2003: a Year of Trains, School Growing Pains and Gov. Change School
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Echo _rr )\ Serving Springfield and Mountainside SPRINGFIELD N.J., VOL 75 NO. 19 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2003 TWO SECTIC 2003: A year of trains, school growing pains and gov. change Bv Rick Klitilch along Mountain .-Venue. The new fire- 12 2 cents per SHM» of assessed valua- Staff Writer house IN being erected on the corner of tion, After an eventful \ear marked with Mountain and Tooker avenues, and the April progress, debate, and hopeful plan* lor railroad tracks_v\ould cross Mnuntam • .As teacher contract negotiations 2004, rt would be fitting for Spring- Avenue on the west side of the fire- continue, the starting annual <^iliir\ tor field to wake some New Year's reso- housc. a teacher .n Springfield is reported to lutions, as several 2003 issues remain • In order to nuke changes to the be S42.P5. which is rclativciv ntgh unresolved a,s the t>a!l drops.. new fa chouse.- which is still under compared to surrounding district-. While the new firehouw? hj.s hti construction, the Township Commit- • Jacqueline Shanes, Urn levee several bumpi tn the road and »;> still tee approve* change orders ol sli^hth and Hugh Keller, who run coHcstueK without J projected completion dale, more than S73.OOO. At the point. 12 on .i three-candidate platform, win the ihe Polite Department and Fire items had been submitted to the town- Bojrd of I-ducation election Houc\ Department remain without new con- ship that would result vn changes er, the public lejccted the school budg- tracts, as ihc arbitrator's decision is Construction »JI lu be completed b> et bv a margin of 5 pcf.ccnt. A,toi,u o: forthcoming. April 17. I ,S M people cjme out lo vote nut ot .1 l Nfci^cl Field h.i.s remained emptv • Springfield residents vote in tavor total ot'around 8,H)() registered vutcfs and unused, and although plans are of the bond" referendum for school •"[he introduced rtiumcip.it budget being made to rno\e along rehabilita- expansion, a 51*) ruillion -.pending of S20 2 million is adopted b> the tion, man) residents find this a long plan with a share of nearlv SI •s million I'ownship C'omtriitfec Thfs >e.jr\ time coming and wonder what has funded lhrvHitf.h local ta\p,iverv budget represents an increase of near taken so long. 1> S) 4 million ~ ~ Ftnall), while a school expansion February May and construction referendum -was • The ness Springfield tuehouse • ^ict another change order is issued passed in January. recent ptoblems falls behind schedule for a number ot tor the new fircbouse, this time foi -regarding the public bidding process reasons, but township officials, remain June 1"* According to township for construction work at (he I-dvvard V silent :LS far n\ progress and rcj>oris Administrator Kishard Shcola. the pi\- I'hiKii IU Bjr|iur» Kokkitliv Walton School has forced a onc-\car for dcla>s are concerned The project rtun, re.isorl for the dela> given bv It's the end of 2003, and this year also marks the end of the Lido Diner on Route 22 in dcla> of the reorganization ot student*. was onginallv bid with a -lllu-dav. Silcon Inc is vve.ither-rel.ned prob- Springfield A longtime landmark tn the township, the familiar eating establishment was within the district The problem, completion _ lems torn down during the fall and is being replaced by a 7-Eleven" according to the DoJfd of Hducation. • hive candidates drcidc to run li>r • 'the lowuship C"ommtttee unarn- one that could not be predicted, three scat-* in the Board of Hducalum iiumsl1. decides 10 cut the defeated otlici.iK .ind icMilt'tils announce new firclunise two men .ire lumdieds v\ people I" .ittcndance sav tficj are as disappointed election Incumbents I arr% Levee and s^iuHil tniduct b> SIOU.O(M) the> will take iej;.il .ictuui .ii:,iin-.[ cutcd. iJt.-l.i\ini: LoiisiiuUiiifi the as anjonc Jacqueline Shanes, and challengers Ji> I nion t ouniv .rul MonistovMi and d.lv ,ind supplMnn lltviIC tjuC^lH'Hs June • Ihe must recent completuMi date Although Springfield has seen Ann Holmc.t, Hugh Keller and Hnarl 11 J ne K.ulMav Ini. hoping to t!