Acupuncture in Mendham Township, NJ

MENDHAM, NJ — Ash trees have been dying at increased rates in Mendham Township, according to a representative of the Mendham Township Tree Protection Committee.

Concerns over public safety and the increase in dying trees have led the Mendham Township Committee to introduce an ordinance that would allow for funds to be allocated for the removal of dangerous and infected trees.

The ordinance would authorize the township to use money from the Open Space Trust Fund to cut, remove, or otherwise make safe parts of open space and recreation areas traversed by trails and hiking paths open to the public.

At the July 24 committee meeting, Brian Hays, a representative of the Mendham Township Tree Protection Committee, told the mayor and committee members that the township's infection rate has been steadily increasing over the years.

Hays warned against increased activity from the emerald ash borer beetle and asked residents to check their trees for this destructive infestation. This invasive species kills ash trees by tunneling through the bark, disrupting the tree's vascular system, and preventing nutrients from reaching the leaves.

Find out what's happening in Mendham-Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Infested ash trees can quickly deteriorate and become dangerous, with limbs falling on your personal property, your neighbor's personal property, sidewalks and roadways.

According to Hayes, the Tree Protection Committee was awarded a grant five years ago to inventory all of Mendham Township's roads for ash trees. When they finished the survey, the total was around 5,000.

"Because of the scope of the problem and the number of trees, the township committee passed an ordinance, placing the responsibility of removing the dead or hazardous trees in the township right of way on the property owner," Hays said.

According to Hayes, leaving the burden in the hands of the public was causing concern among the committee due to the rapid progression of ash tree disease. "Considering the potential liability in the event of an injury or death, it makes sense to address the trees with advanced deterioration as soon as possible," Hays said.

The ordinance, which the committee must yet approve, would limit the town's use of Open Space Trust Fund money to six months. Officials stated that the funds might also be utilized to educate the public and issue cautions about wild or distant regions where tree removal is impractical.

According to the municipality, the ordinance was necessary since the cost of managing and cutting down potentially hundreds of ash trees exceeded the usual municipal budget's restrictions.

The ash tree now accounts for approximately 10 percent of the tree canopy in Mendham Township, and the disease is expected to wipe off all of those trees over time as the disease spreads.

MENDHAM, NJ — Mendham Township Middle School, in cooperation with the Morris County School Boards Association and the New Jersey School Boards Association, has nominated its 2024 Unsung Hero.

This year, that honor has been given to eighth-grade student Francessca Voyles.

What makes an unsung hero? According to the program, it is a person who does great deeds but receives little or no recognition. These students have overcome great difficulties and persevered.

The award is given out annually by the NJSBA to sixth, eighth and twelfth grade students who demonstrate quiet leadership and model citizenship.

The Mendham Township Middle School teachers and staff who nominated Voyles agree that she is a true example of an unsung hero.

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“We are so proud of Francessca. Sometimes our fantastic students don’t always get the loudest applause or the biggest cheers,” says Mendham Township Middle School Principal Dr. PJ. Ciccone. “This award is a perfect opportunity for us teachers and administration to shout them out.”

The New Jersey School Boards Association aims to uplift students who make outstanding contributions to their schools and communities but are often overlooked by other traditional student recognition programs.

Voyles, along with other students from Morris County, will have the opportunity to be among the county’s Unsung Heroes of 2024.

At Mendham Township Middle School, Voyles demonstrates her leadership and dedication in the sports arena as the captain of the soccer team.

"She helps support her fellow teammates and stepped up to take on the position of goalkeeper—one of the most difficult and integral positions on the field—when the team needed it most," district officials said.

Academically, Voyles excels in mathematics, earning a seat in Honors Algebra 1. Her versatility in and out of the classroom sets a positive example for her peers. Her willingness to lend a helping hand has created a supportive and inclusive environment, fostering success not only for herself but for those around her, the district said in a statement.

"She has garnered respect from peers, teachers, and the administration alike, which led to her teachers and staff at MTMS to nominate her," district officials said.

The wait is nearly over, as plans to open the new Dunkin' on Main Street could come to fruition as early as next week.

MENDHAM, NJ — After several years of waiting, multiple trips before the borough's planning board, and the cancellation of plans for a drive-thru, the new Dunkin' on Main Street could open as soon as next week.

According to Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner, the owner of the new coffee and donut shop stated that they are awaiting final approval from the town engineer before opening.

