Week In Review: Parole Fight For Murderer, Chicken Outlaw Deal And Crossbow Hunter

Chief Frank Papapietro issued a call for action to keep convicted murderer Christopher Righetti behind bars and encouraged New Milford residents to sign the petition that will be delivered to the parole board in April.

Righetti is eligible for parole on April 16, nearly 36 years after he killed Kim Montalero, a 20-year-old New Milford resident who he kidnapped from the  on Aug. 31, 1976, brutally raped and stabbed to death in a secluded area of the Pine Lake Swim Club in Washington Township. Righetti was found guilty and given a life sentence. 

In response to Papapietro's call for action, the mayor and council passed a resolution that Righetti be denied parole. The resolution comes about as a result of a loophole in the law. In January 2010, the state Legislature passed two bills during its lame-duck session under Gov. Jon Corzine, mandating that inmates who have been denied parole receive a new parole hearing every three years. The bills, A4201 and A4202, called for a panel to review prisoners who had served 20 years or more on their sentences.

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The second hearing before the Zoning Board regarding the United Water property was postponed. Citing that the absence of "professional planning representation" gave him a "lack of comfort" in proceeding with the hearing, Zoning Board attorney Scott Sproviero recommended to the board that they not proceed with the hearing of the application by New Milford Redevelopment Associates for preliminary and final site plan approval for the 13-acre United Water property. 

Sproviero advised the board to wait until the April 10th meeting to resume the hearings when "there will be a planner present to represent the interests of the board." 

In addition to its regularly scheduled April 10 meeting, the board has scheduled a special meeting to continue the hearing on Apr. 19.

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Resident Chicken Outlaw, Jeff DelVecchio, had his day in court this week. DelVecchio was ordered by a judge Wednesday to get rid of his chickens by March 20th and fined $539 for violating an ordinance that bans raising chickens. 

Borough prosecutor Michael Kingman told DelVecchio that his choices were to plead not guilty, go to trial and face fines of up to $500 for every day that he was not in compliance with the law, or to take a plea deal, DelVecchio said.

He said Kingman also threatened jail time if DelVecchio continued to disobey the Board of Health ordinance restricting the keeping of poultry. 

The chickens are in the process of moving to an undisclosed location.

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Alleged crossbow goose hunter, John Hall, was arrested by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Animal Cruelty Task Force and New Milford Police Department and charged with animal cruelty.

Hall was first arrested by New Milford police on Sunday, March 4, and charged with three counts of weapons possession, one count of possession of a prohibited weapon and disorderly conduct. 

At the time of the March 4 arrest, New Milford Police did a search of the area and found no injured or deceased animals. On March 6, officers Brian Clancy and Kevin VanSaders responded to a call from a resident who had spotted a gray goose with an arrow protruding from its leg on the field near Hovnanian and Berkely schools.  

The goose was captured and transported to an animal hospital where officials said the arrow was successfully removed from its left foot. According to officials, the goose is still receiving treatment at the Bergen County Animal Shelter.  

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The mayor and council introduced the municipal budget at their work session Monday. Initial figures show that a portion of next year's tax bill could increase by 3.2 percent, or $407,041, which would potentially raise taxes by approximately $120 for the average home assessed at $410,000.

Because of questions raised by Councilman Austin Ashley, and other members of the council, Mayor Ann Subrizi suggested holding a series of special budget meetings to discuss expenses, review line items and make any changes before the public introduction of the budget on April 23. 

These budget meetings, which are open to the public, will be held on March 19, April 2 and April 16 at 6:30pm in the conference room on the second floor of borough hall.  

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In an effort to protect firefighters against the danger of electrocution posed by solar panels, Assemblyman Robert Schroeder (R-Woodcliff Lake), a volunteer firefighter in the Township of Washington since 1980 who has twice served as fire chief, has sponsored a bill that would require buildings to clearly label with an exterior emblem whether they have solar panels.

The bipartisan bill was approved by the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee, on which Schroeder serves.

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Oradell and New Milford urged Freeholders to secure the Waterworks building. The mayor and council voted to approve a resolution sponsored by Councilwoman Hedy Grant to present to the Board of Freeholders before they vote on a  in Bergen County Open Space funding from the Hackensack Waterworks buildings along the Oradell and New Milford border.

Oradell's governing body also approved a resolution urging the County Board to rethink their decision.

The $500,000 funding in question was approved by the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Committee over the summer; however, during the fall the Freeholders chose to reallocate the money to reimburse the borough of Saddle River for the purchase of the Marker property near Rindlaub Park for a parking lot and street access to East Allendale Road.

Freeholder John Felice had previously stated that following the September 2011 storms he could not support using additional taxpayer money for the Waterworks project.

The Bergen County Freeholders will make their final decision regarding the $500,000 Open Space funding on March 21, 8pm at One Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack.

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Alexa DeMiglio has returned home briefly before heading back to Haiti to continue assisting Pastor Roger Wilson Charles realize his dream of providing a permanent home for the children in his orphanage. 

DeMiglio is hosting a fundraiser "Wings of Refuge: A Benefit Concert for Haiti" featuring The Nerds and Shaved Ham. The fundraiser is being sponsored by the New Milford Boosters on April 20 at Conlon Hall in Bergenfield from 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and advanced purchase is required.

To purchase tickets, contact Alexa DeMiglio via phone, 201-280-2807 or email ademiglio@gmail.com. 

All proceeds go to Wings of Refuge Children's Home in Haiti.