Board Urges Repeal of New Spending Rules Nearly 6 Percent
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ttBB Serving Westfield, Scotch Plains and Fanwood . Friday, October 8,2004 50 cents Board urges repeal of new spending rules nearly 6 percent. have been passed in the last two weeks by tendent, who also has oversight of second THE RECORD-PRESS S-1701 was signed into law in July as a the Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Cranford questions if administrative costs are component of Gov. James McGreevey's school boards. deemed inefficient, Berman said. WESTFIELD — The Board of overall budget package. The overall state The new law reduces allowable spend- Under the law, second questions will Education unanimously approved a reso- budget also ballooned by nearly 17 per- ing increases for school districts from 3 not be allowed for new programs and serv- lution calling for a repeal of a new state cent, and included a controversial borrow- percent annually to 2.5 percent, or the ices included in prior years' budgets, and law that places significant new budgetary ing plan that survived an unsuccessful Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate — can not include new programs or services restrictions on school districts, legal challenge by state Republicans. whichever is greater. necessary to achieve the state's Core At the board's regular meeting Tuesday Since its passage, and especially in the It also restricts local authority over Curriculum Content Standards. night, Business Administrator Bob last month, the law has met a wave of crit- budget transfers and places limitations on While educators and board members Berman told members the law, commonly icism from school districts, who say the second budget questions. are upset, the law has already had a tan- known as S-1701, will contribute to a conditions will artificially lower taxes in For example, all line item transfers gible impact on Westfield taxpayers. A spending increase allowance of only 3.8 the next few years while leading to long- greater than 10 percent of the amount of component of the bill requires schools to percent for the coming year. Under the term increases and weakening local con- the line account in the advertised budget 2004-05 budget, spending increased by trol over education. Similar resolutions must be approved by the county superin- (Continued on page A-2) Casein Ms Residents turn out Sean Smith hauled in this pass for a touchdown in Scotch Plains contest for discussion of against Cranford over the weekend, tut the Raiders still fell to their Watchung Conference foe. See the downtown project story in Sports. Page C-1. •y BRADI In what Mahr termed an "edu- THE RECORD-PRESS cation session on the downtown," residents were given snapshots FANWOOD — At a well- of redevelopment strategies pur- attended public meeting held sued by other New Jersey com- over the future of the borough's munities. Planning consultant downtown, residents were updat- Dave Roberts said the borough ed on the progress of a downtown can create a "sense of place" in revitalization committee and the downtown by constructing a given the opportunity to voice pedestrian-friendly retail area their opinions about redevelop- inside the borough's redevelop- ment. ment zone. After more than an hour of The 6.5-acre tract of land, open discussion, the approxi- bounded by South, Martine and mately 100 residents who packed LaGrande avenues and Second the Fanwood Presbyterian Street, was designated an area in Church indicated enthusiasm for need of redevelopment in May downtown redevelopment, but 2001. The Borough Council reservations about increased res- adopted a redevelopment plan in idential density. March 2002. The Sept. 30 meeting was the The previous borough admin- first significant step in istration designated Landmark Fanwood's redevelopment Communities to redevelop the Miss Ftny Wtttf process in more than a year, and property, but those negotiations the first open forum on the topic were suspended when Mayor Lou Fanwood threw its annual Fanny during the administration of Wood Day celebration Sunday, oner- Democrat Mayor Colleen Mahr. (Continued on page A-2) ing a collection of family fun in the downtown. See pictures from the event in Community Life, Page 8-1. Residents press their case on pond scum At Scotch Plains •yaraaMMK were in place, the algae was so THE RECORD-PRESS prevalent that it clogged the aer- ators, causing a malfunction. Day, fun for WESTFIELD — Residents of The town subsequently the Tamaques Park neighbor- installed a more effective, though hood turned out in force at less picturesque, device and the whole family Tuesday's Town Council meeting, treated the pond with environ- The annual Scotch Plains calling the condition of the park's mentally-safe algaecide, Marsh Day celebration on Sunday pond this summer "unacceptable" said. "This was really a tempo- offered lote of fun for the and urging the