[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6053598,"mediaKeyId","3373412-99579d8261b4a0f913c6710abaac1073","parentId",3373412,"title","Parsippany-Troy Hills council approves $3.4M EPA grant and multiple contracts; $65,000 public-relations contract draws questions","audioSeconds",205,"startMs",5380000,"endMs",5585000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3373412-99579d8261b4a0f913c6710abaac1073&start=5380&end=5585","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3373412-99579d8261b4a0f913c6710abaac1073/thumbnail_5380000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6053598/Parsippany-Troy-Hills/Morris-County/New-Jersey/Parsippany-Troy-Hills-council-approves-34M-EPA-grant-and-multiple-contracts-65000-public-relations-contract-draws-questions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053598-5ad69ad98b6e4e742ed4963efefbbee1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154586&Signature=cvRkIjCiiKODqagnvUtqsGeXlyeetXsybltH-IfCSDPASfQR34B804IIN4fsHyO7bJo3JHxQDrjKc35uQnt9nTyIkxYBqo1EAnKWrcn~~sYutRpw4dKH6IY6BiL9up6blj0a6fzbk5dUXKyIGyxwB6HQfufl4-Aolq16or-FRiqqHr5CzEeuu0NsZqGN-cOQf9zdwJH5Rbfu3U4yuUq~T-YOCgQpIv0jkQFLDGsq3P6S9~DhR5rVa8CmwaFKC6I0ATk4Oc0R~O-I~U95DUdOXU3-4~VhTbdW6bKPQpH~5yvYM98K3EkYj~3WoY2Z0Jdp6HJOk~Zl2n8DVtjShZBaag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills","date","2025-03-26T16:13:55Z","article","At its March 25, 2025 meeting the Parsippany (Troy Hills) Township Council approved a slate of routine and nonconsent items including an EPA grant award, several historic-preservation grant submissions and professional service agreements. The council also introduced a budget-related ordinance for first reading and tabled two ordinances that require redrafting.

The business administrator reported the township received a $3,400,000 award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be used for three sewer-pump-station projects: the Lake Hiawatha pump station, the New Road pump station and change orders associated with pump station No. 4. The administrator said the award covers roughly 80% of the identified scope and that the township will supply the remaining 20 percent. Staff also reported a separate $2,000,000 principal-forgiveness award from the iBank for the Pump Station 4 redirection project.

On the consent and nonconsent agendas the council approved a series of resolutions, including R2025-77 (a FY2026 grant application to the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse), R2025-78 and R2025-79 (grant submissions by the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms to the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund and the New Jersey Historic Trust), and R2025-80 (awarding contracts for yard-waste transportation, recycling and disposal). The council also approved professional service agreements for legal, engineering and hearing-officer services and awarded an annual public-relations consultant contract described in the meeting record at $65,000.

Council members asked about the public-relations vendor's client list during debate on the contract. Councilman Matthew McGrath questioned whether the firm’s political clients were relevant to township work; the administration replied the award was for routine municipal communications and that the firm had absorbed a predecessor vendor. After discussion the motion to award the public-relations contract passed on roll call.

Other items: the council introduced Ordinance 2025-03, a municipal CAP-bank ordinance related to the 2025 budget (first reading; second reading set for April 15), and tabled Ordinance 2025-01 (the council agreed the ordinance requires redrafting and must be reintroduced after revisions). The meeting record shows the public and council also discussed affordable housing litigation, library capital items (including an AC bid reduced by grant funding from $92,000 to an estimated $68,000), and local development and permitting matters.

