Morris County Freeholders to Meet in Rockaway Borough on Monday, Sept. 21

As part of their continuing effort to make it easier for the public to participate in county government, the Morris County Freeholders will hold their next “road meeting’’ in Rockaway Borough on Monday, Sept. 21.

This is a change from the county governing board’s usual Wednesday meetings, and has been changed to Monday this week so as not to interfere with the Yom Kippur religious holiday.


The county governing board will conduct its work session at 5:30 p.m., followed by a 7:30 p.m. regular meeting. Both will be conducted in the Rockaway Borough Community Center, at 21-25 Union Street. The public is invited to speak at the 7:30 p.m. session.

Besides Rockaway Borough, the freeholders have committed to conduct road meetings later this year in Lincoln Park, Oct. 28; and Florham Park, Nov. 23. They have held meetings previously this year in Boonton Township, Chatham Township, Harding, Morristown and Netcong.

Travelling meetings have been held in all 39 towns in Morris County since the practice began in 2007.

“We really enjoy these meetings because they give us a chance to meet people and officials from all parts of the county on their own home turf, to hear local and regional concerns about county issues, and to give the freeholders a better understanding of what is important to their towns and communities,’’ said Freeholder Director Kathy DeFillippo. 

DeFillippo

The “road meetings’’ also are more convenient for local residents and those from neighboring communities, in this case Rockaway Borough and nearby Denville, Rockaway Township, Dover, and Wharton, to attend a freeholder meeting, meet the freeholders and learn more about Morris County government and the services it offers, said DeFillippo. Residents of all Morris County towns are invited. 

When Rockaway Village incorporated as a Borough in 1894, it was already one hundred sixty years old. The first settlers arrived about 1730. By 1760, Rockaway Village already had become a center for trade, manufacture, and religion.
 

General merchandise stores were clustered along Newark Street (now Main Street), with the Presbyterian Meeting House nearby; a grist mill, saw mill, and a forge had been built on the Rockaway River.



Three significant roads led to newly opened mines and forges at Mt. Hope, White Meadow, Beaver Brook, Hibernia, Mt. Pleasant, and Dover.

For more information on the history or Rockaway Borough and its current government, visit: http://www.rockawayborough.org/history

The board of freeholders meet twice monthly, with meetings normally held at the County Administration and Records Building in Morristown. For more information on Morris County government, please visit: http://www.co.morris.nj.us/