Township of Verona Newsletter
November 2020
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The Township of Verona website remains the primary source for all information.
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From the Verona Police Department |
Verona has recorded the highest number of COVID positive test results in all of West Essex since October 1st. During this 47 day period, we accounted for 1/3 of all our positive results over the 246 days since our first positive test.
Wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands. It works!
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Essex County COVID-19 Testing Sites |
Expanded Hours and Sites ~ 500 Tests Available Each Day. All sites offer Nasal Swab Testing.
• Wednesday, November 18th, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., Essex County College West
Market Street Parking Deck, 303 University Avenue, Newark
• Thursday, November 19th, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., Seton Hall University, 400 South Orange Avenue, South Orange
• Friday, November 20th, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Essex County Weequahic Park, Meeker Avenue entrance, Newark
• Saturday, November 21st, 8 a.m. to 12 Noon, Essex County South Mountain
Recreation Complex, Archery Field, Cherry Lane, West Orange
• NEW! Wednesday, November 25th, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Verona Community Pool Parking Lot, 257 Fairview Avenue, Verona
To make an appointment,
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$2 Million Grant Program to Help Essex County Residents With Mortgage Assistance |
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that Essex County is allocating $2 million for a grant program to help residential property owners from Essex County who have been negatively impacted by the Coronavirus and are behind on their mortgage payments. Applications for the Essex County Coronavirus Mortgage Assistance Program are now available and can be found at https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/essexcountynj/Participant. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.
In addition to completing a short questionnaire, applicants must be able to provide proof of income loss on or after March 1, 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic. The property for which the applicant is seeking assistance must be their primary residence. Any grant awards from Essex County will be paid directly to the lending institution.
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Special Thanksgiving Food Distribution Event |
Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at 9 a.m.
Essex County Branch Brook Park
Cherry Blossom Welcome Center, Newark, NJ
Enter Park Via Heller Parkway
It will be held RAIN or SHINE.
• Enter Branch Brook Park via Heller Parkway or other southern entrances.
• No Left Turns allowed into Cherry Blossom Welcome Center Parking Lot.
• No arrivals before 8 a.m.
• Drivers must keep their windows rolled up and open their trunk.
• Walk ups are welcome; Buses cannot be served.
• 1,500 boxes to be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Electric, gas and water utilities have suspended shut-offs during the crisis. If you’re behind on payments, you'll still have to pay eventually so pay what you can now. The Department of Community Affairs offers assistance with utility bills.
To find out if you’re eligible, call 2-1-1 or visit for a full listing of assistance programs http://nj.gov/dca/dcaid.
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Don't Forget the #9PMRoutine |
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PLEASE NOTE: Overnight Parking has been extended through December 31st and will be reevaluated at that time.
We kindly ask that if you have the space in your driveway, please park your vehicles there, as overnight street parking is intended for special circumstances, i.e. driveway paving, visitors, etc.
Note: In the event of any snow fall later in the year, vehicles will still have to be removed from the roadway for storm clean up as required.
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PlanetCivic Question on Overnight Parking |
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The Township wants to hear from you about overnight parking |
How do you feel about the Township’s current overnight parking regulations?
The Township is seeking feedback from residents through the PlanetCivic platform on its current overnight parking regulations and future plans.
In an effort to ease some of the burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have refrained from enforcing the overnight parking rules through the end of December 2020. Please let us know if you are in favor of reverting back to the overnight restrictions or if you prefer the current relaxed regulations.
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Small Business Saturday:
Saturday, November 28th
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Now, more than ever, we need to support our local businesses. Please consider supporting Verona businesses as much as possible as you prepare for the holiday shopping season. Keep an eye out for local ads, specials and ordering info here:
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New Recycling Tagging Program |
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The Township has implemented a Recycling Tagging Program in an effort to fight recycling contamination. Recycling contamination has caused us to see an increase in fines and penalties since regulations on accepted materials have significantly tightened the past couple of years. The Township began "tagging and leaving" curbside recycling containers with an unacceptable amount of contaminated materials on November 1st. This only affects commingled materials placed at the curb.
A Township employee checks certain streets in a different quadrant of town each week on the designated day prior to the collection company making their rounds and tag recycling bins that contain an obvious amount of unaccepted materials, such as plastic bags, garbage, hazardous materials, etc. The collection company has been notified to leave any tagged bins at the curb.
Any tagged container is logged and maintained through DPW and the Department of Administration. Multiple violations will result in a followup letter explaining the proper way to recycle. The goal of this program is to reprogram people's recycling behaviors. Many residents are guilty of "aspirational recycling", meaning they are trying to do the right thing but it is actually making the situation worse and costing the taxpayers money.
Questions or concerns on the tagging program can be directed to the Administration Department via email at stneale@veronanj.org or 973-239-4921.
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Connor lives in Verona with his parents, Ethan and Michelle, and his adorable younger sister, Marissa. Connor Barshay is a quiet, caring, 13-year-old boy whose passions include playing video games, cooking with his family, goofing around with his good friends, and making his own brand of hot sauce. Connor is also living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Duchenne is a rare, particularly devastating form of the inherited progressive muscular weakness disorder. Currently, there is no cure. Though you would never know it by talking to him, Connor lives in a constant state of pain and battles feelings of frustration at not being able to join his friends in activities like sports or bike riding. Through it all, he manages to stay in good spirits and takes great pleasure in the activities he can participate in, like cooking, gardening, and spending time enjoying the outdoors.
Recently, Connor was walking to his bedroom to play video games and his legs gave out. It was a bad fall. After a few hours, the pain had not subsided as it usually did. This time was different; Connor had broken his femur, which put him at risk of several life-threatening complications, including fat embolism syndrome. Ethan and Michelle had to call 911. They had no other way to get Connor out of their house safely or put him in a car while keeping his leg immobilized. In an instant, they were at the mercy of others to get him anywhere.
VeronaTogether has created a fundraiser to help this local family in need! Please consider making a donation to this worthy cause.
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Visit Our Online Calendar For Meeting Dates, Events & More |
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