Taken together, the approvals give the township funding and procurement authority to advance pump-station work, historic-preservation grant submissions and a set of routine professional-service contracts. The council directed staff and grant writers to continue work on funded projects and to return grant and contract details to the council as required by municipal procurement rules.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Township Council Meeting on 3-25-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved a $3.4 million EPA grant for pump station projects and a series of routine contracts and grant applications on March 25; the $65,000 public-relations contract passed after council discussion about vendor client lists.","taxTitle","Parsippany (Troy Hills), Morris County, New Jersey","taxId",70076,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6053602,"Parsippany-Troy Hills council rejects censure of Councilman Justin Musella after heated public comment",893,6214000,7107000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3373412-99579d8261b4a0f913c6710abaac1073&start=6214&end=7107","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3373412-99579d8261b4a0f913c6710abaac1073/thumbnail_6214000.jpg","/articles/6053602/Parsippany-Troy-Hills/Morris-County/New-Jersey/Parsippany-Troy-Hills-council-rejects-censure-of-Councilman-Justin-Musella-after-heated-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053602-4b2ab681dfa19c2e3096771072029d36/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154586&Signature=g8ZpEhY1b25lTtch3rxx3vgzJ9l2eYiXNj3nEykokIfBoaMX-w0Zoq3ph5FjVzCHDLMkgdO5DyWGkIrKkYdGlUk-cxigEzfvycLzdT3iRBjowzh8IzVsU0UUrXvxh63KYTKv41YO0w1qBCPFci7Y-bSbJ2FQmAl-WoCDhcEAiuRjkOyrG3-jrrss5coQX4-mU~QE8Jy4idnZGd6Hiu0VnRHVtcaq-lTkrnLM4UOlkufZX5B8JbuuvyOGmDfE6kD5STJ4gg3HmyxTqhSsbzaoHAWLuhro6wQzEy~ZLZQweWuJrksocfmbgoGTNM~0X3-3HcSrpeRS-pEhvVSr~pWFNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Parsippany (Troy Hills) Township Council on March 25, 2025, voted down a resolution (R2025-86) that would have censured Councilman Justin Musella for displaying council credentials during a traffic stop. The motion to adopt the censure, made by Councilman [Daniel] Hernandez and seconded by Councilman Frank Neglia, failed after four council members recorded “no” votes; the council president declared: \"We have 4 no votes. So the motion fails and the resolution is dead.\"

The proposal drew more than two hours of public comment before the vote, with speakers sharply divided. Some residents urged the council to censure Musella as a matter of ethics and public safety. Siobhan Fuller McConnell, a local resident, said: \"We need to hold our elected officials to a higher standard. No speeding on our residential roads.\" Other residents argued that the episode did not rise to censurable misconduct and warned censure could be used politically. Several speakers also criticized the timing of the matter and asked the council to focus on municipal business such as roads, permits and the budget.

Council debate touched on two recurring themes: the appropriate standard of conduct for elected officials and how police discretion should be applied when officers encounter public officials. Councilman Matthew McGrath proposed an alternative approach focused on future conduct: he asked the council to consider a policy clarifying that neither elected officials nor their family members should receive special treatment at traffic stops and suggested exploring a formal rule or code of conduct to prevent similar situations going forward. Council members discussed whether that change should be adopted by resolution or developed through staff and the township attorney.

The censure resolution itself was introduced on the council floor as R2025-86 with the text described at the meeting as a formal censure for \"exhibiting his councilman credentials during the traffic stop.\" The motion on the floor was made by Councilman Daniel Hernandez and seconded by Councilman Frank Neglia. After discussion and roll call, the council president announced the motion had failed because it did not receive the necessary affirmative votes.

After the failed motion, members said they would continue to discuss procedural changes and possible rules to address how the township handles interactions between elected officials and law enforcement. Mayor James Barberio and other council members repeatedly said they preferred to focus on pending municipal priorities, including the budget and infrastructure projects. Council members also asked staff to draft any proposed code-of-conduct language for a future meeting.

The council meeting record shows the debate occurred during the public comment and nonconsent portions of the March 25 agenda. The failure of R2025-86 means no formal censure was entered on the council record; council members did not report any additional disciplinary actions taken at that meeting.","The township council voted down a resolution to censure Councilman Justin Musella over a traffic-stop incident after more than an hour of public comment and discussion; the motion failed when four council members recorded \"no\" votes.","actionData","errors"]

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Parsippany-Troy Hills council approves $3.4M EPA grant and multiple contracts; $65,000 public-relations contract draws questions

Parsippany-Troy Hills council rejects censure of Councilman Justin Musella after heated public comment