[{"_1":2,"_96":-5,"_97":-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",[32,74,84],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6590357,"mediaKeyId","5575137-15f4dfa62f5e65bc547fc1415cb57c86","parentId",5575137,"title","Commissioners approve Norden Murphy as county engineer and Michelle Bubala as assistant county engineer","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1730000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5575137-15f4dfa62f5e65bc547fc1415cb57c86&start=1730&end=1730","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5575137-15f4dfa62f5e65bc547fc1415cb57c86/thumbnail_1730000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6590357/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Commissioners-approve-Norden-Murphy-as-county-engineer-and-Michelle-Bubala-as-assistant-county-engineer","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6590357-4e9dc0602eca6faf9b886aac3c881f72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160016&Signature=TzJKnmCrxSFvyKsyFTaXsuWA~pmCaJo~wqnXc5wC4DOi2iTxQ0nx5XKsyaweEu~jef2YwtO1Tf~iWJsSmAGF6rkRFDu20HsygFtdI0HpJ99e4dg8HiUXQ~4KRiO9svzuxAtQfP1SEV-CidZclPghGMlvR-h~tBujIWwlVQAhoFtkI6Yo7M8tN~~uD~MY~1Xrl~QG1jIX-86BZSpJt7FqiVbWrZUUZ6~kLH6rt3t4vJRd5yTywraBf340n5-L1jtA~Uap5dsv~~lInNoejz0f~og7orRJy4xC4euCOsy15TXepWzZGzTNs4dDlos17gIHzA1qFgl9AWgV94bMWWy8Jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Passaic County","date","2025-08-13T15:55:01Z","article","Passaic County commissioners voted to approve appointments for county engineering leadership, confirming Norden Murphy as Passaic County engineer and Michelle Bubala as assistant county engineer.

Commissioners announced the approvals during the meeting and recorded a unanimous affirmative vote. The meeting record states the commissioners approved Murphy, who had been serving in an acting capacity in recent weeks, and appointed Bubala as assistant county engineer; the record noted Bubala may be the first female assistant county engineer in the county's history.

The motion and second were made during the meeting; the transcript records affirmative responses from commissioners present and indicates the appointments were approved without recorded opposition. The meeting did not include detailed job descriptions, salary figures or effective start dates in the public portion of the transcript. County officials said Murphy had already worked in an acting capacity and had begun handling engineering duties in recent weeks.

The vote was recorded as unanimous by commissioners present; the motioner and seconder were not identified by name in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 12, 2025 Meeting of the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners","oneSentenceSummary","The Passaic County Board approved two engineering appointments by unanimous vote; appointees will assume roles after acting service and will begin work overseeing county engineering functions.","taxTitle","Passaic County, New Jersey","taxId",2730,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":42,"_43":77,"_45":77,"_46":78,"_48":79,"_50":80,"_52":81,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":82,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":83,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6590362,"Resident asks for details on Highlands Rail Trail Phase 2; county says route unchanged, start tentatively next year",1390000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5575137-15f4dfa62f5e65bc547fc1415cb57c86&start=1390&end=1390","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5575137-15f4dfa62f5e65bc547fc1415cb57c86/thumbnail_1390000.jpg","/articles/6590362/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Resident-asks-for-details-on-Highlands-Rail-Trail-Phase-2-county-says-route-unchanged-start-tentatively-next-year","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6590362-e8265af18a921921c49376350ea97190/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160016&Signature=MCPxesSE50zTi3qkbTvJEdKt8Horlf7XMl5Ul~jitK8H4BVUI-tvxRDu4YD3BN3Fat9TZigTVh9dpTsy3wKa3r7KTnqjyzwyOq4aWOco30J1HWWwC-Apv9px4CitLz1ArFDGlnY2ydrF4DGPc18byH93Niin2ZACMhhnqkpt25RG82yojyNexiNQBjw7dCS--ssWwryO0SA6XErawlFmSNx7cw4ejTFAzQ7FPCdew9Z-mMyI2Odgfh7-63Xnl0b7Rk83GqUJh0JhKtCwy6y1o7mLrlp7kI3vPcxY8Y3TerLQmQh8ELmQTfggb0vZaSCN8ktXVo8ai4QzBcjTMrEnCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Wanakee (transcript spelling varies) resident asked commissioners for details on Phase 2 of the Highlands Rail Trail, raising concerns about the route, a planned crossing near the North Jersey Water Commission and pedestrian safety where the trail would meet Ringwood Avenue.

Christopher Hurd, a Wanakee resident, asked whether the Phase 2 timeline had been set, whether routes published on the Passaic County website had changed, and whether the trail would cross Ringwood Avenue near the North Jersey Water Commission. Hurd said he and other residents were concerned about pedestrian crossings, traffic interactions and a local pattern of U-turns in front of a first aid squad facility that could create safety conflicts with trail users.

