Progress in Shoprite Case Appears Slow As Parties Await Court Decisions by KIM KINTER Before the End of 2000
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Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus USPS 680020 Published Every Thursday OUR 110th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 29-110 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. Thursday, March 23, 2000 Since 1890 (908) 232-4407 FIFTY CENTS Progress in ShopRite Case Appears Slow As Parties Await Court Decisions By KIM KINTER before the end of 2000. chain intends to build the new store. should make back payments totaling Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Mr. Renaud added that as far as he Norman Sevell, the owner of both $1.6 million, as well as future pay- Although there seemed to be a knows, ShopRite is still interested in Sevell Towing of Westfield and the ments of some $34,000 a month, to flurry of activity late last year in the pursuing development of the prop- Westfield Lumber and Home Center Mr. Sevell. Village Supermarkets, languishing project to construct a erty. ShopRite officials did not re- property on North Avenue, filed a however, filed an appeal. new ShopRite supermarket on North turn telephone calls. lawsuit last summer claiming that Edwin J. McCreedy, an attorney Avenue in Garwood, the case is now Meanwhile, ShopRite officials are the supermarket chain had not lived with McCreedy & Cox of Cranford in slow motion. still in the middle of an appeal, also up to its promise of making monthly who is representing Mr. Sevell in the Two separate cases involving the pending in the New Jersey Superior payments to him. case, said the case is still pending, grocery store are tied up in court, Appellate Division, over a lawsuit In July, Union County Superior although he expects a hearing in the with action not likely on either one filed by the owner of the North Av- Court Judge Frederick C. Kentz, Jr. next several months. for several more months or until early enue property where the grocery ruled that Village Supermarkets CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 this fall. On October 14, Superior Court Judge Edward W. Beglin, Jr. ruled that the Garwood Planning Board Opponents of South Side Deck, had been right in granting approval in 1995 to Village Supermarkets of Springfield to construct a grocery store on North Avenue. Fluoridation Let Views be Known One of the attorneys representing By PAUL J. PEYTON mas C. Jardim, all north side resi- able, business-like approach to solv- Dr. and Mrs. Ulf Dolling of Westfield, Specially Written for The Westfield Leader dents. ing any parking problems,” Mr. however, filed an appeal to the state Opponents of a southside parking Fourth Ward Councilman McMahon added. He said the town New Jersey Superior Appellate Divi- deck and a proposal to fluoridate Lawrence A. Goldman explained that should be encouraging “a haven” for sion challenging Judge Beglin’s rul- Westfield’s water supply – both be- former town administrator Edward parkers similar to Metro Park, a major ing. coming hotly debated issues among A. Gottko, who lives on the southside, location due to access to Amtrak Brian Fahey, a Westfield attorney this newspaper’s readership — aired served on the panel until he retired at trains. representing the couple, has not re- their views to the Town Council Tues- the end of last year. Stan Kaplan of Temple Place said turned multiple telephone calls from day night. Also sitting on the committee are a deck on the South Avenue lot would The Westfield Leader. Officials noted that no final con- Michael La Place, Executive Direc- only heighten dangers for school Robert Renaud, a Cranford attor- clusions have been made regarding tor of the Downtown Westfield Cor- children crossing Summit Avenue, a ney who serves as Garwood’s coun- either issue. poration, Planning Board Chairman location where motorists are whiz- sel, said all the briefs have been filed A report issued this month to the Martin Robins and Town Engineer zing by in a rush to catch the train. in the appeal and he does not expect town recommends a multi-tiered Kenneth B. Marsh. Four schools, including McKinley the case to be heard until September deck, with construction costs rang- Mr. McMahon said that a “40- and Holy Trinity elementary schools, Ingrid McKinley for The Westfield Leader at the earliest. Mr. Renaud stated, ing from $10 to $16 million, based foot” high deck at the entrance to the Edison Intermediate and Westfield GEARING UP FOR SPRING...With spring nearly sprung, these youngsters are however, that he does expect a final on the number of spaces provided. It town along South Avenue would not High School, are all located in the ready for any showers that may come their way. They are shown here at the decision by the Appellate Division has been proposed that the deck be bottom of the slide in playground area of Mindowaskin Park. be in keeping with the