Town Faces Legal Hurdle on Station Condemnation

O f MILLBURN AND SHORT HILLS T hursday, May 9,1985 Pounded 1888 Vol. 97, N u m b er 19 Serving the iownthip for 97 years 35 Cents per Copy, $15 per Year by Mail to Your Door & Member, Audit Bureau of Circulations -----------3 ------------------------------ t Bees’ nest Town faces legal hurdle clean-up starts fire on station condemnation k An attempt by a workman to burn a A new legal roadblock, one brand mitted at Tuesday night’s meeting of of late last year to acquire the sta to demolish the 84-year-old station bees’ nest out of the eaves of an Old ed by township attorney Roger Clapp the governing body, Mr. Clapp said tion. and replace it with a 2-story office Short Hills Road home Mondaj as “totally frivolous,” has been P&R attorneys were planning to ap P&R’s latest legal move, Mr. Clapp building which would contain com nited the roof and set off a blaze erected by P&R Associates, owners peal an April ruling by Judge Bed said Tuesday night represented an muter facilities. damaged three rooms of of the Millbum railroad station, in an ford and “have indicated they will “effort to obstruct” the orderly movement of the case. Approximately two months after residence before it was brot attempt to derail this municipality’s seek a stay of the May 20 meeting. the Planning Board approved the The decision which P&R is plann sr control. No one was inji acquisition of that property through P&R plans the board of directors of seriously in the blaze. condemnation. ing to appeal pertains to the April 11 In its basic suit — the one which may or may not be heard before N.J. Transit said it would commit th e fire at the home of Dr. Zc ruling of Judge Bedford in which he $300,000 to the renovation of the sta The essence of the condemnation dismissed charges brought against Judge Bedford May 20 — P&R is con Matkiwsky of 272 Old Short I tion building if the municipality were proceeding had been scheduled to the five individual members of the tending that no public purpose would Road erupted shortly after noon to acquire it. In December the open May 20 in a hearing before Township Committee. In that ruling be served through the municipality’s emergency equipment from the Township Committee offered to pay Superior Court Judge Stanley Bed the Superior Court judge found that acquisition of the property. The township, Summit and Maplewood P&R $302,500 for the property. When ford. That hearing, however, could P&R had provided no proof that the Union investment firm purchased the were called into service. Traffic P&R rejected that offer, the Commit be delayed if P&R is successful in its five Committee members had acted Essex Street property in December atong Old Short Hills Road was block-Mrs. Zenon Matkiwsky is o b tee initiated its suit to acquire the latest legal move. maliciously in the events which led to of 1983 and last September received ed and rerouted until after Sp.m : v io u siy distraught, as she Planning Board approval of its plans station through condemnation. Deputy Chief Terrence Murray w a tc h e s fire fighting Opera- Reporting to the Township Com Hw» Township Committee’s decision Continued on Page 6 flo p s . Committee delays sale decision No decision on the potential sale of operates a restaurant in West bidders said, would provide would set no conditions as to the the municipality-owned property at Orange. A bid of $75,000 was submit pedestrian access to the courtyard as future of the property other than the 41 Main Street will be made by the ted by Brody-Chaiken & Associates, well as a view of the courtyard’s standard zoning regulations. Township Committee before May 28. owners of the Main Street and fountain from Main Street. In the discussion which preceded The Committee last month had Millbum Avenue properties im The Atrium West bid was based on the Township Committee’s decision received three bids — ranging from mediately south of 41 Main Street, two options contained in the to postpone action until May 28, $220,000 to $65,000 - for the purchase and the low bid was submitted by a municipality’s bid specifications. Township Committeeman Robert C. of the two and one-half story frame Newark attorney, Robert A. Wayne. Under the first option the purchaser Lydecker called upon township at building which backs on the As part of their bid proposals both would be committed to renovate the torney Roger Clapp to contact the municipal courtyard. Brody-Chaiken and Mr. Wayne said property while the second option Atrium West ownership in an at The highest of those bids was sub the existing building would be under which the Atrium West bid was tempt to learn their specific plans for mitted by Atrium West, a firm which demolished. New construction, both submitted was that the municipality Continued on