Millburn and Short Hills

The Serving our Community Since 1888 Item House break-ins. December 7, 2006 Residents sleep through burglaries. Page A2. 75 cents weekly of Millburn and Short Hills www.theitemonline.com ON THE RUN TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE DMDA budget queried By Patricia Harris agreed the DMDA’s overhead is tee members Tuesday night did not of The Item too high, saying, “Something has to discuss the possibility of increasing be done.” the assessment. The operations and the eco- Committeewoman Ellen Stein- Klein also said the DMDA will nomic viability of the Downtown berg, the Committee’s liaison to the have $21,000 in reserve after it Millburn Development Alliance DMDA, said at the DMDA’s Nov. draws down the $21,000 it needs (DMDA), the organization 13 annual meeting, members dis- for this year’s budget. charged with managing the down- cussed reviewing the bylaws and In other business, township res- town district, came under scrutiny possibly making changes that ident Missy Enberg appealed to the during a public hearing at Tues- would streamline the organization. Committee to deal with what she day’s Township Committee meet- In defending the operations of called an “ever-growing issue,” that ing. theDMDA,Kleinsaidtheboard of feral and stray cats. The Committee considered the had asked him to contact other Enberg, who said she herself has organization’s 2007 budget, which SIDs concerning their operations. indoor cats and volunteers at an requires the township to place an He said he had contacted organi- animal shelter, said she has dealt assessment on all property and zations in Livingston, Westfield with the many strays in her yard by business owners in the Special and Cranford, among others, and trapping, neutering and returning Improvement District (SID), as the learned that in each case, more them to the outdoors. municipality has done in previous than 50 percent of their budgets “It’s working in my back yard,” years. At the time of the introduc- were dedicated to administration. she said, noting she has received tion of the DMDA’s budget in “We’re a service organization,” numerous calls for help from oth- October, Committee members had Klein said. He pointed to events ers who have similar problems. expressed concern about the orga- sponsored by the DMDA, includ- She said she is now assisting Jim nization’s need to draw on $21,000 ing Sunday’s Snowflake Parade, Berger, the township’s animal con- of its surplus funds, which are which he had been told drew one trol officer, with the feral and stray labeled “carry forward funds.” of its largest crowds in its history. cat problem. The Committee adopted the “A lot of work goes into orga- She suggested the township $219,475 budget Tuesday night, nizing the events,” he said. “We do enact a full-scale program to con- but not before Committee mem- a lot of good things for the town.” trol the cat population, with the bers, the DMDA’s executive direc- He also said the organization assistance of local veterinarians tor and a township business owner undertakes visual improvement who are willing to help. The Com- engaged in a wide-ranging discus- projects and has several new ones mittee asked her to submit a pro- sion of the DMDA’s purpose and in the works, including re-land- posal to the township, and Enberg functions. scaping and adding metal benches agreed to do so. The DMDA’s executive director, on the Millburn Avenue side of Also at Tuesday’s session, the Harold Klein, also agreed to return Taylor Park. Committee adopted two ordi- before the Committee in June to With respect to overhead costs, nances without discussion. The provide an update on the organi- Klein said, “We’re not atypical.” first prohibits parking in fire lanes zation’s efforts to contain costs and In response to questions from that were added around the high find new sources of revenue. Committeewoman Sandra school, middle school, Wyoming The discussion was sparked by Haimoff, Klein said each of the School and parking decks at The business owner Milton Resnick, a other offices have staffs of two or Mall at Short Hills. certified public accountant with three persons. The DMDA cur- The second requires buildings offices in The Courtyard building. rently has a two-member staff. equipped with automatic fire sup- Resnick noted that of the $160,000 Mayor Daniel Baer said he pression or standpipe systems or the DMDA collects through the would like to see the DMDA protected by automatic alarm sys- SID assessment, $137,000 is spent evolve and continue to be involved tems to be equipped with a key box ADAM ANIK/THE ITEM on overhead costs, including as the township moves forward that fire personnel can use to gain A pack of runners follow the leader, Greg