(Fanwood, NJ) — Mayor Colleen Mahr and the Borough Council issued a proclamation recognizing International Stuttering Awareness Day at the Monday, October 6th Council agenda meeting.
First observed in 1998, International Stuttering Awareness Day, on October 22, celebrates people around the world who stutter and brings awareness of stuttering acceptance.
The Mayor presented the proclamation to speech pathologist Emily Root of Westfield and the Stanley family of Fanwood. Stuttering affects more than 70 million people worldwide, and three million Americans.
Mayor Colleen Mahr with Emily Root of Westfield and the Stanley family of Fanwood after issuing a proclamation for International Stuttering Awareness Day.
Root said she is “proud daughter of a mother who stutters and I’ve dedicated my career to working with people who stutter.”
She urged the community to get to know someone with a stutter by listening to them and becoming better communication partners.
Emily Root speaks about stuttering awareness as Mayor Colleen Mahr looks on.
During the public comment part of the meeting, Jane Frost Guzzo of Fanwood asked the Mayor and Council to pass a resolution supporting the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act, Senate Bill 3672/Assembly Bill 4987.
Guzzo said the legislation codifies and expands the existing 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive by the state’s Attorney General, a set of guidelines that limits the cooperation between New Jersey law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Jane Frost Guzzo comments on the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act legislation.
“It ensures that local and county law enforcement are not compelled to act as federal immigration agents,” Guzzo said.
“When residents regardless of their immigration status feel safe in reporting crimes, cooperating with the police or seeking health in emergencies, the entire community benefits,” she said.
Thirteen other New Jersey towns, including Plainfield and Edison, have passed similar resolutions.
Tony Faber of Scotch Plains said the State Legislature is looking to see if they will post the bill for a vote after the November General Election.
Tony Faber of Scotch Plains comments on the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act legislation.
He said passage of the resolution “signals to the Assembly and Senate that this is what communities want.” He said it would be a “disaster” if police were compelled to work with ICE.
He said the legislation would also expand the 2018 directive so that ICE could not conduct raids in schools and hospitals.
Mayor Mahr noted that Fanwood’s Sustainable New Jersey’s bronze level designation has been recertified with the help of the Fanwood Green Team. She said the achievement will be recognized at the Sustainable New Jersey luncheon to be held during the New Jersey League of Municipalities Convention in Atlantic City next month.
The Borough Council conducts business at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The Council approved a resolution authorizing a name change in an agreement for recycling collection services from Grand Sanitation to Interstate Waste Services of New Jersey, Inc., following the acquisition of Grand Sanitation by Interstate Waste Services.
A resolution was approved for the Borough to enter into an agreement with National Water Main Cleaning Co. to video and the line the Fanwood’s sewer lines along Waldon Road, Timberline Drive, Watson Road (Martine Ave. to Russell Rd.) and Graybar Terrace.
A resolution was approved for the replacement of the Forest Road Park playground equipment at Forest Road Park.
The council adopted an ordinance on second reading that will permit liquor stores in the Borough to operate on Sundays beginning at 9 am. The change is in response to a request by the owner of Fanwood Liquors who said the current noon restriction has caused him to lose business to stores in other towns that allow earlier operating hours on Sundays.