Page 4 BPU sets hearing on The N.J. Board of Public Utilities (BPU) will hold a public hearing at the township library Monday evening on the latest rate increase petition fil ed by the Commonwealth Water Co. Commonwealth on March 1 filed an application with the BPU to increase rates by 18 per cent. If the petition were granted, water rates here would increase an average of $3.32 per month, according to Com monwealth. P ER FEC T CAST—Peter van der Ziel of Great Oak Drive flings hi§ line into Taylor Park Objection to the rate increase will be voiced at Monday’s public hearing Pond Saturday during the annual recreation department fishing derby. More derby pictures Continued on Page 6 on Page 6. Kearney to receive service award Dr. Paul Kearney will be honored The Board will also honor those elude: president, Ted Brewer Jr.; the year before, has been a member as the first recipient of the who have made monetary contribu- vice president, Cathy Stanzione; of the board of directors since 1980. Neighborhood Association’s tions to the Neighborhood Associa- secretary, M argaret Caveney; He also is a former president of the Distinguished Service Award when tion in 1984. In addition, a new plaque treasurer, Janet Steig; board of Yale Club of Central New Jersey and the organization holds its annual will be hung in the Neighborhood directors, class of 1987, Celeste is currently a member of its board of meeting Monday night. The meeting House listing those who have con- Maher and Katie Sayia; and, class of trustees and alumni schools commit- will be held at the Bauer Community tributed $100 or more since 1980. 1988, Katie Putnam, Doris Beatty Center at 8 p.m. During the business portion of the and Richard Howe. Mrs. Stanzione was appointed to mooting the nominating committee Mr. Brewer, who served as the the Neighborhood Association board Firefighter Bernard Cunningham receives a welcome cup Dr. Kearney was selected to receive the award by the will present its nominees for new of- Neighborhood Association’s vice in 1984. She has been vice chairman of water from First Aid Squad member Iris Stoloff while association’s board of directors “in fleers and board members. They in- president last year and as treasurer of the visiting nurse service commit Firefighter Ronald Donner straps a fresh oxygen tank onto recognition of more than three tee for the past year and will continue his b ac k . decades of service in the HiUHMUMuiuuiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiuinuiiiiiiiHtHiiiiiuiiuiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiHiiiHMiiitMiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiHii >n that capacity for another year. She Neighborhood Association’s well )iHUiwiuuiHHiiHiHiiiiiwmiwNHiuHu « js also first vice president of the baby clinic and other health care pro m i ____ 9 ^ Millbum Township Conference of grams.” During that time, Dr. Kearney, a pediatrician, has handled The inside story ^ Telephone to ring more than 2,000 visits from township this year, Mrs. Caveney is president children and has assisted in flu vac of the Junior League of the Oranges cination clinics in conjuction with the Safe Rides marks its second Classified ..................... 18 ,1 9 ,2 0 and Short Hills. She also sits on the Board of Health. a nniversary of aiding Comingevents .........................................6 board of trustees of the Family Sei^ for community fund Hie featured speaker at the annual township teenagers. Story on Editorial ........................... 4 'lJce ^ child e J“da,|ce Center of r cwiiim the oranges, Maplewood and meeting will be Dr. William A. P a g e 4. M o vie s . .......................................................8 MiUburn 8 Tansey III, chairman of the associa Hie Millbum-Short Hills Com located at Berkeley’s headquarters O b itu a r ie s tion’s professional advisory commit ........................ .. 15 Mrs. Steig was elected to the Board munity Fund will conduct its annual at 21 Bleeker Street. T h e list o f M illb u m Ju n io r R e lig io n .........................................................15 of Directors last year and has served phon-a-thon on the evenings of May Residents will be asked to pledge tee. A cardiologist at both Overlook anti St. Barnabas Hospitals and High School honor students Social ................................... 1 2 ,1 3 ,1 4 as chairman of the investment com- 14, IS and 16 from 7 to 9 pjn . their support of the fund’s 10 for the winter term will be Sports= . ......................... 1 6 ,1 7 member-agencies: the Neighborhood assistant clinical professor of mittee tor the past year. She is cur- Berkeley Federal Savings A Loan (A „nd ah P a n e 11 ^ rently secretary of Executive Association has donated the use of «$.

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