School Board Turns Down Early Retirement Option by DONALD PIZZI JR
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De-clawed Fun family outings Hyundai subcompact Holiday Portrait Cranford football team practically for free New Elantra challenges world See our gift guide See Sports, page B-l Weekend& See Real estate-Auto section 24-page section inside Thursday, November 21,1991 Vol. 9.8, No. 47 A Forbes Newspaper 50 cents CRANFORD • GARWOOD • KENILWORTH School board turns down early retirement option By DONALD PIZZI JR. could bring to the district and to taxpayers. Board member Dee Sugalski saw the plan of its benefits.exhausted." The board voted 8-1 against adopting the as away for the state to try and compensate THE CHRONICLE Another concern was the length of the plan, with Patricia Martinelli voting in favor. for the Quality Education Act, which re- plan, which members felt would be a burden After working for 25 years in the Cranford The early retirement program was de- sulted in funding cuts to the district. She to future boards. school district, Joyce Owens still loves her signed to give school districts and municipal said the state was in effect telling the dis- "Finally, I have not resolved my personal job. She told the Board of Education on governments the option of offering eligible trict '"You need money? Get rid of your dilemma of the ethics involved in commit- Monday that until the board began consider- employees an incentive to retire as a way to high priced teachers."' ting future boards some 29 years in the fu- ing adopting an early retirement plan de- reduce expenses. In Cranford, the plan "If there is bitterness in this room (about ture to make payments based on our 1991 signed by the state, "I had never much would have cost $7.9 million up front to im- the board's decision), please" place the Blame" decision, regardless of the beneficial effects thought about retiring." plement, or the state could have loaned the where it belonge," she said, "in Trenton." of this plan in dollars over the next five She urged the board to give the plan seri- district the money over a 28-year period at 7 "The assumption of short-term savings years," said board member Tom Bonhag. ous consideration, however, stating that percent interest That would have increased with a duration of approximately eight years "Philosophically, I find this to be a good "you have the power to make it a little easi- the cost by 44 percent, to $14.2 million. .and an expense spread over 28 years does example of governmental fiscal plans which er for some of us to retire." Chief among the reasons board members not lend itself to sound fiscal management," are based oh a premise of 'let the future The board's "on the road" meeting at Sill- cited for their rejection was the fact that the said board member Andrew Pelliccio. "Noth- worry about the future."' side Avenue School drew a large number of plan appears to provide substantial savings irig should be cfinariced longer than its ex- Board President James Van Horn said the district employees who were interested in for about nine years, but which would dwin- pected life or valup. I am.sure current resi- plan would make sense to districts that are the-planr-Ih-the-endr1the-board-wasleft dle-after that time period to the-point where--dents-of- Cranford would be-appalled-if they looking-to downsize-staffSrwhieh is not-the- unconvinced that the benefits of the plan the district could eventually find itself more were stuck today with an enormous bill case in Cranford. He criticized the state for outweighed the harsh economic realities it than $4 million in debt passed on by a board eight years ago with all (Please turn to page A-3) GOP agrees on Robinson as mayor By CHERYL MOKLTON HEHL volunteer committees and boards were partisan. Favorite spot THE CHRONICUE In a joint statement, Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Bilger and Pancake fare Commissioner-elect Robert Hoeffler said they settled The Republican Party announced this week that Ed the issue of who would step into the seat Ed Force RobinsOn will take the reigns as mayor in 1992, quell- will vacate ort Dec. 31, after serving nine years on the •fast Sunday $am-noon«JJ ing rumors that Township Committee member Bar- governing body, three as mayor. A written press re- Wostwoeid,Cha&waftRa*l bara Bilger would hold the post lease, delivered by Mr. Robinson and signed by Mrs. Mr. Robinson was mayor 11 years ago while serving Bilger, Mr. Hoeffler and Mr. Robinson, read, "After a three-year term on the committee. He stepped back careful consideration of all the issues facing Cranford into the political arena last year, winning a seat on and how best to deal with them, we feel that