Livingston Tribune

As the final Livingston Township Council meeting wound down on Monday, December 17, councilman Michael Silverman unexpectedly announced his resignation, effective January 1.

“I have been sitting on this dais for six years and, as most of you know, I, like everyone else, has had good days and tougher days, but on a whole, representing the people of Livingston is not only an honor but also a privilege,” Silverman said during the meeting. “I am saddened to have to say I am leaving this post. Earlier today, I submitted my formal resignation, effective January 1, 2019, to our township manager and township clerk.”

After 50-plus years in town, Silverman said he and his wife Daena have decided to downsize their living conditions and will purchase a townhouse in West Orange.

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John A. Pannucci, 93, a former Livingston resident and a 30-year resident of Manchester, died at his son’s home on Sunday, December 10. The family will receive friends on Friday, December 14, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals in Toms River. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, December 15, at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Roman Catholic Church in Lakehurst. Condolences may be shared at ryanfuneralhome.com.

Mr. Pannucci was born in Orange and lived in Livingston before moving to Manchester. He also spent 25 years wintering in Delray Beach, Florida. He was a long-time parishioner of St. Philomena Church in Livingston and St. John’s in Lakehurst.

Prior to retirement, Mr. Pannucci was a computer systems analyst and programmer for the Department of the Army. He was a member of the Leisure Village West Bocce Club, the Italian-American Club, and various computer clubs.

Patricia “Trish” Duffy, 65, of Livingston, died Monday, December 3. Visitation was held on Sunday, December 9, at the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home of Livingston. A funeral Mass was offered on Monday, December 10, at St. Philomena’s Church, Livingston, followed by interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.

Born in Newark, Mrs. Duffy was a lifelong resident of Livingston and member of St. Philomena Roman Catholic Parish. She attended St. Philomena’s grammar school (now known as Aquinas Academy), and later was graduated from East Orange Catholic High School. She then attended Mount Ida College and Montclair State University.

The Northern New Jersey FIRST LEGO League Championship concluded December 8 and 9 with team Exit 5ARobotics, an all-girls robotics team from Livingston and a member of the Livingston Robotics Club (LRC), taking home the crown jewel of the two-day event: the first place Champion’s Award. Exit 5A will be representing the region at the FIRST World Festival in Detroit, Michigan next April.

Two other LRC teams that advanced to the State Championship also went home with trophies: Team Adroit Robotics of Livingston received the second place Project Research Award, and team Flame Machines of Millburn earned the second place Robot PerformanceAward with 238 points.

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Representatives of Essex County presented plans on Tuesday evening for the Phase I refurbishment of Riker Hill Art Park. No mention of the timing or plans for a second phase were presented, although additional renovations were alluded to during the meeting.

Representatives of Suburban Consulting, a firm hired by the county to prepare plans for theArt Park, had met with interested residents and artists in January and again in October to discuss the needs for the site. The final Phase I plan presented on Tuesday was a result of input from the previous meetings.

Shortly after the October meeting, explained Joe Perello of Suburban Consulting, work at the site began with curb replacements, stop signs, drainage improvements, road striping and new entrance signs.

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The Board of Education on Monday night reviewed aspects of the superintendent search and the sixth grade 1:1 technology implementation. It also held a discussion on a potential policy about its use of social media, and heard concerns from several parent organization presidents.

Superintendent Search Process

On Monday, December 17, at 7 p.m., the district will hold a public forum to solicit feedback on the characteristics that members of the community would like to see in the next superintendent of schools. It will be held at the central office, and livestreamed so that individuals will be able to participate from home.

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A quick-thinking FedEx driver and the immediate response of the Livingston Police Department led to the arrest of a New York man who was caught attempting to intercept packages containing iPhones that were addressed to a resident. The incident occurred last month and the man was charged at the conclusion of the investigation this week.

At about 4:52 p.m. on November 9, police responded to a call from a FedEx driver who reported that two men had approached him on Bonnyview Drive and inquired about a delivery for a house on that street.

The driver was suspicious, believing that the men were trying to intercept the package before it was delivered. The driver stalled the men and notified police with a description of the car that the men were operating.

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The Livingston Board of Education voted unanimously on Monday to amend this year’s calendar and approve a partial day on Friday, December 21, the last day of school before the winter break. Business administrator Steven Robinson said the change will not set precedent for future years.

Students will be dismissed as follows: elementary schools at 12:15 p.m.; middle schools at 12:45 p.m.; and Livingston High School at 12 p.m.

Acknowledging that the calendar change may pose an issue for working parents, the district will arrange aftercare, if needed, for K-6 students who are not currently enrolled in an after school program. Staff supervision will be provided on site through the regular dismissal time.

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After weather delayed its formal opening, local families are now enjoying the Camuso holiday display near the gazebo at the Livingston Oval. The display will be open through New Year’s. A ceremony was held Wedneday evening, December 5, at the Camuso holiday display commemorating the fourth night of Chanukah. Shown at right, Rabbi Cliff Kulwin of Temple B’nai Abraham recites the blessings associated with the lighting of the fourth “candle” on the menorah. The official “Lights on” opening ceremony for the display was rescheduled from December 1 due to rain. It was held instead this past Saturday, December 8, coinciding with a scheduled appearance by Santa Claus. In addition to Santa’s visit, which was sponsored by Livingston UNICO, the festivities included Clydesdale horses, family wagon rides, pony rides, and a petting zoo.

The Livingston High School fencing team will open its season on Saturday, December 15, with a quad meet at home against Montclair, Millburn and Columbia. Shown here, fencing coach Jeannette Ng demonstrates the attack point position to three LHS fencers, senior Jeremy Huang, junior Isabella Lima, and senior Joshua Olovyannikov. Don Schwartz Photo

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