PD Merger Idea Raises Concerns Among Residents, Councilmen by FRED T
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Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, October 24, 2013 OUR 123rd YEAR – ISSUE NO. 43-2013 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS Westfield Named ‘Great Place’; Candidate Debate Set for Tonight By HILAREY WOJTOWICZ election and is challenged by Coun- tion. She hopes to have the traffic Specially Written for The Westfield Leader cilman Dave Haas. The candidates reports within two weeks and will WESTFIELD — At the Westfield will debate tonight, Thursday, Oc- return with any further informa- Town Council meeting on Tuesday tober 24, in the Westfield Munici- tion. night, the American Planning As- pal Building Council Chambers at “There will always be accidents sociation named Westfield as one 7:30 p.m. The public is encouraged there,” Mayor Skibitsky said. “The of five towns in the state which are to attend. thousands of families that use the a “Great Place in New Jersey.” Jes- Residents who frequently attend light and crosswalk appreciate [the sica Giorgianni of the organization’s council meetings to speak against safety].” New Jersey chapter presented the the controversial pedestrian light at Councilman Haas said he has sta- award to Mayor Andrew Skibitsky Clover Street and Central Avenue, tistical evidence proving the in- at the meeting, stating that Maria Carluccio, Adina Enculescu, crease in accidents in that specific “Westfield’s downtown is highly Greg Kasko, Tony DelDuca and area. “Statistics say there has been worthy” of such a title. Karen Egert, discussed the light and a jump in the number of accidents This was the last council meeting crosswalk, claiming 17 accidents since the light was put in,” he said. prior to the Tuesday, November 5, have taken place since its place- Councilman James Foerst re- General Election, where the may- ment three years ago. minded all residents to confirm the oral and four council seats are up Ms. Egert said she contacted location of their polling places, as for election. Union County Engineer Tom Mineo they may have changed. For infor- Mayor Skibitsky is seeking re- for a reevaluation of the intersec- mation on polling locations, visit westfieldnj.gov and ucnj.com. Councilwoman JoAnn Neylan an- nounced that Westfield will install 25 new parking pay stations, mod- eled after those in Millburn. Park- Daniel Gilman for The Westfield Leader LOOKING BACK…At the Miller-Cory House Museum in Westfield, docents in period clothing prepare a meal of popped corn, ing Director Scott Mersereau and cornbread and meat over an open fire in the “Frazee” house as part of the “Four Centuries in a Weekend” event held October Town Administrator Jim Gildea ac- 19 and 20. Historic sites in Union County, including museums, a railroad station, a graveyard and more, were open to the public. companied Ms. Neylan to Millburn’s downtown area to see the advanced pay stations the town had just installed. Residents will be PD Merger Idea Raises Concerns able to pay as they do now, but debit, credit and phone app options will be more readily available. “It has been 10 years since we Among Residents, Councilmen have had new pay stations put in,” By FRED T. ROSSI detailed in an hour-long slide presen- said a combined department would Ms. Neylan said. The new pay sta- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader tation — “a realistic plan” to com- result in an increased police presence tions are accounted for in the capi- SCOTCH PLAINS — Residents bine the two police departments while in both towns, with more bicycle tal budget. and some elected officials raised con- “improving public safety” and “put- patrols and more patrol officers walk- Lot 4, located behind Baron’s cerns and expressed skepticism about ting more boots on the ground” in ing around neighborhoods and in the Drug Store, is set to be completed a proposal unveiled Monday evening both communities. While Scotch downtown areas. Mr. Mahoney added Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader by this weekend, weather permit- to merge the Scotch Plains and Fan- Plains Mayor Kevin Glover empha- that improved scheduling abilities PUSS IN BOOTS…Children check out a life-like entry in the annual downtown ting. The construction, along with wood police departments. sized that no plan has been finalized, would cut down on overtime costs. Cranford Halloween Scarecrow competition. the milling, repaving and striping The two towns have been discuss- he said the impetus behind the merger Michael Hanley, a consultant with of the lot, will be completed during ing such a move for the past few years effort was “taxes, taxes, taxes.” NW Financial who analyzed the fi- the night. The lot has been open to as part of a joint effort to save money The proposed structure of a new nancial benefits of a police