"Once that sign-off has been completed, he said he can be open in a matter of days. He's hoping for a soft opening next week," Serrano Glassner said.

The coffee shop, which has been described as a "next-generation Dunkin restaurant," was approved for 25 East Main Street in December 2018, following initial public objections to the proposed drive-thru.

At the time, the borough stated that although the use of a fast food restaurant is permitted in the HB Zone, a drive-thru is not. As a result, the applicant petitioned the Board of Adjustment for "d" variance relief to allow the drive-thru.

This application, however, did not proceed to hearings and was withdrawn in the face of significant apparent opposition, particularly from residents near the site. Following that, the applicant revised its plan by removing the drive-thru.

Since the approval, some residents have expressed concerns on social media about preserving the borough's historic nature, claiming that the modern signage did not fit the community's character. "I am a DD fan, but I think the huge Dunkin sign could have been made to look a little more colonial since we live in such a historic town," one resident wrote on Facebook.

Mayor Serrano Glassner, on the other hand, claims that Dunkin fulfilled all of the State, County, and Municipal requirements for opening a business while also designing a building that is historically consistent with the borough.

"As Mayor, I am honored to welcome new businesses like Dunkin's. Dunkin's has so much they will be contributing to our community, including the beautiful design of the building, which is historically consistent with our Main Street area. I've had countless residents ask me when they are opening, so I know Dunkin's will be getting a warm reception when they open their doors and serve up those first Munchkins," Serrano Glassner said.

The new location is Dunkin's only one in the Medhams; the closest other location is at 112 US-206 in Chester.

Patch is asking candidates for their views on issues in the West Morris Regional District. Here are candidate Christina Lee's answers:

Vianella Burns, Patch Staff

MENDHAM, NJ — Election Day is nearing, and Mendham voters will soon head to the polls to cast their votes for a seat on the regional high school board.

Patch sent questionnaires to all candidates, seeking their responses. Here is the response from candidate Christina Lee.

Editor's Note: Patch emailed all candidates at the email addresses listed for their campaigns in the clerk's office. The responses will be revealed between now and the general election on November 7. These comments will be published with just minor stylistic changes. Candidates who wish to participate but did not receive an invitation should email [email protected].

Name: Christina Lee

Age: 49

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Town of Residence: Mendham Township since 2008

Position Sought: Mendham Township representative for the West Morris Regional High School Board of Education

Family: My husband, Randy and I have been married for 16 years. We have a daughter who is attending WMRHS as a freshman and a son who is in 7th grade at MTMS.

Education: Worcester State University, BS/Health Education

Occupation: I work for a healthcare performance improvement company. I help hospitals identifysavings opportunities and recommend products & solutions to support their goals.

Why are you seeking a run for school board?

As a parent with children in the school system, I have a vested interest in the quality of their education and I am running for the school board to add a fresh perspective and voice to issues that concern Mendham Township residents.

What is a pressing issue in the school district?

After speaking with many parents, one of the most pressing issues is the lack of transparency. Specifically, the process of how books, also referred to as “resource texts” are chosen. The educational content being presented to students has changed dramatically over the years.

Earlier in 2023, there was community outrage regarding a resource text utilized in an English senior class called “FUN HOME.” This a graphic novel and contains pornographic images of people having sex. The images show oral sex, a picture of a topless 11-year-old girl, masturbation, explicit language and contains sexual metaphors meant to stimulate arousal. Despite over 470 people objecting to having this book in the classroom, my opponent ignored those voices and voted in favor of the book. He justified his vote by saying he created a “winning compromise” by allowing it to be a “student choice.”

Opposing parents call it an “OPT OUT” Either way, it is not a solution. Teachers have already expressed they don’t know how to teach two texts simultaneously and students could be potentially be ostracized for their decision or feel the social pressures to OPT IN.

Sadly, I have discovered that highly sexual content is now common to find at almost all grade levels within the classroom setting. A mother recently shared with me that her daughter, while in 11th-grade Spanish class, watched an R rated movie called “Like Water for Chocolate.” Her daughter was shocked to find this movie included people having sex & was shown full frontal nudity of both men and women. I was told permission slips weren’t required in this classroom of 16-year-old students. You may be asking yourself, why would a Spanish class select a movie that shows people having sex? I don’t know the answer to that, but what I can share with you is that under the leadership of my opponent, a policy was created that eliminated the board’s oversight responsibilities for the curriculum and book selection content.

