Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, August 26, 2010 OUR 120th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 34-2010 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS Firefighter Jim Pfeiffer, 30, Dies From Fall at Mountainside Home By PAUL J. PEYTON July 6, 2001. He was considered an up- dedication. Anyone fortunate enough Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and-coming leader in the department, to have met him was immediately struck WESTFIELD — Westfield and was being considered for promo- by his kindness, his humility, and his firefighter James Pfeiffer, 30, died Sun- tion in the 38-member department. He all-American smile and outlook. The day night from injuries he sustained also was the fourth member of his Westfield community has lost a very after falling from a ladder at his home family to serve as a Westfield firefighter. dedicated public servant and a truly while cutting tree limbs on Sunday His father, James Pfeiffer, retired as a wonderful human being.” morning. captain in 2004, and his uncle, Charles Those sentiments were echoed by Firefighter Pfeiffer was trimming an Pfeiffer, was a lieutenant when he re- Town Administrator Jim Gildea. oak tree in front of his Mountainside tired in 2001. Firefighter Pfeiffer’s “It’s just a very sad day for the family home on Central Avenue when a branch great-uncle, Norman Ruerp, retired as and the town,” he said, noting that snapped, swung and struck the ladder fire chief in 1970. Firefighter Pfeiffer was “a valuable he was standing on, Westfield Fire Chief “This is an unimaginable loss, and member of the department.” Dan Kelly said. He was rushed to Uni- all my thoughts and prayers are with his “He had so much promise. He was versity Hospital in Newark, the region’s family,” said Mayor Andy Skibitsky in the future of the department,” Mr. Gildea trauma center, where he died at 9:30 a written statement. “Jim Pfeiffer was a said, adding that the firefighter was p.m. loving husband and father, son and promoted posthumously to lieutenant, Firefighter Pfeiffer joined the de- brother. He was also a dedicated a ranking for which he was first in line partment in 1999 as a volunteer before firefighter who served the community for consideration based on his leader- being hired as a full-time firefighter on with the utmost professionalism and ship skills. Firefighter Pfeiffer was perhaps best known for the rescue of a 16-month- old toddler who had fallen into a 10- foot hole at Tamaques Park in Westfield, an incident that ironically occurred five Courtesy of Brian Dunlap years ago, August 22, 2005, to the date GETTING FIRED UP IN WESTFIELD...Westfield firefighters visited the pre-school at The Presbyterian Church in of the firefighter’s tragic death. Westfield earlier this month to perform demonstrations, give children a sense of what firefighters do and help them stay He was chosen as the firefighter to be prepared if they encounter a fire. lowered into the hole because of his slim frame. The rescue made national news headlines, with NBC’s “Today Local Officials Come Out Against Show” and CNN coming to Westfield to broadcast the story. Firefighter Pfeiffer was recognized by his peers for his efforts with the American Water Rate-Hike Proposal Union County Two Hundred Club Valor By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL palities in the counties of Atlantic, Dominick Bratti stated that the in- Award and the New Jersey State Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Burlington, Camden, Cape May, crease is “hitting taxpayers when they Courtesy of The Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS...Westfield businesses met with Lieutenant Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Asso- WESTFIELD — New Jersey Essex, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mer- are already down. We have already Governor Kim Guadagno last week during her stop in Westfield. From left to ciation Certificate of Special Recogni- American Water Company’s cer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, tightened our budget. Any more de- right are Ron Tuchman of Thinka Dinka, Steven Needle of Needlepoint Homes, tion of Valor “for outstanding heroism (NJAWC) proposal to increase rates Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, ductions would translate into a re- Scott Stewart of Speakeasy FX, Jack Kasich of Robert Treat Deli, Anna in the face of dangerous conditions and was the subject of a public hearing Union and Warren. She said the ac- duction in social services. We cannot Mastroianni of Sole, Kirk Ruoff of Turning Point, Lt. Governor Guadagno, Neil risk to [his] own safety.” He also re- last Wednesday at the Westfield Me- tual percentage increase would vary afford to risk our quality of life. This Pinkman of the Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Sherry