It has been another eventful week in town. Here is what you need to know, from a reopened municipal pool to a phone-grab scam near a downtown parking deck and the end of a long-standing tuition perk for school staff.
Essex Pool Reopens After Mechanical Issue
Montclair’s Essex Pool reopened July 8 after a closure caused by a failed motor and electrical panel, one of the township’s three municipal pools. The township said in a social media post that repairs were completed and water testing confirmed chemical levels were properly balanced before reopening to swimmers.
Pool hours are noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Essex Pool is located at 41 Chestnut St. Residents can find the full fee schedule, for both residents and nonresidents, on the township’s recreation website.
Resident Loses $2,500 in Venmo Scam Near The Crescent
A woman lost $2,500 after a man claiming to be raising money for a basketball team took her cellphone and used it to transfer funds from her Venmo account, according to the Montclair Police Department.
The incident happened July 2 as the woman walked to her car in the small parking lot next to The Crescent Parking Deck. Police said the man approached her and said he was collecting donations for his basketball team, then showed her what he described as the team’s website. As she began a small donation through Venmo, the suspect took the phone from her hand and held it for about a minute before returning it and fleeing. She later discovered he had used her Venmo credit account to transfer $2,500 to another account.
Police describe the suspect as a Black male, 19 or 20 years old, with twists or dreadlocks, wearing black shorts and a black shirt, per Patch. Anyone with information is asked to contact Montclair police as they continue to investigate.
Montclair Public Schools Ends Tuition Benefit for Staff Members’ Children
Montclair Public Schools has ended a policy that allowed the children of nonresident district employees to attend Montclair schools tuition-free, citing the district’s ongoing financial crisis.
The benefit, put in place under former Superintendent Jonathan Ponds, who led the district from July 2020 until his death in July 2024, offered free enrollment to children of nonresident staff employed with the district for more than three years. Superintendent Ruth B. Turner told The Montclair Local that 22 students from 18 families received the benefit this past school year. Using the lowest tuition rate charged for 2025-26, $18,802 per student for grades nine through 12, the district would have collected at least $413,644 had those families paid, though the true figure is likely higher since about 20% of district students receive special education services that carry steeper tuition rates.
The district is phasing the benefit out rather than pulling it mid-year, so it is not yet clear whether affected families will pay tuition to stay enrolled or withdraw. For more on the budget pressures driving these decisions, see the Pod’s coverage of Montclair’s school budget crisis.
West Orange School Business Administrator Placed on Paid Leave
West Orange’s school business administrator, Tonya Flowers, has been placed on paid administrative leave since May 25, district officials confirmed in response to a public records request, according to Montclair Local. The district has not publicly disclosed the reason for the leave. Superintendent Hayden Moore introduced assistant business administrator Trenae Lambkin as the district’s acting business administrator and board secretary in Flowers’ absence at the June 16 board meeting. School board president Brian Rock said at that meeting there is no investigation, adding that “any claims or rumors to the otherwise are unfounded and irresponsible.” West Orange police and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office both said they have no record of an arrest or open investigation involving Flowers.
The leave comes after the district finalized a 2026-27 budget with a $13.5 million deficit, which led to the elimination of 77 staff positions and the outsourcing of some paraprofessional services. A separate audit finding revealed the district was fined $78,784 after federal payroll tax withholdings for a June 2025 pay period were not promptly remitted to the IRS.
Church Street Live Concert Series Returns Downtown
Downtown Montclair’s Church Street Live concert series returns for an eight-week run every Sunday from July 12 through August 30, with free performances from noon to 5 p.m. on Church Street, according to TAPinto. The series features local and regional artists and is organized by Downtown Montclair to encourage residents and visitors to shop and dine at downtown businesses during the run. Full lineup and schedule details are available on Downtown Montclair’s event page.
Image credit: Township of Montclair
