for classrooms, more tax money needed = tax abatement for the developer and higher taxes for everyone else. Crystal clear logic town council. Also, ‘luxury apartment in Bloomfield’ is an oxymoron.
And some wonder why there are skeptics about Bloomfield’s redevelopment plans.

And what is this drivel about maybe it will be rented at first, and maybe later they will change and sell them as condos? That is NOT an acceptable plan! That is a plan for mass eviction and dislocation and cost upon renters who have been good tenants and paying their rents. If these people are not serious about building rentals, then don’t let them build and rent! If they want condos, they should be condos from the get-go. The residents cannot be set up as cannon fodder for these people. The residents cannot be set up to be jerked around. How in hell could you be giving money and tax benefits to people with such disregard for the well being of Bloomfield residents!

Contact the "sub-committee" of the planning board who make the decisions. The persons comprising this subcommittee are Alan LaQuaglia, Bernard Hamilton, and Dan McGonigle. They work closely with Mr. Rubin on these matters. All of this should be part of the public record as our taxes will pay for just about everything.

I believe the corruption in this project goes beyond the local leaders, as corrupt as they may be. The site is a Superfund site, as of yet un-remediated. It was formerly the home of National Starch, which made glue and other products, and produced such toxicity that when we first moved our business to 225 Belleville Ave., we had liability insurers refuse to underwrite our policies on the grounds of our proximity to National Starch. One year there was an explosion which killed a man there. There was another business on the property: Park Place, a manufacturer of car parking lifts, which dumped a lot of hydrolic oil on the site which has never been cleaned up. It is also in a flood plain: the site flooded badly during both hurricanes Floyd and Irene, and the data is clearly listed (and posted here once by Pat Gilleran.) There is also at least one leaking underground fuel storage tank.
Somehow none of this prevents Mr. Wilf from proceeding with his “luxury” 1 bedroom apartments. One has to wonder how he has managed to circumvent the clean-up regulations, the distance required from waterway

Ehere is a subcommittee of the P B that makes all decisions before anyone else has a chance to vote on anything: Hamilton, McGonigle, and La Quaglia. The PB is a joke. Have you seen any businesses that have come here and created jobs? Who benefits from this garbage? Not you or me!

There was no negotiation about the 30 year abatement. It was agreed to without real discussion. Yoshi Manale said, “It’s the only way I could get the developer to agree.” That development would bring about $1 million a year in taxes to the town. The same thing happened with the “affordable housing” project across from PD HQ. There is 20 year abatement at another $1 million a year. Don’t forget all of this is done with the mayor and Yoshi cutting the fire department and other town services. More residents=more strain on the schools and other town services that are already being “taxed”....I find it interesting that the mayor’s house WAS in foreclosure until the Oakes deal and downtown developer were chosen.

It is truly a disgrace. They should never build on a floodplain because we, the taxpayers, will have to bail out any flood victims. This is a scam on property owners in this town (both on home owners and small businesses).

Breaking News on Floyd St Homicide -- The Sopranos Redux?

When the Sopranos TV series filmed it's final scenes at Holsteins, Bloomfield became the penultimate tour bus stop for mafia fans. Most of the stops were at sites of fictional events in the series. The Floyd St, site of one of Bloomfield's rare real life killings, may soon become a DocuDrama unto itself.

It seemed strange to many locals that Bloomfield Police were not forthcoming with details in February's mysterious homicide. After all, when the owner of a popular arcade becomes the first murder victim in 3 years, residents in the area had many unanswered questions.

The mystery deepened when the FBI moved in, and the victim'Verona family refused comment.
Now, The NY Daily News has weighed in with new information suggesting that the killer and the victim may both have been mob informers. One of their sources is an intriguing website called Gangland News.

The latest news of an arrest of a Plainfield resident add new twists to the case.

Foley's Felis 50 This Sunday

Before it was ever a charitable event or a can-drive, the FELIS 50 was created as an opportunity for inspirational people: administrators, representatives, first-responders, to do something inspirational in full view of their constituents. To show their town what they're made of...An appreciation for the benefits of fitness, an appreciation for the joy of group activity, an appreciation for the power of charity.

Bloomfield resident Steve Crooks, who manages the event, hopes to break his personal record: "Anyone could see that these things are essential building-blocks of character in young people, " he says." Bloomfield Superintendent Bing certainly sees it. And for this year's FELIS 50, he's helping me carry the weight of promoting this event throughout the school system as part of his wellness initiative! Bravo!"

Crooks reminded potential spectators and participants alike of the charities involved; "You can drop off a ton of cans, and that's good. But it's not enough. You can write a big ol' check, and that's great, but it's not enough. Because cans alone aren't inspirational, and checks alone aren't inspirational. We need bodies on game day; students, teachers, councilmen, firemen, policemen, everyone. Bodies in motion, bodies in action. Because that's exactly what fitness is!"

Church on the Green Needs Some Green

Many towns have a town square or green as it's hub. Bloomfield has it's Presbyterian Church on the Green. It's as much an icon for our town as the Capitol Building is to Washington D.C.

In the past year, the structural stability of the church building has been compromised by a combination of record snows, deep freezes, and the strongest earthquake in the recorded history of the area. Services have been moved to the adjacent Church Sancuary.

A long term plan to restore and stabilize the building has begun to take shape and, hopefully, can be completed by the end of our Bicentennial Year.

Donations are welcome and can be sent directly to the Church at 147 Broad St., Bloomfield 07003, Checks should be made out to Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green and marked "Building Fund." [office phone: (973) 743-1796]

Congressman Donald Payne Dead at 77

Donald Payne, the 77 year old elder statesman of New Jersey's congressional delegation, died of colon cancer early this morning.

Payne was running for re-election in NJ's 10th Congressional District that had recently been expanded to include the southern half of Bloomfield. He was faced with a potential challenge from Ronald C. Rice, son of NJ State Senator, Ronald Rice. In a eulogy on his Facebook page, the Junior Mr. Rice issued the following statement:

Congressman Donald Payne was more than a son of Newark. He was an icon who was not only a trailblazer for New Jersey, but also a pioneer who made a real difference in the lives of all Americans, particularly African-Americans. What barriers existed, he helped tear down and showed future generations that the promise of America was accessible to all of us. I am truly in his debt, for I would not be here without him. God bless the Payne family. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

President Obama has ordered flags at the White House to be lowered to half staff, and Governor Christie has ordered the same throughout the state.

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.