• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, April 22, 2010 OUR 120th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 16-2010 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS WF Passes $81.4 Mil. School Levy; Leiz, Walker, Slater Elected to BOE By WAYNE BAKER challenges of these times will continue, who value excellence in public edu- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and the board of education will need to cation.” She said, “the board, staff WESTFIELD — Westfield voters on respond with even more belt-tighten- and I will redouble their efforts to do Tuesday passed an $81.4-million school ing. However, thanks to the support of a good job.” tax levy by a count of 3,461 (52.6 per- the budget, future cost-cutting consid- In an e-mail to The Leader and The cent) to 3,114 (47.4 percent). Voters also erations will get appropriate analysis Times, Wednesday, the superinten- elected newcomer Mitch Slater, 3,694, and thoughtful deliberation. I am proud dent offered congratulations to Mitch and re-elected incumbents Julia Walker, to live in a community that values edu- Slater on gaining a seat on the 3,428, and Ginny Leiz, 3,034, to the cation so highly. Thank you ,Westfield.” Westfield Board of Education and to board of education. Three-term incum- By virtue of the voters’ decision, Ms. Leiz and Ms. Walker on their re- bent Richard Solomon, who received the overall $89-million school bud- election. 2,860 tallies, was not re-elected. get will be 5 percent more than last She also thanked Mr. Solomon for Westfielders cast 6,575 budget votes year’s, including debt service, and his service to the board. from 21,076 registered voters, a turn- reflects a $4.2-million reduction in “I wish to thank Rich Solomon for out of 31.2 percent. state aid. The 5 percent is based on his nine years of dedicated service to Ms. Leiz, the president of the BOE, $84 million in taxes, which includes the students and families of Westfield said, “Westfield residents understand debt service previously approved by and his leadership of the Facilities, that their school system works, and voters through bond referendums. Finance and Policies Committees dur- they have proven it by s upporting the Superintendent of Schools Marga- ing his terms on the board,” the super- school budget. I am so proud of ret Dolan on Tuesday night com- intendent said. “I will continue to Westfield for continuing to speak up mented that passage of the budget is work to maintain the standards that and support our schools. The economic “a testament to the voters of Westfield, the people of Westfield expect and that our students deserve.” Ms. Leiz, the board’s president, said, “in these challenging economic times...you have come forward to de- clare your support for your town and our public schools.” She thanked Mr. Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader Solomon for his nine years of service POWER RANGERS...The Westfield Youth Baseball parade on Saturday featured the Texas Rangers squad. on the school board. Ms. Walker said she was “thrilled the budget passed” and “appreciates RVSA Agrees to Give Back the confidence voters placed in [her].” Mr. Slater said he was “over- whelmed by [Tuesday’s] vote.” He commented that in campaigning, he’d $1.1 Million to Municipalities made a lot of connections with people By WAYNE BAKER was not responsible for a sinkhole at Employees speculated that the ses- throughout town and hopes to bring Specially Written for The Westfield Leader the site. The RVSA plans to charge sion was spent primarily discussing their ideas to the board. RAHWAY — The board of the back the expense to the responsible litigation related to the facility’s co- Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority party once that is determined, offi- generation legal issues. (RVSA) decided last Thursday to re- cials said. Among those concerned Wayne Baker for The Westfield Leader GW School Budget WAITING FOR THE VOTERS...Westfield candidates for the Board of Educa- duce its budget by $1.1 million. The with the cause of the sinkhole were tion await results from the voters Tuesday night. The voters passed the budget and Defeated By Four Votes amount will be given back to member Clark Township, Union County and Corrections elected Mitch Slater, Julia Walker and Ginny Leiz to the board. Pictured, left to By RENNIE WOLTERS communities on a proportional basis. Elizabethtown Gas. A front-page story in the April 15 right, are: Mr. Slater, Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Leiz and Richard Solomon. