Lyndhurst Schools for Our Students"

MY LYNDHURST APP - Repost from 2016- Written by Richard DiLascio & Chris Musto.

We can utilize current apps already in place to create contact tracing protocols for the Lyndhurst Community. Let's think as a community not individual departments. There is no need to hire individuals to advise and create committees. This is crisis action not long term planning - but can be utilized as such in the future. We already have the tools in place to protect our community. Let's use them. Think about it.

Below written in 2016 by Richard DiLascio and Chris Musto

There must be a more effective way of connecting our residents and businesses with the Township of Lyndhurst. Access to public information and open communication play a vital role in supporting our community. The Township website and direct access to Township employees during business hours are reliable, but the reality is most of us lead busy lives and are always on-the-go.

Introducing ‘My Lyndhurst’, a personalized phone app that provides instant, twenty-four hour access to the Township. This free and convenient app would allow residents to interact with all the various Township departments more effectively all in one spot, your hands.

Starting with the Police Department, residents can call the police, report suspicious activity and receive alerts/ notices for inclement weather, road closures, missing persons, etc. Perhaps there could be the ability to download police reports.

Tap on the Public Works Department to pay your water and sewer bill, report a leak or problem with your water and sewer or download the latest water testing reports. Forgot what day to put out the trash or recyclables? Just enter your address and save for future reference. In addition, there is potential for residents to request a tree planting, pruning or report a tree hazard.

Tap on the Parks Department for a listing of Township parks and recreation facilities, reserve a field, register for sports leagues, etc. ‘My Lyndhurst’ could allow residents to access the Tax Department to pay taxes or download and view tax documents.

Tap on the Building Department to file a permit, upload plans and forms or pay for permits. In addition, residents could track all open and closed building permits on their property, schedule an inspection or report a potential code violation.

The app would be a great portal for local businesses to advertise and post promotions or coupons helping to fund the app. The app could even provide instant access to restaurant menus or order food.

‘My Lyndhurst’ would also provide access to most of the information already on the Township website such as community events, public notices and municipal budgets

At the LBOE’s public zoom meeting, school Superintendent Grieco’s report provided numbers of COVID cases, showing how they can spike at a very rapid rate. The numbers reported unfortunately aren’t broken down enough to provide for an informed decision – source, extent, etc., – in a fashion that can be followed and in a closer to “real time” manner. Parents are being asked to make decisions based on older, somewhat incomplete information. Mr. Grieco is obviously a concerned leader; (and I am sure, a concerned parent,) this reporting method is a consequence we may be able to improve upon by placing a “Dashboard” on our websites.

More than just a ticker showing the number of cases, it can be a breakdown of additional information about “active cases,” that can help make informed decisions. And of course, beyond our schools and parents, this information needs to be used by our township when deciding when, where and whether to conduct sporting and other community events. As I believe school board member Elaine Stella was asking, did we see this spike as a result of community sports activity? A great question we all ask, if only to point out, again, that these are the same children – no ulterior motives, no blame, just asking for information. You can’t close schools and open community sports. The same as you can’t close younger grades at one school and have older siblings attend upper grades in-seat. We seem to recognize contact tracing, but, ignore the source of contact.

The Dashboard can have a color coded “Risk” analysis, as a banner – green, low risk, advancing to red, high risk, an easy visual. A “comparison of source,” may show us if a particular event or gathering, ie. youth-basketball, appears to be a commonality of COVID occurrence – can it operate safely? In any event, as to our schools, when municipal risk moves to red, it’s time to “STUDY IN PLACE,” and for all sports, time to “TAKE A PAUSE.” No one wants it to be this way, but it seems necessary.

Educational programming must always continue whether in seat or remotely. I always believed it never stops, not for summer, not when you graduate, it’s a lifetime process. And I stick with my earlier writing about keeping staff and the process safe. The “Dashboard” (pictured, is a start to the process,) can give us a view of what’s happening, so parents, staff, and the community-at-large can make informed decisions – feel more in control and confident. Our trained, certificated nursing staff, public health nurses, local and county health departments can make this happen, together with our web providers and tech experts - already on staff – leaders are already in place, no need for new hires – after a year it’s too late for committees, it’s time to lead.

Can Lyndhurst lose its zoning power? How will that impact the redevelopment of Lincoln School? Who’ll make decisions on what’s to be built? What’s a builder’s remedy lawsuit? Can it happen in Lyndhurst?

