The main issue they delved into was if the zoning permit was mistakenly issued to the school board and should have been denied because there was no board review or approval. The permit was issued by Charreun without board input.
Municipal Government
Planning Board Begins Review of Reintroduced Lackawanna Plaza Plan
“The beauty of it is we have new members, and our new members have new opinions,” Jacobson said about the board reviewing the project. “I’d be surprised if it’s the same outcome with new members,” he said.
Schlager Alleges Verbal Abuse from Two Council Members
Robin Schlager disclosed two incidences of alleged verbal abuse she experienced while in office from Councilor Bob Russo and David Cummings.
Seniors Rejoice after Council Votes for a Montclair Senior Center
It was a night long in the making, but Montclair’s modern agers will finally get the senior center they’ve been asking for, at the Mills Building. They also found their champion in interim manager Michael Lapolla.
Amended Complaint Alleges Fire Chief, Township of Continued Bias
Montclair Fire Chief John Hermann and the Township face new allegations of discrimination by two black firefighters in amended complaint
Montclair Resident Blasts Spiller, Gets a Subpoena (UPDATE)
“The attempt to intimidate a member of the public, and chill her First Amendment rights, is not only outrageous bullying – it is unconstitutional.”
Hostile, Retaliatory Work Environment Continues Under Lapolla, Montclair CFO Says
Rao alleges Lapolla excluded her from key aspects of her job, including the town’s operating budget and capital budget processes.
Council Approves Lackawanna Plaza Redevelopment –Again
The Montclair Township Council passed the new ordinance to approve the redevelopment plan for Lackawanna Plaza with a 5-1 vote
Montclair Township Makes Three New Hires, For $383K Annually
Montclair township hired three new officials including a new head of DCS and a new position – director of administration.
Council Do-Over: A New Ordinance for Lackawanna Plaza Redevelopment Plan Tuesday
A new ordinance to approve the redevelopment plan would supersede, repeal and replace the ordinance previously passed on October 10, 2023. It would also send the redevelopment plan back to the Planning Board for review.
Montclair Fire Chief to Retire End of March
Montclair Fire Chief John Herrmann has notified the town that he will retire, effective March 31. Herrmann has been chief since November 2014.
Judge Calls Out BoE, Township in Woodman Field Lawsuit
During oral arguments that lasted an hour, Judge Petrillo opined on the irony of the case calling it “Montclair vs. Montclair.”
Spiller Won’t Seek Re-Election
The announcement came just days after a deposition transcript from the Montclair CFO’s whistleblower case became public. Spiller invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege more than 400 times.
Montclair Votes to Hire GSG to Resolve $1 Million PSE&G Bill
Montclair has a PSE&G problem – hundreds of unpaid bills totaling close to one million dollars. The council voted to pay Government Strategies Group (GSG) $32K to figure out what Montclair truly owes.