town to do more rary situation," whole family — and especial- to fix the problem. The pond is now "under con- ly for the younger members The park's artificial pond was trol," he said, though his depart- of the community. Above, clogged with algae for most of the ment is exploring other improve- township resident Nicola summer, producing an unsightly, ments related to the flow of water Nwrdnrs Horn, 8, helps a clown per- foul-smelling mess, though resi- into and out of the pond. form a magic trick. At left, dents acknowledged the situation And a survey is underway to •Mite a win Fanwood'a Sarah McEvoy, 4, has improved in recent weeks. determine whether the dredging feeds some of the animals in Town engineer Ken Marsh The Westfield Jaycees are reviving a the petting zoo. The day also was ever successfully completed; popular tradition this year, raffling featured live music from the said the problem was created if not, the contractor may be off a Mercedes to raise money for Nerds and a tribute to some when a dredging project began called back to finish the job. CONTACT We Care and the Jaycees of the local residents who last fall ran into the spring, But that explanation didn't Foundation scholarship fund. For have passed away In the last meaning the fish supply in the entirely satisfy the more than a more information on how to get in year. pond was not replenished and dozen members of a neighbor- on the contest, turn to Page A-B. there were no aerators in place hood association who packed the until the summer had already conference session. begun. Due to the late start, "the Though the algae situation algae got ahead of us this year," KEVIN PAPA/CORRESPONDENT Marsh said; once the aerators (Continued on page A-2) Rotary sets sights on restoration SP Council poised Street fair to a museum use similar to the attended, the group brain- THE RECORD-PRESS Miller-Cory House in Westfield stormed a variety of fundraising MWestflell or the Drake House in Plainfield. ideas, including selling drawings to appoint architects me Westfield Street Fair and Craft SCOTCH PLAINS — A local But first, the house needs to of the house, selling name plates •y BRAD BISHOP The council will award engi- Show will be held 11 a.m. -5 p.m. organization is attempting to be sealed, weather-stripped, and to be displayed inside the neering firm MRM Architecture Saturday at the South Avenue train restore a township home that fumigated to eliminate insect restored building, selling t- THE RECORD-PRESS with the contract. The North Station parking lot. Admission is predates the Revolutionary War, problems, Hughes said. The shirts, and selling commemora- SCOTCH PLAINS — On Brunswick-based firm was one of free, and the event will feature a project that will require a sub- Rotary also wants to place ply- tive bricks to be displayed on a Tuesday, the Township Council is four the library's board of direc- music, food, artists, crafters, stantial amount of money to wood over the roof to protect the walkway leading up to the expected to pass resolutions tors interviewed for the project. games, rides and family fun, complete. Frazee house from further house. appointing two firms to perform In a report to the council, The Frazee house, first built weather damage. These short- The Frazee house was architectural and engineering Kolaya said the extensive refur- in 1761, was originally a 360 term repairs will cost between acquired by the township services for repairs and enhance- bishment is needed to protect the square foot saltbox colonial. $10,000 and $15,000. through eminent domain in ments on three township-owned 32-year old facility's 80,000 item Since then, it has been expanded The long-term restoration will 2000, said Mayor Martin Marks. buildings. collection of books and to miti- to encompass about 1,400 square be substantially more expensive, The house and about an acre of One of those is the library, gate health concerns for employ- feet and includes three bed- though the Rotary won't be able surrounding property was subdi- which has sustained water dam- ees. rooms, a kitchen, living room, to estimate the coat of the reno- vided from a larger township- age to the ceiling, walls, and The library has suffered unex- Commentary A-4 and family room. vation until a historic preserva- owned parcel last year. Township flooring. The facility requires a pected, significant damage in the But the house has fallen into tion expert determines what officials hoped that a historic- roof replacement, window glazing last few years. After a major fire Community Life B-1 a state of extreme disrepair, repairs are necessary. minded private investor would replacement, interior renovation in February of 2003, the town- according to Oenise Hughes of Hughes acknowledged the purchase the property and reno- and alteration work, ceiling and ship spent $350,000 to repair fire Sports C-1 the Fanwood-Scotch Plains cost will run well into the hun- vate the house.