merger, RVSA to End Year With the public during its renovation. and control local property taxes while police department would call for the said that about $870,000 would be Once finished, Lot 4 will have four improving the efficiency of their po- creation of a “Joint Meeting,” a state- saved —$650,000 for Scotch Plains Surplus, Hike Budget In 2014 additional parking spaces. lice departments. The governing sanctioned entity whose function and $220,000 for Fanwood — in the The town council inserted a spe- councils from both towns, joined by would be to operate the joint depart- first year of a merged department. By WAYNE BAKER facilities with excess capacity to have Specially Written for The Westfield Leader cial item into the municipal budget administrative and legal personnel, ment. The Joint Meeting would be Most of that — about $745,000 — survived Superstorm Sandy well. Tuesday night. In relation to the met jointly at Scotch Plains-Fanwood governed by a management commit- would come from salaries and health RAHWAY — During last week’s Because of some maintenance is- Comcast Renewed Franchise Agree- High School on Monday, with about tee made up of three members: one benefits. Mr. Hanley estimated that meeting of the board of commission- sues, Executive Director James ment, $25,000 will go toward the 125 residents in attendance. appointed by each governing body over five years, the two towns would ers of the Rahway Valley Sewerage Meehan expects the authority to re- TV36 Enhancement Program. The Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr with the third appointed by the two save $4.54 million. Authority (RVSA), members heard quire a slight operating budget in- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 called the proposal — which was appointees. All three would serve one- Alan Roth, Fanwood’s labor coun- that the authority expects to end the crease in 2014. He indicated the hope year terms and either be reappointed sel, said a new contract would need to year in the black and will likely need that the authority will continue to or replaced annually. be negotiated for the police officers to increase next year’s operating bud- treat the leachate from the Monmouth MS BOE Welcomes New An executive director would over- in a combined department, and noted get. RVSA additionally is consider- County landfill. This represents about see the day-to-day operations of the that the existing contracts for both ing a solar installation and has re- 20 tank trucks daily of water which department, which would eventually departments expire at the end of 2014. ceived a Federal Emergency Man- has percolated through the landfill Staff, Reviews Referendum have 56 total officers vs. the current He said that, optimally and if various agement Agency (FEMA) grant for and needs to be treated before being By DOMINIC A. LAGANO slide show regarding the proposed combined 61. Fanwood Police Chief benchmarks such as the passage of hazard mitigation. RVSA also has returned to the environment. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader bond referendum on the major reno- Richard Trigo said the reductions in ordinances to form the Joint Meeting decided not to move forward with a RVSA is considering a program to MOUNTAINSIDE — During its vation project to improve both the force would be achieved via attrition. are met, the joint police force could public-private partnership to operate have solar panels installed on the monthly meeting Tuesday evening, Deerfield and Beechwood Schools. The primary police headquarters be operational a year from now. the co-generation facility. roof of its sand filtration facility. One the Mountainside Board of Educa- The presentation detailed the ex- would remain in Scotch Plains with After the hour-long presentation, A discussion of the probable out- of the points discussed was the risk tion (BOE) officially welcomed new tensive work and costs necessary to the Fanwood station serving as a sat- members of the two towns’ govern- come of this year’s budget results posed in case of a fire. It was pointed teachers hired by the district for the keep the two schools functioning ellite office and home to either the ing bodies spoke and made clear that was held. The board heard from out that the roof is not on a building, 2013-2014 school year. Many of with pictures employed to exhibit detective or traffic bureaus. Dispatch- there is not yet unanimity about the RVSA’s secretary–treasurer that it was but rather is a shed-type roof, so the new hires were present to meet the deficiencies in the buildings and ing would be from Scotch Plains. merger proposal. Scotch Plains Coun- likely that the authority would end through-the-roof access should never with the board. a commentary by Wayne Devico, Both Chief Trigo and his Scotch cilman William Vastine expressed his the year with a surplus of $150,000 to be necessary.