RANDOLPH, NJ - The Randolph Township Council convened for the second time this month for a Regular Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
The meeting opened with a proclamation by Mayor Christine Carey recognizing October 23, 2024 as Shongum Elementary School Day. The elementary school was founded in 1969, and it recently celebrated its 55th anniversary.
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“The school’s success,” said Carey, “is a reflection of the commitment of its teachers, administrators, support staff, students, parents, alumni, volunteers and community partners who work together to create a positive and enriching educational experience.”
A second proclamation was also made by Mayor Carey recognizing the observance of Diwali - an annual Festival of Lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists. This year, the holiday will be from Thursday, October 31 to Friday, November 1.
Town manager Gregory V. Poff II announced SeeClickFix, the in-development Citizens Request Manager (CRM) app, will be released to the Randolph public on Tuesday, November 12th. The app will allow residents to quickly and efficiently report incidents around town.
Poff also announced that Randolph has been recommended for a $93,148 grant to design a 1.14-mile gravel and boardwalk trail connecting Dover Chester Road to Calais Road and Veterans Community Park.
The 2024 Randolph Leaf Collection Program will begin the week of October 19.“Residents can locate their district number by referring to the ‘Leaf Collection Program Street and District list’ on the township’s website,” said Poff, “any other inquiries can be directed to the Department of Public Works at (973) 989-7066.”
Councilwoman Denise Thorton reminds residents that it is renewal time for those who have beds in the Randolph Community Garden, “[The garden is] considering also doing a ‘New Gardners Training Session’ for any new gardeners who will be coming in for next season to include what the gardeners' responsibilities are.”
Thornton also reported that Randolph has contracted with Corby Associates Inc. for a playground safety inspection program. “Corby will review and provide safety recommendations on all the parks’ playgrounds,” said Thorton, “From there, the park staff are scheduled to attend playground safety training on October 30th through the Joint Insurance Fund.”
Thorton, who is also the president of the Randolph Library’s Board of Trustees, noted a recent statistic that found the approximate monthly circulation for the town’s library is about 22,000 items per month, and the daily circulation averages about 800 items per day.
Councilmember Helene Elbaum announced the Randolph Trunk-or-Treat will be on Saturday, October 26 at Brundage Park, and the Randolph Turkey Trot will be on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28.
Elbaum, who serves as a Council Liaison for the Randolph Board of Health, also expressed that they are currently working on a plan to further publicize the locations of AED devices within the town parks.
“Even though we already posted everything on the town website regarding the location of the AEDs, [the Board of Health] didn’t feel it was substantiated enough,” said Elbaum, “Hopefully, we can get signs on the fields as to where the AEDs are located.”
Councilwoman Joanne Veech relayed that the Randolph Planning Board has recently approved a drive-thru for the Dunkin’ on State Route 10.
Deputy Mayor Joe Hathaway presented a few ordinances that will likely be discussed by the council before the end of this year, including: codifying property tax exemptions for 100%-disabled veterans, updating the Randolph Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP), clarifying the conditions and upholding the maintenance of town sidewalks, and updating the town’s site plan application process with the Planning Board.
Mayor Carey closed out the public portion of the meeting by announcing she will be attending the Mental Health Association Annual Legislative Breakfast at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park to “hear issues about the potential impact on individuals and families whose lives are affected by mental illness.”
The next Randolph Town Council meeting will be held on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at 6pm at the Randolph Town Municipal Building - it is open to the public.