Ed the governing body and maintaining a 12-year major- Robinson will best serve as our mayor in '92." ' -»-Foo. ' d collections ity for the (JOP on the committee. Mr. Hoeffler said, "Cranford is lucky to have a The position of mayor, or chairman of the commit- Barbara Bilger and an Ed Robinson on the Township tee, is not an elected post The position traditionally Committee. Either Barbara or Ed could serve the has been decided by the majority party of the five- Cranford citizens well as mayor, both of whom put member committee, with the decision rarely being a Cranford before politics, both of whom will work with ^Sgtotity and Sunday tir bipartisan choice. This method has raised the ire of the entire Township Committee and the citizens of m«f food ciriw fofet^*,*,., minority members with charges that appointments to (Please turn to page A-3) my is , By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL Inn in" Atlantic City. Mr. Aschehbach voiced his/'out- rage" at the "insensitiviiy at a time when layoff no- THE CHRONICLE Tibet exhibit tices to employees were given. We can't urge pru- Despite recent hints of municipal layoffs, a group of dency in spending but, allow taxpayers to foot such an township officials left for a convention in Atlantic City excess," Mr. Aschenbach said. this week — to the tune of about $6,000. Even though Mr. Aschenbach stressed his concern videos \MS be shown at 2:30 Although township municipal employees were ad- at Monday's Township Committee workshop meeting, fellow governing body members remained silent ' ana 7SJ0p.m. today. vised verbally two weeks ago that there could-be 15 layoffs by Jan. 1 if $644,000 is not cut from the 1992 while he delivered his statement of disapproval about municipal budget, 19 municipal officials and em- the trip. He said he was "not happy with the trek to Blood drive ployees, including spouses, left Tuesday for the three- Atlantic City," concluding he "did not have a problem ^ TiwawUbeabJooddrtve ; day, two-night convention and-$2,40Q<township riin- with the policy makers (governing body members)" Tuesday, r4ov. 26, fnxn 2-7 ner. going to the convention, "but I do with employees." Township Committee member and finance commis- He said Atlantic City was "a great industry for tour- sioner Dan Aschenbach said he refused to sign a ism but not for taxpayers." $2,400 invoice presented to him last week by Town- According to past township records, the tab for the New hours ship Administrator Edward Murphy for a dinner to be annual trip includes up to 15 hotel rooms at ap- held for outgoing Mayor Ed Force at the Ram's Head (Please turn to page A-3) ' Saturdays trt December. Friday Families need help for Thanksgiving bourn are 9:36 a^&30p4tt. Grass find leave* am bib^aCK By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL ing, Mrs. Sidoti said. With heavy unemployment and large cutbacks, JOHN KEATING/THE CHRONICLE THE CHRONICLE many family heads are being classified as the "work- Photo enthusiast Edna Doll enjoys a moment in Nome During the past year Cranford Family Care Associa- ing poor" due to a decrease in working hours, Mrs. hegan Park. The photographer and world traveler says th Smokeout tion has struggled to meet the needs of residents, who Sidoti said. Some work three or four days out of the river Is one her favorite places to take pictures. as victims of the recession and illness, have become week and now are indigent, she said. part of the "working poor." Families have problems paying utilities, medical 1 This Thanksgiving there might not be enough tur- and pharmaceutical bills, and food and rent bills. Al- Worldwide traveler has cut keys to go around, according to Sylvia Sidoti, director. though Family Care has been helping whenever it With just a few days left before Thanksgiving, Mrs. can, a helping hand is needed from residents this Sidoti said she is unable to determine if the recession year if those who are experiencing misfortune are to photographs on display will affect donations of turkeys and groceries. She have a holiday dinner, Mrs. Sidoti said. Garwood seivlce depends heavily on donations from churches, resi- What follows are some profiles provided by Mrs. By PETER J. WAMSTEKER dents and other sources each holiday season to get Sidoti: THE CHRONICLE families through rough times. A father with a family of four to support is ill. Bills, Edna Doll was handed her first camera as a camp counselor; a Kodak y. Nov. 27, at 8 ant During the past year, 783 petitioners seeking help . medicine and little money coming in has made this she Immediately put to use taking pictures of people and nature. «t th» Clwrch of St Mm Irt *H» s were interviewed. The agency is serving an average of season hard.