FROM THE ITEM (North Jersey Media Group)
Thursday, February 15, 2007
By PATRICIA HARRIS
Municipal officials are making a concerted effort to keep downtown merchants abreast of plans for the township’s sesquicentennial parade and daylong festival, scheduled for Saturday, June 9, following a meeting held Feb. 8 at Town Hall.
At the request of Mayor Daniel Baer, the Downtown Millburn Development Alliance (DMDA) called the meeting with the downtown merchants to address their concerns about the events’ impact on their business operations. The mayor had earlier received a call from township residents Shala and Vicky Powell, owners of Shala, a store on Millburn Avenue.
The Powells came to the meeting, along with township business owner and resident Jerry Occhuizzi, owner of True Fit Shoe Repair on Main Street. Occhuizzi told the participants he could not stay, however, and asked to be informed later of the meeting’s results.
In addition to the mayor, attendees were Township Business Administrator Timothy Gordon, Assistant Township Business Administrator Kelly Cupit, Township Committeewoman Sandra Haimoff, DMDA Executive Director Harold Klein and DMDA members Teddy Stampoulos, Steve Suskauer and John Murray. Stampoulos is organizing the food court planned for the day of the event along Main Street between Taylor and Essex streets. Suskauer and Murray have been organizing the township’s annual Snowflake Parade for the past 15 years, and are coordinating this year’s Sesquicentennial Parade.
The mayor opened the session by saying, “I want everything out on the table. I want everyone to understand the logistics of the events.”
During the course of the discussion, Suskauer said plans call for the closing of Millburn Avenue between Wyoming Avenue and the high school for a parade between 3 and 3:30 p.m., with the parade beginning around 4 p.m.
Members of the DMDA also said Police Sgt. Peter Eakley has devised a plan for traffic flow and parking for the day, and Baer said he will ask Eakley to review his plan to ensure that adequate parking is provided. He also urged the organizing committee, with the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce and the DMDA, to keep merchants and members of the community informed about where to park. Maps could be posted in stores, published in newspapers and placed in the kiosk at the clock plaza on the corner of Main and Essex streets, he suggested.
The meeting also became an occasion for discussing ways in which the day’s festivities could be a spur to local business. Sparked by a suggestion from Haimoff, the group brainstormed ideas for promotions and raffles that could be offered to bring shoppers into the downtown.
Klein promised to discuss marketing opportunities this week with the DMDA’s marketing committee.
At the end of the half-hour session, Vicky Powell thanked the officials who attended for “coming and shedding some light” on the planned festivities. On Monday, the Powells said they appreciate the fact that the mayor had addressed their concerns and those of other merchants and believe they now have the information they sought.
In related news, Murray and Suskauer discussed the plans taking shape for the parade, which they called “the biggest and the best” they have organized to date.
Murray said he has commitments to appear from approximately 15 bands and many organizations have expressed interest in producing floats. Among groups planning to participate are New Eyes for the Needy, the Millburn-Short Hills Chapter of the American Red Cross, the United Way, the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society, the Millburn fire and police Departments, the Department of Public Works, St. Stephen’s Church and several civic associations.
Murray said he is also seeking to book a calliope, the Budweiser Clydesdale horses and knights on horses supplied by Medieval Times, a dinner and show venue in Lyndhurst. He has contacted the National Guard, as well, to arrange for military personnel to march in the parade.