50 years ago, the NJ Constitution was interpreted in a way that could force a municipality to provide low to moderate income affordable housing. The obligation to provide affordable housing is commonly referred to as its “fair share.” NJ was assigned a number of units to provide. Municipalities were then assigned a share of that number, based on a fairly complex criteria, some of which centers on available area for development. Municipalities do not have to build units, just provide a plan for where affordable housing can be built.

Lyndhurst hasn’t adopted a blueprint or Fair Share Housing Plan, so what happens? Lyndhurst may be subject to a builder’s remedy. A presumption could be made that our zoning plan is “exclusionary.” Builder's remedy is a lawsuit where the court can force a municipality to utilize zoning techniques such as density bonuses (more units) to provide a developer economic viability (value) to construct low and moderate income, households. A developer is entitled to a builder's remedy if (1) it succeeds in Mount Laurel lawsuit; (2) proposes a project with a substantial amount of affordable housing, and (3) the site is suitable, i.e. the municipality fails to meet its burden of proving the site is environmentally constrained or construction of the project would represent bad planning. Toll Bros. v. Twp. Of West Windsor, 334 NJ Super. 109 (App.Div.2000)

A successful builder's remedy suit can entitle a developer to court ordered zoning designation, including density, setbacks, building heights, lot coverage, green area, etc. Municipalities in builder's remedy lawsuits may be held liable for developers' attorney's fees and costs of suit, the fees of a special master appointed by the court to assist in assigning zoning on the affected property, the costs of infrastructure improvements, sewer, water upgrades and road improvements. The town and its planning and zoning boards can lose control over zoning issues.

If the zoning practices are found exclusionary, the judge can give the builder permission to construct a development including four market-rate units for every affordable one. High density is permitted to ensure the builder earns a profit on the construction. It’s nearly impossible to find a municipality prevailing in a builder's remedy lawsuit.

This is a very complex issue that must be addressed by our Commissioners – but they refuse, except to reject their own experts’ opinions, proposals and warnings. Our form of government allows such recklessness to continue, unabated, unchecked and uncontrolled for four years. This endangers our future. There needs to be accountability to assess, competency to understand and less self-serving politics to address it. “Show us” your “fair share housing plan,” that protects us from losing our zoning rights - before Lincoln School redevelopment is proposed and outsiders dictate what is to be built. Plans have been presented to the Commissioners – it’s time to address this issue.

Our ability to vote is a hard-fought right. Women and men in our armed forces gave of themselves to obtain it and keep it – many lost their lives for such freedom. Now, ballot security, protecting the sanctity of that vote, is up to you. Did you know in this year’s primary election 40,000 mail-in ballots were rejected? Some were rejected for procedural reasons, others rejected for being fraudulent or improperly handled by others.
As the numbers of mail-in ballots grows, so does the incidence of fraud. Such fraud not only violates the person’s right to express himself or herself, it is an abomination against those who fought and died to insure its continued existence.
Our next election, and perhaps the one after, are certainly going to be dominated by ballots cast in the mail. You can protect what others, or perhaps you, have fought to secure. Don’t let anyone else handle your mail-in ballot (aside from your family members) and never turn it over to anyone without sealing it.
Professional services have been hired to solicit ballots, take possession and handled them without proper disclosure. Proper disclosure maintains security. In extremely gross violations, some ballots were collected at campaign headquarters, where the voter was, “assisted” with their selections – a violation of election law. These “ballot assistants” then delivered the tainted ballots to the Board of Elections. In these next elections, if you are approached to turn over your ballot to someone else (again not a family member) call the Bergen County Board of Elections – protect your rights and have the violators disenfranchised.

We can never forget the grand scale of tragic events witnessed on this date nearly two decades ago. But another focus needs to be on the recollection of an amazing aftermath; when people came together to help and support each other. Individuals became a community and that unity became the strength needed to clean-up, rebuild and heal.
These actions must be applied to today’s problems. Community strength is the key to curing society’s ills. It starts locally… our elected officials need to listen - not ignore; be thoughtful - not just react; understand they serve us – we don’t service their needs.
Politician’s need to be mindful of others, regard the other person’s point of view and experiences, not ignore it, simply because they are in power… they are entrusted, not empowered by us. Service to others, not self-serving. Above all, obey the Golden Rule, “Do unto to others, as you would have them do unto you.” Show us that you get it, listen to the people you represent.