Cronin of the ceived the St. Barnabas Burn Center morial Library. Councilmen and according to the applicable rate sched- we cannot afford on any level.” Downtown Westfield Corporation. Award of Valor and the Knights of women from Scotch Plains, Westfield, ule of each customer’s usage. Garwood Mayor Dennis McCarthy Columbus of Westfield Shield Award Garwood and Summit attended the She also stated that members of the added that, “Our budgets are already for his actions. meeting and spoke out against the rate counsel are conducting a “com- lean and mean. Where are we sup- Zapolski Looking Forward “Jimmy will be remembered for his rate hike as well as other residents prehensive examination of New Jer- posed to raise this extra money from?” dedication, work ethic and attitude, his from towns such as Cranford and sey American’s proposal to verify the Finally, Fanwood Borough Admin- professional competency and knowl- Fanwood. reasons for the increase in charges istrator and Borough Clerk Eleanor To Challenging Rajoppi edge,” Fire Chief Kelly said. “Jimmy According to American Water, the and will determine whether the McGovern asked BPU members to By PAUL J. PEYTON items,” according to the clerk’s was always in high gear, with a conta- rate increase, which was first filed for company’s calculations are accurate.” scrutinize the water company’s pro- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader website. gious smile. He was and always will be back in April with the state’s Board of She said the utility “must justify its posal, noting that the borough’s gov- WESTFIELD – The Republican “I think it is always good in repre- remembered for being genuinely Public Utilities (BPU), would increase expenses and provide evidence to erning body does not support the candidate for Union County clerk, sentative government to have a chang- friendly.” the average customer’s monthly water support its calculations.” increase. She also stated that Fanwood Arthur Zapolski of Linden, said he is ing of the guard and have new ideas Firefighter Pfeiffer was among the bill by $7.10, or 23 cents per day. In She noted that presently, the rate is a small municipality with a high “looking forward to the challenge” and fresh viewpoints come in,” Mr. first responders who went to New York addition, the company has proposed counsel has attorneys and expert wit- senior-citizen population. She con- of running against 15-year incum- Zapolski said when asked why he City to assist New York City firefighters to implement residential water-con- nesses analyzing data from NJAWC cluded by saying, “It is difficult to bent Union County Clerk Joanne was running for office. “It is time to following the September 11, 2001 ter- servation programs, expand assistance and will hold evidentiary hearings at understand how this is being pro- Rajoppi. look at new directions, shake things rorist attacks on the World Trade Cen- to low-income customers and create a the Office of Administrative Law on posed.” An attorney who retired in 2009 up a bit,” Mr. Zapolski said, noting ter. new rate structure to encourage water October 28 and 29 and November According to Richard Barnes, an after 25 years as a reservist with the that he would look to “continue the A year later, he responded to the conservation. 3,4,5,8 and 9, before Judge Irene External Affairs officer for NJAWC, United States Air Force, Mr. Zapolski directions that help and bring money scene at Westfield High School when These incentives include a do-it- Jones. “the increase we are seeking is to ran for county surrogate last year, in” while exploring “new ways to be heavy winds caused a large tree limb to yourself online water audit to help Summit Fire Chief Joseph Howck recover from projects that have al- losing by some 13,000 tallies to in- more efficient.” fall on top of students sitting at a table, customers identify ways to use wa- spoke out against the proposed in- ready been completed, like replac- cumbent James LaCorte. But this Mr. Zapolski said he has “across- injuring freshman Greta Dorothy ter more efficiently, a rebate pro- crease, stating that there has already ing infrastructure to have reliable year, he has returned to run for county the-board experience” in his 30 years Schoenemann, 14, who later died of gram to encourage customers to pur- been a significant increase to the city’s water.” clerk, the office responsible for all as an attorney, noting that he is li- her injuries, and eight other students. chase water-saving appliances, and water bill, which, if increased again, According to Mr. Barnes, the land records maintained by the county censed to practice law in New Jersey, He graduated from Cranford High web-based tools for customer edu- would translate into a decrease in Westfield hearing was the last of the since 1857, as well as being the chief New York and Texas.