Bernards Voices

NJMHC Chosen as “First Call for Help”
in Somerset County

The Healthy Outcomes Partnership (HOP), an initiative of the Somerset Hills YMCA (Basking Ridge) has begun promoting the NJMentalHealthCares Helpline at the YMCA and in the local community. The identification of NJMHC as their “first call for help” meets a HOP ongoing goal to offer a resource and referral service that links community members to the services they need when facing mental health problems. Helpline posters and information cards are being distributed to local schools, businesses and service organizations, and Helpline staff are providing in-person informational presentations to interested groups. “The Helpline is the perfect resource for our community,” said Susan Visser, HOP Coordinator. “We want members of our community to know help is available. The Helpline staff can assist callers in locating resources that are appropriate for their situation.”

For more information on NJMHC or to schedule a presentation for your group, please contact Stephanie Mulfinger at smulfinger@mhanj.org.

MHANJ and Somerset Hills YMCA Healthy Outcomes Partnership
Plan Week-Long Mental Health Event!

The Mental Health Association in NJ and The Healthy Outcomes Partnership (HOP), an initiative of the Somerset Hills YMCA (Basking Ridge) have partnered to host a week-long mental health education and information event to be held May 9-13, 2011. The event will include numerous talks, workshops and exhibits, presented by individual experts and organizations, on a variety of mental health issues. Topics to be covered include: Grief and Traumatic Grief, 9/11 Ten Years After, Teen Suicide Prevention, Alcohol Abuse, PTSD and Veterans Issues, Caregiving, Bullying, Spirituality, Stigma Reduction, Mindfulness, and many more!

The HOP was formed in March, 2009, with the support and leadership of the SHYMCA. It is a volunteer coalition of mental health professionals and concerned community leaders, all of whom generously volunteer their time. The Partnership’s overall goal is facilitating better access for individuals to the resources needed for having healthier relationships and when dealing with difficult life issues. Currently HOP is focused on community education and creating dialogue about mental health as an important part of overall health and well-being.

For more information on Mental Health Week, or to get involved in HOP, please contact Susan Visser, HOP Coordinator, at svisser@somersethillsymca.org.

Dear residents and neighbors,

The Department of Environmental Protection has responded to the Millington Quarry’s report on soil sampling conducted at the site, concluding that the soil sampling is inadequate to characterize the fill in two of the three areas the Quarry tested. The DEP requires additional sampling of two of the fill areas and a workplan for further groundwater investigation. A copy of the DEP letter of October 4, the Township’s press release and other relevant documents can be found at this link:

Sampling results: The Quarry collected 85 soil samples, with split samples collected by the Township’s retained engineer. A number of samples showed contaminants exceeding the DEP’s residential or nonresidential soil cleanup criteria and/or impact to groundwater levels. The DEP noted that chlordane, aldrin and dieldrin (pesticides) were present in some samples and that there were marginal exceedences for PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). In addition, the groundwater investigation revealed contaminants exceeding the DEP’s Ground Water Quality Standards. Two monitoring wells showed exceedances for arsenic, with one revealing additional exceedances for three PAH compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and lead.

Background: By way of background, in May 2009, the Millington Quarry and Tilcon filed a “Remedial Investigation Work Plan” with the DEP to test soils in areas designated by the Quarry as Fill Areas A, B and C.

The Township and Citizens group, CCSMQ, filed objections to the workplan as insufficient and requested greater parameters for site testing. The DEP then expanded the scope of the investigation.

The Quarry had filed the workplan during mediation with the Township over a Township ordinance halting the importation of fill into the quarry. Citizens had objected to the quarry’s importation of fill as a poorly monitored landfill operation which had significantly decreased the quality of life in Bernards Township and exposed residents to risks of contamination. After lengthy hearings, the Planning Board recommended and the Township agreed to ban the Quarry’s importation of fill in July 2008. Since then, the Township and CCSMQ have been working towards upholding the Township’s ban on fill importation and testing of the entire site.
–CCSMQ

According to a recent Bernardsville News article, Millington Quarry advised Township Engineer Pete Messina that it may continue mining operations now that Tilcon has decided to terminate its’ lease. The article reported that Millington Quarry stated it was willing to discuss future development of the property with the township and that, “mining will need to continue based on the needs and requirements of a reclamation plan and future development plan.” Further, the newspaper reported that MQI stated it was “hopeful the process of soil testing, a reclamation plan approval and ultimate approval of a development plan would be in place and implemented within the next five years.”

Tilcon, the operator of the Millington Quarry for the past 11 years, advised the Township that it had terminated its’ lease with the Quarry as well as its quarry license for the site. Tilcon stated that it did so “based on market conditions for stone product and the nature of available remaining reserves at the Quarry.” Pursuant to its lease, Tilcon agreed to remove all quarrying equipment by this August.

Tilcon advised that they will continue to reclaim the property (or “rehabilitate” the property for conversion to residential development) with MQI and will proceed with MQI and the DEP in the ongoing environmental review.

At this time, no statement has been made by Millington Quarry, the owner of the property.
The Tilcon letter may be viewed at www.bernards.org.
News regarding the above may be found at:
Bernardsville News
Basking Ridge Patch
Somerset Hills InJersey

–Citizens for a Clean and Safe Millington Quarry

Bill, I think I’ve found the answer to your question regarding Whiskey emulsification.  Check out the Single Cask section on this page. It appears that the “Reduction” process adds traces of oil to the whiskey, which makes it cloudy if/when water is added to the whiskey. However, the Scottish manufacturers filter out the oil. But as a result some of the flavor is lost.   So, if you want the real thing, you’ll have to go to Scotland and get it before it’s bottled for export.   It’s not because they add Glycogen, as you were suggesting, although apparently this has been done by unscrupulous manufacturers.   Here is a short PDF file distributed by a company called “Leco” which makes Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometers.   The PDF details how the mass spectrometer can be used to determine if whiskey has been “adulterated” by the addition of Glycogen and Propylene Glycol (see Figure 3).  Propylene Glycol?!?!? Isn’t that antifreeze? Phooey!!!!!

– Telly

The letter below was submitted to the Bernardsville News on August 12, 2009.

EDITOR:

I read with great interest the recent letter by Bill Allen, “We can turn quarry into a premier public park.” Then I reviewed his plan and map at www.BernardsVoices.org. I started to get excited about how wonderful it would be to have a lake to swim in right here in Bernards Township.

When my boys were growing up we spent many a lovely summer afternoon at Stirling Lake, which was a great place for them to learn to swim. It was also very inexpensive for residents to purchase badges, which was a huge plus for our family. Society Hill, where I now live, has a pool, but I love lakes. There is nothing like sitting in the shade of a tree, watching your kids play in the sand or in the shallow water a few yards away.

I was dreaming of swimming in a lake with sand under my feet instead of concrete, but then I started getting depressed. Twice in my life I have lived where a lovely lake existed and there was a proposal to develop it into a township park. One was in Wall Township, many years ago, and the other was Clover Hill in Millington (Long Hill Township.) In both cases, the plan failed to materialize, or was voted down, and each lake is now only accessible to the few owners of the lots surrounding it. We in Bernards Township can refuse to make the same mistakes that were made in Wall Township and Long Hill Township.

Readers, please look at the plan and map at www.BernardsVoices.org. And you will see what a great plan it is. Bill Allen seems to have thought of everything – not only aesthetics and engineering questions, but also management and fiscal issues. As Bill says, we can have this park if we want it. We need to let the Planning Board and members of the Township Committee know that we want it.

Carol Jones