Week In Review: GOP Gets New Freeholder Nominee; Par-Troy Council Affected

: Morris County Freeholder Margaret Nordstrom is the new Republican nominee in the general election. In a special GOP county committee vote last Monday, Nordstrom defeated challenger William "Hank" Lyon 213-208. The committee vote was ordered by Superior Court Judge Thomas Weisenbeck last week after he decided to overturn Lyon's primary election win over Nordstrom, citing apparent voter fraud and an unreported last-minute donation to Lyon's campaign. Lyon is appealing the judges' ruling.

: The Nordstrom-Lyon controversy played a part in the Parsippany Township Council meeting last Tuesday. Robert Crawford, who ran unsuccessfully against council member Vincent Ferrara in the June primary, called for the state attorney general to investigate the election. Crawford pointed to Parsippany primary election absentee ballot irregularities that were discussed in the freeholder court case, where testimony implicated a campaign worker for Team Parsippany, the Republican Town Council incumbent candidate ticket, which includes Ferrara. Crawford called on the council members to join him in calling for a probe into potential voter fraud. Council members and candidates Michael dePierro and Brian Stanton insisted that Team Parsippany did nothing wrong and said they would welcome an investigation. (New council member Paul Carifi Jr. is listed as a Team Parsippany member on the ticket's website, but he ran against the ticket in the Republican primary and defeated John Fox, who now sits on the Morris County Board of Elections. Carifi did not join the ticket until after the June election, and thus had no connection to or involvement with the ticket's primary race activities.) Ferrara's response to his rival Crawford seemed more personal than political: "I will not join you in anything," he said. 

: In other news, the Town Council approved a resolution codifying a deal between the town and sewage treatment firm Synagro at its Tuesday meeting. Under the 20-year-pact, officials say Synagro will cover all expenses surrounding the $60 million upgrade of Parsippany's incinerator plant. Synagro will pay the township a $1 million host fee along with an annual plant rental fee of $100,000 per year. In exchange, Parsippany will pay Synagro to handle its waste at a discounted rate. The agreement goes into effect only if Synagro earns  approval and permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Town attorneys say that in order to win EPA and DEP approval, the project must pose zero threat to the community.

: The Parsippany Board of Education heard an earful from angry third grade parents from Troy Hills Elementary School. A number of people at the Thursday BOE meeting shared their feelings regarding a third-grade section that has 26 students. The parents want a new third-grade class to be created to maintain a more productive learning atmosphere for their children. Board President Frank Calabria referred the matter to the BOE's Policy Committee, which will make a decision on the matter. Superintendent LeRoy Seitz said that if the committee decides to grant the parents' request, a new class could be running by Oct. 6.

: The Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment continued hearing testimony for a proposed townhouse development on Mountain Way at its Wednesday night meeting. Testimony from the developer's representatives took place at previous meetings. This time, Rick Jilleba, resident and founder of Preserve Mountain Way, an organization that opposes the townhome development, flipped the usual script. Jilleba enlisted his own licensed planner to testify on his behalf. Board Chairperson Robert Iracane said consideration will continue Nov. 16, when pro-development attorney Robert Garofalo will have a chance for rebuttal. Residents will have the opportunity to express their views as well.