The board is in place for this exact reason, to provide oversight. In addition, under his leadership, there was no documentation found supporting FUN HOME’s approval. “FUN HOME” and “Like Water for Chocolate” are distractions to learning. We need to focus on improving our academic performance. US News and World Report has shown West Morris High School has dropped 3 years in a row while competing districts have kept their ratings.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

In addition to what I outlined above, I have children in the school system which gives me a personal stake in the quality of their education. My opponent does not. I hear directly from other students, parents, and educators which provides me with many unique perspectives.

For the past 9 years, working for a healthcare performance improvement company has provided me with the experience of collaborating with people of varying backgrounds and has equipped me with the knowledge and experience to support effective strategies that will ensure the wise use of our tax dollars.

The information I have acquired over the years is transferrable to the education system. If permitted, I can provide guidance on how the school may be able to take advantage of savings opportunities, for example, in the area of nutrition, facilities management & purchased services.

What special qualifications do you bring to help meet the challenge?

In life, I try to take a common-sense approach to evaluating circumstances where there are mixed interpretations and beliefs. There is a significant difference between providing accurate, age-appropriate sexual education versus simply exposing minors to sexually explicit content just for the sake of it. It is known that exposing kids to graphic material that is not age-appropriate has negative consequences to their mental health.

I feel it is contradictory when a school shares a growing concern about the mental health issues students are facing while simultaneously exposing students to sexual content that they are unable to emotionally process.

In addition, I find it hard to believe that implementing a policy that says our school does not condone the use of sexually explicit material in the classroom would somehow narrow our pool of talented teachers. Furthermore, the argument that the content is somehow okay because minors are already likely exposed to it is negligent in my eyes.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

As I have been walking door to door, it appears I am being labeled as a “book banner”. I am sure the title “movie banner” is coming soon. I am not advocating book or movie banning. I find this description very narrow-minded. I am simply against the use of any pornography/sexually explicit material as part of the school’s curriculum. We could never show this type of material in the corporate world. Why are we encouraging it in the school system? If a family wants expose their kids to this type of material, it can still be purchased online, checked out of the library or be streamed. Lastly, I am really excited about the opportunity to serve my community that I have grown to love so much.

If you are interested in learning more about my candidacy, please visit my website, www.votelee4boe.com.

Mendham Township Schools announced the teachers and support professionals honored in the Governor's Educator of the Year program.

MENDHAM, NJ — The Mendham Township School District has announced the teachers and education support professionals of the year for the 2023–24 school year, who are being honored through the Governor's Educator of the Year program.

The program honors teachers and support professionals for their efforts to engage students and help them grow in and out of the classroom.

The district nominated two teachers and two educational services professionals for the 2023–2024 Governor’s Educator of the Year Program.

The Governor’s Educator of the Year nominees are:

“We are so proud of our amazing faculty, exemplifying what it means to be an educator. Each one demonstrates our motto—every student, every day—by giving our children the attention and dedication they need to succeed,” said Superintendent Sal Constantino. “These professionals continue to elevate Mendham Township schools and truly deserve this recognition."

Find out what's happening in Mendham-Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to the district, Lombardo, a fourth-grade teacher, works hard to foster a sense of community in her classroom. She strives to instill a love of learning in each of her kids and goes out of her way to ensure that students look forward to going to school.

She received her bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and is currently pursuing her Mindful-Based Stress Reduction Certificate from Brown University.

Clark, Mendham Township Elementary School counselor, is passionate about assisting children in developing skills that promote good emotional and physical habits. She has been working in education for almost 20 years and specializes in counseling. She thinks that all students have the right to safe, high-quality care and that a loving environment promotes student progress.

Butler has been a tremendous help to MTMS's Special Education department. She has 27 years of experience teaching grades 5-8 and has helped kids study a wide range of courses. She earned a dual degree in elementary education and special education from Seton Hall University.

DePugh is the athletic director of Mendham Township Middle School. He is dedicated to assisting students in excelling in physical education. He consistently encourages students to achieve their best and strive for their full potential.

The Governor’s Educator of the Year Program encourages all New Jersey school districts to select “exceptionally skilled and dedicated” staff members for recognition. The recognition is intended to showcase educators who have created an inviting culture in the classroom and among families and colleagues.