A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION The Westfield Leader and of Scotch Plains – Fanwood Thursday, July 13, 2000 Page 3 MediaNews Group Purchases Open Space Group to Recommend Local Weekly Newspapers Fall Referendum to Freeholders

By KIM KINTER because it already knows pers will add much value to the news- By MARYLOU MORANO The current Union County capital space throughout the county. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times the market so well. papers, their readers, advertisers and Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times budget — the funding source used Public Law 1997, enacted in 1997, WESTFIELD – A chain of weekly In addition to The Star-Ledger, employees.” ELIZABETH – The recommenda- for improvements to the county park authorizes New Jersey counties to newspapers covering Union County Advance owns the Times of Trenton Mr. Morton observed that tions of a nearly year-long study by system — is inadequate to meet the tax residents for open space assess- and Westfield, Scotch Plains and and of Jersey City. MediaNews has shifted its attention the Open Space Ad Hoc Committee objectives of the Master Plan over ment to acquire and develop open Fanwood has been sold to the com- The company, which has been in away from the older, saturation East- will be presented to the Union County the 10-year proposal, according to space for conservation and recre- pany that owns the Newark Star-Led- the newspaper business for years and ern market to other areas of the coun- Board of Chosen Freeholders at its the committee’s evaluation. ation. The county, however, is re- ger. also owns such magazines as Glam- try. meeting tonight in Elizabeth. The Master Plan has the approval quired to put the matter before the Denver, Colo.-based MediaNews our and Vogue, has expanded its news- He added that price is always an The committee was appointed by of the Union County Planning Board, voters in the form of a non-binding Group, Inc., owner of NJN Publish- paper holdings recently by purchas- issue and that MediaNews “probably the Freeholders to study the feasibil- as well as the Board of Chosen Free- referendum. ing that publishes such weekly news- ing weeklies in areas in which it al- got a good price” for its various pub- ity of implementing the Union holders. The creation of an Open Space papers as the Record-Press, Subur- ready exists such as Harrisburg, Pa,. lications. County Master Plan: Open Space The Open Space Ad Hoc Commit- Trust Fund allows Union County to ban News and Cranford Chronicle, and Cleveland, . Whatever the reason, John O’Brien, and Recreation Element. tee will propose the establishment of become eligible for state grants has sold its remaining Garden State Mr. Morton said the purchases rep- executive director of the New Jersey The study was undertaken in 1998 an Open Space Trust Fund to gener- through the Garden State Preserva- holdings to Penn Jersey Advance, Inc., resent a trend that has been occurring Press Association, says the sale is good to determine the need for improved ate the $54 million needed. The Trust tion Trust Fund Account and Green a subsidiary of Staten Island, N.Y.- the last three to four years in which news for journalism in the state of recreational areas and increased open Fund, in turn, would be funded by Acres Funding. Only four of the based . Advance media companies assemble a number New Jersey. space throughout Union County’s park the creation of a countywide tax of 2 state’s 21 counties currently do not Publications owns the Newark Star- of publishing holdings in the same “NewsMedia had made a decision system, which currently consists of cents per $100 assessed valuation. have Open Space Trust Funds. Ledger. geographic area. it would leave New Jersey and Ad- 26 parks, comprising 5,600 acres. The bipartisan Ad Hoc Committee “Without a Trust Fund, Union The sale of the newspapers was ef- This enables the companies to com- vance will expand in New Jersey,” Mr. The Master Plan recommends the will recommend the Freeholders County is clearly missing out on a lot fective June 30, but was announced bine administrative functions and to O’Brien commented. development and improvement of place a referendum before county of state money,” commented July 5. The sale price was not released. respond to advertisers who want to “I think the history of Advance is the existing parks, as well as the residents in November, asking for Westfield First Ward Councilman Readers of the publications may run advertising in regional publica- that when it purchased a property it acquisition of approximately 100 approval of the 2 cent tax. Carl A. Salisbury, a Clark attorney, not notice any changes, at least at first, tions, Mr. Morton said. keeps everything the same,” he said. additional acres. It calls for $54 mil- The recommendation comes after who is a member of the committee. several sources agree. That approach, however, allows in- “Newhouse pretty much stays the lion dollars over a 10-year period. consultations with county represen- According to Mr. Salisbury, the Martin K. Till, chief executive of- dependent newspapers to seek the course.” Mr. O’Brien added that he Of that, $23 million would be used tatives, non-profit agencies, commu- impact on every Union County mu- ficer of the group of publications pur- niche advertisers and smaller, more had recently read that Newhouse has to repair existing parks, $24 million nity groups and other organizations. nicipality was weighed against the chased by Advance, said that there local outlets that don’t want to get lost never sold one of its newspapers and would be used to construct new parks Two public hearings were held in