character of area. located at the train station’s South Westfield. Eric Metzger of Brightwood Av- Avenue parking lot. “What people like about Westfield enue, a northside resident, said any FUNDING INCREASED FOR MINDOWASKIN Parking deck opponents echoed a is the charm of its downtown,” he parking deck would be “aestheti- common theme that a deck on the said. He noted that the town “is not a cally displeasing and I think will be OVERLOOK, SIDEWALK PROGRAM south side of town will do nothing to parking mall.” detrimental to the town.” enhance the parking crunch in the “I don’t think we should necessar- Garrett Verdone of Boulevard felt main downtown business area on the ily be encouraging more cars in the the report by Michigan-based Rich Westfield Town Council Agrees north side. downtown,” Mr. McMahon stated. and Associates, Inc., the consulting Gerald McMahon of Boulevard He noted that shoppers don’t and firm hired by the town to develop a was critical of the makeup of the will not park in the South Avenue comprehensive parking plan for town’s parking steering committee, train station parking lot, where the Westfield, lacks documentation on To 3 Cent Hike in Municipal Rate which includes First Ward Council- deck is proposed, and shops on the financial projections for the deck, as man Carl A. Salisbury, Chairman of north side. He said he preferred to see well as on commuter parking in town. By PAUL J. PEYTON is reliant on the passage of state council members felt that concrete the Transportation, Parking and Traf- the town look at alternative north “The public and our elected offi- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader legislation, the council opted to stay could produce many years of use at a fic Committee; Second Ward Coun- side sites for the deck that are closer cials need more than three sentences After 10 budget meetings, the at a 3-cent increase rather than drop lower cost. cilman James J. Gruba, Finance Com- to stores. (in the report) to explain the (pro- Westfield Town Council has com- the rate to 2.2 cents over 1999. Thus, CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 mittee Chairman, and Mayor Tho- “It would be a much more reason- CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 pleted its spending plan for the year. if the amount does in fact drop to The $24.4 million budget is expected $694,724 for the Police and Fireman’s to be introduced next month and Retirement System (PFRS), the Edison Man adopted in May. change will increase the town’s sur- The budget will be supported by a plus next year. Is Suspected $12.6 million tax levy. The munici- This followed yet another four- pal tax rate is this year will by 70 hour marathon session Saturday cents per $100 of assessed valuation, morning led by Finance Committee In Bomb Scare or three cents over last year. A penny Chairman James J. Gruba. By SUZETTE F. STALKER in the rate equals to $180,000 on the Among major changes in the bud- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader spending side of the budget, or get was an increase in funding for An Edison man allegedly respon- roughly $17.50 to the owner of a replacement of the concrete over- sible for a bomb scare at Temple home valued at $325,000 and as- look at Mindowaskin Park from Emanu-El in Westfield Thursday sessed at $175,000. $125,000 to $222,000, with another morning was undergoing a psychiat- The increase represents roughly $40,000 designated for improve- ric evaluation this week at $52 over last year to the average ments to Gregory’s Pond in the park. Muhlenberg Regional Medical Cen- residential property taxpayer. Of the amount for the park, the ter in Plainfield. Municipal property taxes are be- Friends of Mindowaskin Park, a group Lieutenant John M. Parizeau of ing offset with the use of $2.35 mil- dedicated to improving the park, has the Westfield Police Department said lion in surplus (unspent appropria- been asked to raise $50,000 in dona- Dorian Urrego, 27, was discovered tions last year) and $570,000 in rev- tions and/or grants. by Edison police that night after he enue from the sale of municipal land The Friends have raised over was observed wandering nearby their over the years, in addition to permit $250,000 for park improvements in- headquarters in a heavy rainstorm. fees and license fees collected by the cluding new lampposts, park benches, Urrego is suspected of having town. designed gardens, landscaping, play- placed a 911 call to Westfield police The council was notified this week grounds equipment and park identi- headquarters from a pay telephone that the billing for fire and police fication signs. That money was raised near the Westfield train station on pensions may drop 20 percent this during the first phase of the rehabili- South Avenue, West, at approxi- year, or $146,000 under what tation efforts at the park, which oc- mately 8:10 a.m., Lieutenant Westfield officials had anticipated in curred in the early 1990s.