News

The Livingston Board of Education met on Monday evening, June 17. It was the final meeting for interim superintendent of schools Jim O’Neill, who is returning to retirement now that a new superintendent, Dr. Matthew J. Block, has been hired.

In attendance at the meeting were O’Neill’s wife, friends, members of the West Orange school district where he had also served, and members of the Livingston Township Council and township administration.

In bidding farewell to O’Neill – who has twice served the district as interim superintendent – Board of Education president Charles “Buddy” August thanked him for “saving this district twice.” Board members echoed his comments. Board vice president Ronnie Konner noted, “Jim has always exceeded our expectations in every way.”

During the Monday, June 17, Township Council conference meeting, Livingston Police Chief Gary Marshuetz addressed the Council members, providing an update on his first year in the position.

Chief Marshuetz took on the role in an acting capacity in summer 2018 before being officially sworn in as the department leader last September. He said his knowledge of the department and those preliminary months on the job allowed him to “hit the ground running” when he was formally named Chief of Police.

Among the issues he sought to address in his first few months were improving morale, giving the department a “small town feel,” projecting compassion, and being problem solving oriented. Much of this, particularly the morale, he said was improved by placing an added focus on the patrol division. The largest division in the department, Chief Marshuetz restructured certain positions to put four more officers on patrol without adding to LPD’s overall staff of 71 officers.

Editor’s Note: This week, in his own words, Livingston Philanthropies Inc. founder and director Jeff Friedman describes how Livingston residents’ donations to LPI have helped a Newark agency, the Bessie Green Community, Inc.
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It’s gratifying to see how our Livingston friends and nieghbors have come together to benefit a key Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) distribution partner, the Bessie Green Community, Inc. in Newark.
Known among its neighbors as “The Red Door,” the Bessie Green Community, located at North Reformed Church on Broad Street, has been serving the underprivileged of Newark since 1978. As one of LPI’s founding distribution partners, Bessie Green has received Livingston’s generous donations of new and gently used coats, family clothing, toiletries and cosmetics gift bags since LPI’s inception over eight years ago.

Livingston High School principal Mark Stern has announced that senior David Lin and Class of 2019 salutatorian Vanessa Hu are winners in the National Merit Scholarship competition. They were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program based on their “academic promise and distinguished performance.”

The winners were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the finalists and their high schools. These included the students’academic records, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by each of the finalists; and a recommendation written by a high school official.

Township officials and residents gathered at Town Hall on Wednesday, June 5, to raise the Pride flag in honor of Pride Week. At right, Livingston Police officer Kevin Mullaney addressed the crowd as mayor Al Anthony and LCDI co-chairmen Billy Fine and Keith Hines look on. NKP Photos

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Livingston Boy Scout Nirav Patel was presented with the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Award for extraordinary service, during a ceremony held on Sunday, May 19, at the Patriots Theater of the Trenton War Memorial.

Patel, a Livingston High School junior, was one of eight students receiving the award for Environmental Stewardship. The award was presented by Tahesha Way, New Jersey secretary of state; Sam Beard, co-founder of the Jefferson Awards; and Linda Bowden, president of PNC Bank New Jersey.

Livingston continues a favorite tradition this year by offering its 83rd annual July 4 celebration.

“Thanks to our sponsors, Livingston’s July 4th Celebration gets better every year!” said July 4th Committee co-chairman Scott Maynard.

The Livingston 4th of July Celebration kicks off at 9 a.m. and provides a full day of activities, leading up to the fireworks show at 9:15 p.m. “From the 26th annual Auto Show to the main stage concert – Wanted DOA, a Bon Jovi tribute band – and spectacular fireworks show, our celebration is packed with fun events. Bring your family and stay for the whole day!” continued Maynard.

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The Livingston Fire Department, which has been serving the community since 1921, has sent out its annual fundraising letter to the community this week. Under the leadership of full-time Fire Chief Chris Mullin and Assistant Chief Kevin Francione, the department currently operates with a contingent of 58 unpaid volunteer firefighters, and three volunteer Deputy Chiefs.

The members of the LFD are on call 24 hours a day.

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Editor’s Note: This week, Jeff “the Coat Guy” Friedman, founder and director of Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), has, in his own words, put out a call for volunteers before the beginning of the fall coat drive season.
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By Jeff Friedman
I’d like to open with this beautiful quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
Along with requesting continued generous donations of all sorts to provide for the poor, homeless and disenfranchised, I want the community to know that Livingston Philanthropies Inc., (LPI) needs volunteers for the fall when season nine begins.

At the Monday, June 3, Township Council regular meeting, the Council passed and proposed several bond ordinances, appropriating more than $10 million to improvements in the township. The ordinances provided appropriations for utility improvements. They included $1,195,000 for the sewer utility system, $2,430,000 for the water utility system, and $50,000 for the pool utility.

The sewer improvements will include work to the water pollution control facility, sewage pump stations, the primary digester, a facility transformer replacement, the replacement of a large pipe on Eisenhower Parkway, collection system improvements, roof upgrades, and the acquisition of a jet vac truck.

The water improvements will include work to the water utility system, including installation and replacement of water mains, renovations and improvements to water production wells, and assessments and renovations to water storage facilities.