A county official identified in the meeting as Director said Phase 2 is tentatively scheduled to begin next year and that the route has not changed from the maps posted on the county website. The director said the county is coordinating with the North Jersey Water Commission and the borough on pedestrian-safety measures at the crossing and that staff had recently received final appraisal reports; county staff will reach back out to affected property owners. The director acknowledged he and staff had met previously with the local first aid squad and said the county would discuss details with property owners and municipal officials after the meeting.

Hurd told commissioners he had only seen surveyors on his property two years earlier and had not received recent communications from the county. The director offered to have the county engineering project manager, Norden Murphy, speak with residents after the meeting for more detailed follow-up.

No formal action, vote or schedule amendment for Phase 2 was taken at the meeting; commissioners closed the public comment period after the exchange.","A resident raised questions about the route, timeline and safety measures for Phase 2 of the Highlands Rail Trail; county staff said the route remains as posted, work is tentatively slated to start next year and staff will contact affected property owners.",{"_33":85,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":86,"_41":87,"_43":88,"_45":89,"_46":90,"_48":91,"_50":92,"_52":93,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":94,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":95,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6590367,"Passaic County awards NJAC scholarships; honors 12U baseball champions",332,294000,626000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5575137-15f4dfa62f5e65bc547fc1415cb57c86&start=294&end=626","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5575137-15f4dfa62f5e65bc547fc1415cb57c86/thumbnail_294000.jpg","/articles/6590367/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Passaic-County-awards-NJAC-scholarships-honors-12U-baseball-champions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6590367-082acbbfee65ab3ad14f1215cce63481/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160016&Signature=SWLprr9MNoWE397xxGG-Bazs6ry3ApM9PdMQ8Rd~XG-KCS0~3cJYG695DVOjI-JS10vFxGPrIGg1l887U88FAatEDqU~~wCN3QnLmx-0q58r~ZejlnpFzkDb90Az~9AC5GBFB4skJg7a-WK7MczRNtBoWawBQu1cQYVU8DN4uyoelN1mAR0Nrpba5taRQcv~3IjKA0PpTWogiWHn8TOfHxSSxtO5W9Q8nfRUm5bVsaoQOPHFJSJuwdoulBxYfedBDs8A3AGquTtCPGQ0TmexHTQP6H~EdVHXRcL3j6IurGsMgk~D9hQyNYgswPka4HMAr2mKkWkGQII8N9oRk7Bn-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Passaic County commissioners presented two New Jersey Association of Counties Foundation scholarships to graduating students from Passaic County Technical Institute and honored the Passaic Valley Junior Hornets 12U baseball team for winning the county tournament.

The awards were announced during the county commissioners meeting; Commissioner Bartlett presented the NJAC Foundation scholarships sponsored by Investors Foundation and Citizens Bank, naming Bethel Lacour of Paterson and Wafikwa Hadi of Paterson as recipients. The commissioners also presented trophies and certificates to each member of the Passaic Valley Junior Hornets for winning the first annual Passaic County 12U tournament held at Highlands Preserve in West Milford.

Bethel Lacour, identified by commissioners as a freshman at Kean University studying finance, was described as having maintained a 3.0 GPA while participating in sports and co-op work at PCTI. Wafikwa Hadi, noted as a PCTI graduate, will begin studies in electrical engineering at Rutgers and was described as the first in her family to attend college in the United States. Both recipients received a scholarship award certificate and a board recommendation; a payment check was referenced at the meeting.

Commissioner Cruz and Darryl Sparta, director of parks and recreation, spoke about the county's new youth tournament initiative. Sparta said the county plans to continue the tournament next year, add softball and other sports to create a series, and make facility improvements at Highlands Preserve including reconfiguring fields, adding a batting cage and possibly an electronic scoreboard for the championship field. Carrie (county staff) described participating teams and thanked coaches and families for supporting youth sports, and listed head coach John Mesa and assistant coaches Phil Dean, Ramon Cruz and Steve Bertogli (spelling in the record varies) among the Hornets' staff.

The meeting also included a brief recognition of West Milford native Jen Powell for umpiring in Major League Baseball and an announcement that the Passaic County Fair will open Thursday at Garret Mountain with fireworks Friday and Saturday. A county law clerk, Chella Farfia, offered thanks to the commissioners as she departs for her final year of law school.

The presentations and recognitions were ceremonial; no formal votes or binding actions were recorded for the scholarship or tournament honors at the meeting.

The county used multiple spellings for some coach and recipient names in the transcript; this article uses the spellings provided by the meeting record where available and flags coach surname variants as noted above.","Passaic County commissioners presented NJAC Foundation scholarships to two PCTI graduates and recognized the Passaic Valley Junior Hornets as county 12U baseball champions, plus community honors and fair reminders.","actionData","errors"]

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Commissioners approve Norden Murphy as county engineer and Michelle Bubala as assistant county engineer

Resident asks for details on Highlands Rail Trail Phase 2; county says route unchanged, start tentatively next year

Passaic County awards NJAC scholarships; honors 12U baseball champions