Please join the Essex Fells Fire Department this Memorial Day on Monday, May 27, 2013 for an old-style town picnic on the Green.  Festivities will begin promptly after the parade in Caldwell (around noon) until 4:00 PM.  We will have games and activities for our kids and food and refreshments for all.

The Township of West Caldwell invites you to join the West Caldwell Swimming Pools. You can pay and sign up on line at the West Caldwell Pool website or by post by completing and mailing in the printable application form available in the link below.

The Essex County Clerk’s Office will be open as a public service on Saturday, June 1, 2013 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM to serve voters who are seeking Vote by Mail Applications for the upcoming Primary Election.

To prevent mosquitoes this summer, the Departments of Health and Environmental Protection are asking homeowners, businesses and contractors working on rebuilding to drain sources of standing water outdoors and routinely check property for containers collecting water where mosquitoes can breed.

Steps that residents, business owners and contractors can take to reduce populations of the insect on their properties include:

• At least once or twice a week, empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, and cans
• Check for clogged rain gutters and clean them out
• Remove discarded tires, and other items that could collect water
• Be sure to check for containers or trash in places that may be hard to see, such as under bushes or under your home

Essex Fells School has been identified as a “Reward School” by the NJ Department of Education. This outstanding distinction means that EFS is among the highest performing schools in the State as measured by school-wide proficiency and sub-group proficiency on the NJASK assessments. Our overall proficiency was greater than 90% over the past three years. Specifically, we are one of 48 “High Achieving” schools on the list and one of 17 elementary schools. The additional nine schools listed for this distinction are those that showed “High Growth.”

The Essex Fells Community should be extremely proud of this honor. The hard work and dedication of our staff and students has paid off in earning this grand status. Thank you for the continued support of Essex Fells School where “Studies Pass into Character.”

The Borough of Essex Fells was recently ranked among the top 50 of the best performing municipal websites in New Jersey. A recent project by the Monmouth University Polling Institute and the Graduate Program in Public Policy, looked at 540 New Jersey municipalities to determine the Best Practices for Municipal Websites, which included factors such as citizen interaction, online government services, and social networking.

“Obviously, we are thrilled that we came in among the top 50,” said Francine T. Paserchia, Administrator/Borough Clerk of Essex Fells. “Our website has a lot of content on it allowing residents to gain access to information themselves, which in turn has alleviated some calls coming into the office. We will continue to have more information posted to keep our residents informed and to work toward being No. 1!”

According to a 2011 Monmouth University poll, websites have become one of the most important tools for citizens to get information about their municipalities, and are the first place NJ residents go for information about their hometowns from local events and meetings to online services and emergency alerts.

Essex Fells’ website was built by AlphaDog Solutions (ADS), a NNJ municipal web design and management company representing 12 other municipalities. AlphaDog’s contract with the borough includes daily website content management, a feature that is becoming increasingly popular.

“If it wasn’t for AlphaDog Solutions and the tools they give us to get information out to our residents, we wouldn’t be in the top 50,” said Paserchia.

“While the Borough of Essex Fells’ website was professionally designed to be aesthetically pleasing, it is important to note that this ranking was not a design contest, it focused on content,” said Michael Melham, president of ADS.  “Essex Fells’ high ranking is a testament to the Borough’s Administration continued commitment to openness and transparency.” 

View Press Release

View Article That Appeared in Progress On April 11, 2013

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. and the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs invite the public to participate in Essex County’s 2013 Fishing Derby. The free events will be held in six locations in the Essex County Park System, with an evening fishing derby in Essex County Verona Park.

“Our fishing derbies are an excellent opportunity for our children to enjoy the historic Essex County Park System in a different and fun way. You’ll have a great time creating your own ‘big fish’ stories and spending some quality time with your friends and family in some of the most beautiful parks in the area,” DiVincenzo said. “I invite everyone to come out, cast their lines, Experience Essex and take a look at the improvements we are making to revitalize our parks,” he noted.

Sponsored by the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, each derby is free and open to children ages 15 and younger. All children must be accompanied by an adult and bring their own fishing pole, bait, bucket and chair. Prizes in various age categories for catching the first and most fish will be awarded at the conclusion of each derby.

Please be advised that the Essex Fells Borough Council is changing the date of their Regular May Meeting from May 21, 2013 to May 28, 2013.

The meeting is as follows:
   
        Date:        May 28, 2013

        Time:        7:00 p.m.

        Place:        Essex Fells Borough Hall
                Council Chambers - 2nd Floor
                255 Roseland Avenue
                Essex Fells, NJ 07021

Formal action will be taken at this meeting.

                            Francine T. Paserchia
                                   Borough Clerk

Click Here For Official Notice