Hendler of Clifton, through the South Mountain administrative expenses and gen- with revitalization projects for the access to the facility in times of eral operating expenses. downtown. emergency. Reservation Sunday, approaching the final water station before the turn-around at the Red “It’s ludicrous they’re spending Klein also pointed out the By special resolution, the Com- Cross 5-K Run/Walk For Life. The local chapter of the American Red Cross and Mayor Dan so much money,” Resnick DMDA has seen no increase in mittee certified receipt of the 2005 Baer and the Township Committee sponsored the event to launch the township’s 150th remarked. He later added, “This is revenues from the township’s audit. sesquicentennial celebration next year and to recognize the 125th year of the Red Cross. my money. It’s coming out of my assessment in the 14 years of its The Committee had no ques- Proceeds from the race will sustain Red Cross programs and services, including the purchase pocket.” existence, inasmuch as the assess- tions for the auditor, Bob Rooney of an automated external defibrillator for the chapter house. See additional photos, Pages B7 Committeeman James Suell ment has not increased. Commit- of Deloitte and Touche. and B8. BUILDING DEPARTMENT BOARD OF EDUCATION Rabbi’s permit bid denied Schools gathering data Bogomilsky engages legal counsel Letter to parents abides by NJ Smart program By Patricia Harris issued a denial on Nov. 17 on the the scope of renovations indicated By Harry Trumbore until Dec. 18 to decide whether or at the middle school. ofTheItem basis that the apparent use of the on the construction plans, state- of The Item not it will supply that final piece of “On the surface, it seems like new structure does not meet the ments made by the architect who information—along with more than good stuff,” said Superintendent of The township has denied a conditional use requirements in prepared the plans and statements Despite continuing reservations 30 other items—to the state Depart- Schools Richard Brodow. “It’s not building permit to Rabbi Mendel the residential zone in which the made by you [Bogomilsky] at pub- about a new statewide database of ment of Education for its NJ unheard of to use this data to help Bogomilsky and intends to property is located. lic meetings as well recent adver- student information, public school SMART program. The tracking children.” uphold the decision, despite a According to township ordi- tisements in publications, it is my administrators this week mailed to program will assign each student a Brodow, however, acknowl- legal challenge from an attorney nances, use of a property in a res- determination that the apparent parents a letter requesting infor- personal identification number edged the tracking program has representing Bogomilsky. idential zone as a house of wor- use of the new structures is not mation about their children. and track the student’s progress raised serious issues of security and Bogomilsky, leader of the Chai ship is not a permitted condition- permitted because it does not Although nearly all the informa- throughout his or her school privacy that the state has failed to Center for Living Judaism, sought al use. Although Watkinson did meet the conditional use require- tion being requested by the state career. address. What’s more, he added, to add a 2,500-square-foot addi- not specifically say so, the use of ments in the ‘R-3’ residential already is available to school offi- Whether the board should com- he has been notified the state will tion to his home at 1 Jefferson the Jefferson Ave. property as a zone.” cials, the district is asking parents ply with the state requirements has punish districts that do not coop- Ave. and submitted an application house of worship appeared to be Bogomilsky confirmed this to supply one piece of additional been the subject of debate at recent erate with the state. to the Building Department in of concern. week that he had received a copy information—their children’s places BOE meetings and is due to be on “If we do not comply, the sanc- October. Thomas Watkinson, the In his Nov. 17 letter of denial, of birth. the agenda of Monday night’s township’s acting zoning officer, Watkinson wrote, “Based upon SEE RABBI’S, PAGE B14 The Board of Education has board meeting, scheduled for 7:45 SEE SCHOOLS, PAGE B14 ANTI DRUG/ALCOHOL SCHOOL CAMPAIGN ‘TIS THE SEASON Santa waves to children waiting to greet him Sunday in Adult aid vital The Courtyard with VAPPO and the Funny Factory Band from Colts Neck behind him after their trip down Millburn part of struggle Avenue for the township’s By Harry Trumbore 23rd annual Snowflake said Keith Neigel, principal of Parade.

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