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader According to Robert Materna, the Michael Brinker’s retirement as ex- issue of The Westfield Leader regard- GARWOOD — Voters in Garwood authority’s secretary and treasurer, ecutive director has resulted in an ing the Scotch Plains-Fanwood PTA defeated the $6.5-million tax levy pro- RVSA’s return of user charges to the additional expense to the authority. and the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Edu- SP-F School Budget posed at election polls Tuesday in a member communities will result in The authority issued a contract to cation Association should have stated close margin of 357 to 353, sending the the following savings to member com- Birdsall Services of Cranford for in the fourth paragraph that the letter 2011 school budget to borough council munities (based on preliminary esti- $18,420 for sampling services. The was signed by members of the SPFEA Defeated; Winkler Wins for evaluation, where a new figure will mates and subject to revision): Clark, board chose to use Birdsall’s services employed at School One, not the PTA, By SUZETTE F. STALKER Pflaum to continue representing be decided and reported back to the $176,000; Cranford, $70,000; rather than use services internally which was incorrectly reported. We Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times Fanwood on the board. Ms. Winkler Board of Education. Garwood, $31,000; Kenilworth, provided by Anthony Gencarelli, who apologize for the error. SCOTCH PLAINS – With a vote of garnered 616 votes, while Mr. Lewis The 62 percent state-aid cut announced $63,000; Mountainside, $43,000; is on staff. A front-page article in The Westfield 3,210 to 2,512, Scotch Plains- captured 289 and Mr. Pflaum drew by Governor Chris Christie in March Rahway, $138,000; Roselle Park, Mr. Gencarelli holds a C-3 license, Leader on the coverage of the Fanwood residents Tuesday defeated 185. required a district budget adjustment of $25,000; Scotch Plains, $75,000; and indicated a willingness to get a C- Garwood Borough Council meeting a $75-million tax levy to support an Incumbent Rob O’Connor, who ran $350,000 after initial projections, total- Springfield, $94,000; Westfield, 4 license, which is required by stat- last week should have reported the $81 million school budget. The spend- unopposed for the one year remain- ing $410,000 in decreased funding. $156,000, and Woodbridge, ute. Mr. Gencarelli had multiple other average increase in municipal taxes ing plan will now go before the gov- ing on the Fanwood seat of former Washington School will be closed in $249,000. requirements to fulfill this role, and is set to go up $118, not $200 as erning bodies of both Scotch Plains board vice-president Sasha Slocum, order to support the new budget. When sharing these numbers, Mr. the authority had said it believed the reported. The council’s finance com- and Fanwood to determine what ac- received 496 votes. Garwood is tagged to receive Materna stated that they were state would permit Mr. Gencarelli to mittee was able to make budget cuts tion should be taken on it. Scotch Plains incumbents Nancy $287,776 in state aid, down from rounded, so may not total precisely to perform the task while meeting the to bring down the projected increase The budget was turned down by Bauer and David Gorbunoff, who both $736,749 last year, raising taxes an the announced total, and were pre- higher licensing requirements. following a reduction of state aid of voters in both municipalities, with were unopposed in their reelection average of $128 per home assessed at liminary estimates. When asked after Once again, the board spent a long $126,000, not $160,000 as reported 2,234 no votes to 1,841 yes votes in bids, received 2,049 and 1,853 votes, $100,000. the meeting if the budget reduction period in closed executive session. last week. Scotch Plains and 976 no votes to 671 respectively. “We had four days to find $400,000,” would result in the authority taking yes votes in Fanwood. A crowd of some 30 to 40 people said Superintendent of Schools Teresa on additional debt, Mr. Materna stated In a three-person race for the Scotch gathered at the school board office in Quigley at the BOE meeting Monday that he was unsure. Plains-Fanwood Board of Education Scotch Plains as election results were night. “Unfortunately, our budget is Mr. Materna also said that the mu- seat currently held by Amy Winkler, tabulated. While the defeat of the really tight.” nicipalities’ assessments for 2010 the incumbent overcame challenges budget created a somewhat somber BOE incumbents John Sullivan and would drop from $23.440 million to from Michael Lewis and Christopher CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Susan Groning secured their seats in $22.315 million. The change will re- the Garwood school district with votes sult in the “funds provided by unre- of 473 and 327, respectively, while served retained earnings” line in the newcomer Brendan McDermott earned budget rising to $4,355,500 from 387 votes, taking the seat left vacant by $3,730,500.

Load more

  24

Copy Link