\\\.in rcti.irilmj.: the new runldiiu: ( ne I !m.i 11 it the new inc nous*: is two weeks • Nomuiatiiin* for the two scat plenty of accomplishments, and Sheehcy. plans tor the iL'tactn.itu>ti ot t\\ii i.ui Depntv [)oiuld Schweu'l s.nd it m.K passed lownship '\dmmistr;itor available <>r> the Township Committee achievements throughout the township • The preliminary 2W3-O4 Board liru-^ nave been clectncn\ utnundinji out \<t Kitluird Sheula declines to speculate .ire earned bv PeniiKratic Commitee- dunng 2<M)1. the most notable one of Education budget of S?6.114.047 ^ July si'ine w lie shortuij; nut huw loni: K wiitild lake belosi" the inj)' be thr changing ot a one-party approved bv the board, an increase of nian Ros Hirxchfeld. Oemoctat Ken • iIOV I.MUC Mcliteevev • Social C kibhousc IIK K^.ited -in binldiui: \>pens, and (. iimmittoem.m Township Committee to a t"o-pj.it> 5 5 percent from the previous \t_\ir Faigenbaum. and Republican chal- the loyo tor [he -<>w5 Po-\ (. Blown Avenue, files j clas-' action R,n Ihrschfeld suv.s that Uiere arc one March lengers Harold l'oltri.H;k jnd Victor oruhip. \il)uti \iill he hosted b\ the lawsuit ajraniNl the lord NU'tor torn i',i:esiinns 'eivuding contract evten- Here's a look at sonic more issue-, • Another setback Malh plans, for Kajoppi M.iltusrol <iul/ ( hib J);c marki-rmi: panv, claiinmj; that the \.iti^ u pur- *iot>.-. .HKI possible penalties lor ihe 1 and events that made headlines m the new firehouse as Stlcon Inc Pro- • U> a •*-! 1.01c, the I'nion Counts vampaiKH vv,f OIHCMHV -,mder svav .i - chased t>i tMiisport its clients cannol Luiitt.ivtiir. Silt<>n Inc ject Manager Manuel DaSilva Board of Chosen J-reeholdei'- agrees MiAitecvcN hcKl IIK- \\.vnj(n.iV.er Uo- be used to carrv 15 p.isscngeis. -is vs.is • Ihc lowiislup C -inrniUee shows - , -January. „ ,,, .explains that the scaffolding was lo implement phases one thtuugh lour pi);,, \shwh is avv.udcd to tile ruurru- described b\ 1 ord suppiM lor .he statewide " percent • Commilieeman Gregory Clarke is lertiovcd because the subcontractor of the 'operating "agreement wtth-Mor- mrnt s winnei - , ., *. Spnugt'tcld avoid*, the lau'.est hole' ,ind moii'l occupanc> t-ix avtree- sworn in as the new major of Spring- vvj'j thrown off the 30b tor nonperfor- nstown and Erie Railwa) Referring to • \ piov Loiitrai.1 loi the police and blackout in I S historv, havtiji no inji K1 >iiid \ ptfict"i"Co« d»«." town'.'on field at the township's reorganisation mance. public hearings* vshich eveurted in the Tin.- di;patiiiK"nls u still unresolved. a-» •icride'iN oi \pecttW incident, tcpi'it- tup i>l ihe (> pcfv.c:u SJI::? m that meeting. Among other topics. Clarke • The Board of Education /budget. past ttvdiscuM the rail line's possible bo:h diScs .nv.iit .111 vrhttratot's deci- od during the time span the onlv speaks about the adversarial relation- already approved for submission to reactivation. Mayor Gregory Clarke sion. The departments have been with- small problem resulting from ihe out- - After close n> three vears of ncpo- ship between the Fire Department and the voters, will have 52.V6 million said that thti time, "We have not been out new contracts since Dec. 31. 2000. age Wii.s a traffic light that went out tianons. the contracts for the Spring- the Township Committee, noting that raised through local property taxev If involved in the process at all " • James Cjldwcll School nurse JUM after 4 p m. thjt afternoon, but it field Police Department and Fire the two side*' goal should be public approved, there would be an annual • A SI million cleanup and rccon- Eileen Roger> files a scvual har.i-.s- was brought back to life within a half Department remain in arbitration "sifetyc "*" "—*—~~~-_w~™. ,_>liUi:Uoii_QC_M_cisel Av enuePork in ment and discrimination complaint hour. • The Springfield Education Asso- • The \ car's first worries concern- home assessed at SI57.800. Springfield is expected to stait and bV""ItuimiT" Ken' "Bemahc.'" the- xchool-> - " •"The'TownshTfi Committee rc«»K---ctation -Jteric»,,/t»,/'aWJr._HjL, contract ing the Rahway Valley Railway • A 520.2 million municipal budget completed by fall The athletic fields principal, along with the Hoard ot ni/es the support from the townspeo- with the Hoard of Education, calling emerge, as official* ask what dtflaj* is introduced, calling for an.increa.se jre expected to be ready for use b> f:duc:ition ple regarding (he flufit to stop the reac- for a three-vear contract with a sal an may occur in the fire department's res- of SIS** for the 3vcragc home in next spnng ttvation of the Rahway Vallev Rail- increase o\' four percent ' cue efforts if trains are blocking traffic Spnngfrcid The increase tn taxo, is • A coalition oi local government • While M oik ing on wires m the w,jv. after two public meetings vicldcd See FIRKUQCSK, Page: School opening, new rec center show promise of coming year BrUn Pedenen chief of the DPW work 2S-hour shifts March 25, approving i! bv a unani- Managing Editor to combat the snow storm. mous vote n?e»r next step is for \ot- -, For.