IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Frank Lacatena

More than 30 years as one of this community’s busiest volunteers, By Laurie Gordon Hardyston — What started with an error by a township official led Frank Lacatena to become a backbone of the Hardyston community. And it provided him an overarching mission: to ensure the public’s right to know. Lacatena was a science teacher in the North Bergen school system for 40 plus years. “That was in the early 60s when teachers were underpaid, lacking in benefits and political pawns,” he said. Lacatena found his peace and serenity “escaping” to Sussex County to ski when he wasn’t working or trying to change the system as an officer with the North Bergen Federation of Teachers, as vice president of the N.J. Federation of Teachers or later, with the advent of collective bargaining, as a negotiations team member. But he found his solace in “the beauty, peace and excitement” of Sussex County. It was “only natural,” Lacatena said, that he and his wife, Barbara, wanted to raise their family in Sussex County. So the couple searched for and eventually bought a homesite on Lake Stockholm in Hardyston Township. But building a house would prove to be a challenge. Why? In a word: zoning. The couple learned they needed a variance. Short of cash, they put their plans on hold for a while, but after several years of saving, at an appearance before the zoning board of adjustment, they learned that a variance was not needed. The official had been wrong. For Lacatena, it was an epiphany: “Something definitely was wrong,” he said. By this time, building prices had soared but his appearance before the zoning board had started a friendship with several sympathetic board members and introduced Frank and Barbara to the world of Hardyston politics. A new cause Soon after the house was built, in 1978, the fire department stopped by on a fund drive, and gave Lacatena a pitch to become a volunteer. “I always felt that you don’t live in a community but that you are part of the community and there is a responsibility to participate in it,” he said. So he joined the Hardyston Township Volunteer Fire Department and his wife joined the Hardyston First Aid Squad. Years of training followed for them both. The zoning experience resulted in Lacatena’s desire to know more about his new hometown. So the Lacantenas started attending township committee meetings. At one meeting, in 1979, Frank Lacatena met the head of the local Civil Defense unit, who, upon learning that he possessed Civil Defense instructor certification, convinced Frank to join. Soon that agency became the Office of Emergency Management. Frank continued as a member, becoming the township radiological officer and then public information officer. He is still on the team. Because he was a regular at town meetings, Lacatena was appointed to the zoning board of adjustment and served as its chairman for many years. He served on the planning board, too and on various other boards and committees. “At the same time it became apparent that there were serious problems in the local government,” he recalled. “A lot was being kept from the public and special interests appeared to have an unfortunate amount of influence,” Lacatena said. Confident that he could be a positive force to affect change, Lacatena ran for office and was elected to the Hardyston council, then mayor. He explored the possibility of regionalization and consolidation of services, but the attempts were premature and “forces in town were afraid of losing their control,” he said. “They were successful in preventing the desired change.” Sharing information Now, though he is no longer a government office holder, he is still committed to the public’s need and right to know. Lacatena works to keep public information flowing, and strongly believes that government should exist to help people, not special interests. Because he always “checks and confirms” all information before releasing it, and because he has had years of experience working with the media, Hardyston’s fire department had made him the sole provider of fire-related information to the public. He is also its public relations point person, photographer and was its treasurer for many years. He gives fire safety instruction to township children and is a full time-first responder to all fire calls. A life member of the NRA, a trustee and life member of the Hardyston Heritage Society, a trustee of the Lake Stockholm Water Company and a Commissioner of the Sussex County Crime Stoppers, Lacatena continues to believe in giving to the community. He still resides in Stockholm with his wife of 37 years. His daughter and granddaughters live across the lake. His son died a few days after 911, having just completing six years as a Marine.

Sussex is still a beautiful place to live. It is still one of New Jersey’s best kept secrets.” Frank Lacatena

Frank’s One Pan No Bake Chicken Parm
Ingredients:
Boneless chicken breasts (number according to persons served)
Cooking oil
Eggs, beaten
Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Method:
Dip chicken breasts in egg and then in bread crumbs.
Heat oil of choice in frying pan.
Sauté breasts in hot oil till brown then turn and brown other side. (Leave slightly undercooked) about three minutes per side.
Add favorite pasta sauce.
Simmer about five minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Top with grated mozzarella, cover till cheese melts.
Serve with or without side of pasta.
Shrimp, eggplant or many other foods can be used in place of the chicken.
You can let your imagination take over!
While Lacatena admits to having burned ravioli once, he does believe that meals need not require lengthy preparation time nor be complicated.