benefits. The increased tax burden will be no “real” changes and that in large publications, he pointed out. will do what it has to do to help the and $7 million would be used to March — one in Elizabeth and one in proposed by the Open Space Trust operations will continue as usual. This marketing concept, known as publications survive. acquire new land. Westfield. Fund ranges from $37 to $75 a year, Mr. Till, who is in Easton, Pa., the clustering, sometimes changes news The tax would generate approxi- depending upon the municipality. location of The Express-Times of coverage as publications are able to mately $65 million over a 10-year The committee also recommends Easton, which is one of the MediaNews use stories from sister publications, period. Of that, $52 million would be the Trust Fund be “sunsetted” after daily newspapers purchased by Ad- Mr. Morton said. Mountainside Council used to fund the acquisition and de- 10 years and that a public referen- vance Publications, said that an execu- Many of the local weeklies pur- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 velopment needs identified in the dum be required for it to be rein- tive from Advance visited the daily chased by Advance have already been Master Plan, with the balance dis- stated. able to employ that concept under the years and the interest rate is esti- Michael Disko, had done a study of pensed to local municipalities in Opponents of the Master Plan claim newspaper last week and indicated that the borough’s engineering needs and there would be few changes. ownership of MediaNews. mated at 5.2 percent. matching grants for local acquisition the county will acquire areas of land MediaNews is one of the nation’s Also, as explained in reported that about 75 percent of the and development. which can be better used to develop Donald Newhouse, president of borough’s 90 streets were in “dire Advance, told The Westfield Leader largest newspaper chains and, at one Mountainside’s recent literature, the The committee further recom- affordable housing. time, was a powerful media player in effect the bond will have on the tax need of repair.” He also cited work mends that 80 percent of the $5.2 The Freeholders have a Friday, and The Times of Scotch Plains- which needed to be done on “caved- Fanwood that Advance historically the Garden State. rate per residence is based on the million collected annually be dedi- August 25 deadline to have the refer- In 1997, MediaNews purchased average assessed value of $154,000 in drainage systems and sewer lines.” cated towards the purchase of open endum put on the November ballot. has operated newspapers autono- Originally, it was announced that mously, with the present management Forbes Newspapers, Inc.’s weekly for a home in the borough. It is esti- newspaper holdings, which included mated the tax rate will increase by this bond would be for approximately and mode of operation staying intact. $7 million. It was then cut, however, Included in the purchase were 40 the former The Westfield Record and approximately $38 for the first year. The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Press The impact on the tax rate in sub- due to grants and money used from WILLIAM J. SWEENEY weekly newspapers. In addition to the Capital Surplus Fund for drain- Union County, the weekly newspa- (now the Record-Press) and The sequent years will increase or de- ATTORNEY-AT-LAW crease, depending on the repayment age and storm sewer improvements. pers are published in Somerset, War- Cranford Chronicle. LM TREET ESTFIELD At the time, MediaNews operated schedule determined at the time of The Mayor revealed that a public 318 E S , W • 232-5400 ren and Hunterdon counties in New hearing on the ordinance was sched- Jersey and Lehigh and Northampton daily and weekly papers in Bergen, the closing of the bonds. LITIGATION • REAL ESTATE • EMPLOYMENT LAW • COMMERCIAL • PERSONAL INJURY Passaic, Union and Warren counties In the spring, the borough first uled for next Tuesday, July 18. counties in . He noted that Dr. Disko, as well as Open Sundays 8am – 12 Noon Daily newspapers purchased, be- under the NJN group. announced the bond for these vari- “While this transaction was one of ous capital improvements, which the borough’s Chief Financial Of- sides The Express-Times, include ficer, Michele Swisher, will be avail- , Today’s the most difficult decision MediaNews included updating approximately 60 roads. able at that public hearing to answer CEDAR MULCH Sunbeam (Salem County) and the Group has ever made, we believe these 3 cubic foot bag • Regularly $4.49 newspapers will fit much better with Mayor Viglianti had noted back any questions that residents may have Bridgeton Evening News. concerning the project and its costs. Mr. Newhouse said, “We bought Advance than MediaNews,” said Wil- then that the Borough Engineer, Dr. $ .99 Cash & Carry liam Dean Singleton, president and these papers because they were in 1 25 bag limit per customer good markets, well managed proper- chief executive officer of MediaNews PER BAG ties.” in a press release when the Advance John Morton, a newspaper consult- purchase was announced. “The FREE Assembly JUST FOR DAD!! ant who operates Morton Research, Newhouse family is New Jersey’s larg- Inc., in Silver Spring, Md., said that it est newspaper publisher, and the criti- Our Genesis® Silver & Gold Series Gas Grills makes sense for Advance to expand in cal mass they bring to these newspa- Newest With Premium Upgrades Silver-A • List Price $459 Upgrades Include SALE $ .00 • 2 Thermoset PRICE 379 swing-up work Family Member surfaces • Stainless Steel Come enjoy a facial with Jane. 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