Columns/Opinions

Volunteerism can take many forms, several of which have been on display this past week in Livingston.

The Planning Board recently revealed the township’s Master Plan, a wide-ranging document that is updated roughly every ten years. The plan was created by a group of hard-working volunteers who dedicated countless hours to completing it. Without the tireless efforts of those volunteers, township manager Barry Lewis said Livingston would have had to pay a large sum to complete the job. He said had the plan not been handled “in-house,” it would have likely been a six-figure burden on the taxpayers.

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Livingston Township’s website received a much-needed upgrade last week. A brand new site launched on April 5, powered by CivicPlus, a company that specializes in creating and running government websites. Users will immediately notice a more modern and dynamic look compared to the static former design of the site. The address remains the same, livingstonnj.org.

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For the first time since 2014, there will be a contested race for open seats on the Livingston Township Council. Five candidates, three incumbent Democrats and two Republicans, have filed petitions to fill the three open Council seats.

Democratic Council members Rudy Fernandez, Shawn Klein, and mayor Ed Meinhardt will seek reelection, while Republican challengers Brandon Minde and Debbie Burack will run against them.

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Regardless of where one falls on the political spectrum, we can all agree it is important to fulfill our democratic right to vote. To ensure as many residents as possible do so, an important deadline is coming up next week.

Next Wednesday, April 11, is the deadline to declare a change in party affiliation to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election on June 5.

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A report based on the results of a student survey administered by the Essex Prevention Coalition’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team (ADAPT) was released on the Livingston Public Schools website on Tuesday. The 31-question survey, taken by more than 2,200 Livingston students grades six through 12, sought to “shed light on and more accurately describe the ever-changing use of illicit drugs by youth,” according to ADAPT.

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During the first three weeks of April, Livingston Police officers are cracking down on distracted drivers. The department will target motorists engaging in dangerous behavior while driving, especially talking and sending text messages on cell phones.

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Could it be? Ten days into “spring,” have we finally seen the last of the snow?

According to the state climatologist, this area of New Jersey typically sees an annual average of about 40 inches of snowfall. Well, we were blanketed with 55.4 inches this year, and it sure felt like more.

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On Wednesday, March 14, about 1,000 students exited Livingston High School for 17 minutes, a response to those killed last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The students held signs, chanted, sang songs and read poems. They listed the names of each person who was killed in Parkland. They took a stance and let their voices be heard.

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At Monday night’s meeting, the Livingston Board of Education discussed potential changes to the 2017-18 school calendar that would prevent students from having to attend class next Monday, during what was scheduled as spring break. Changes would have added an additional day to the end of the calendar for students Pre-K through 11, while adding a Saturday at the end of April for seniors, all to keep spring break intact and provide the state-mandated 180 days of school.

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This week, March 11 through 17, is Sunshine Week, an annual national initiative to educate the public about the importance of open government and access to public information. Just by reading this editorial, you’re helping us celebrate. Sunshine Week is a non-partisan initiative celebrated annually in mid-March since 2005, coinciding with James Madison’s March 16 birthday. The week shines a spotlight on transparency and is a celebration of the freedom of information United States citizens are entitled to receive.

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