Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES a Watchung Communications, Inc

Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, May 21, 2009 OUR 119th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 21-2009 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com press@goleader.com SIXTY CENTS WF BOE Hires WHS Asst. Prin., Approves New Insurance Carrier By CHRISTINA M. HINKE next year but “may not look the same.” paraprofessional, Joan McCarthy, Specially Written for The Westfield Leader She also said that the eighth grade Edison School secretary and Charles WESTFIELD — The school softball and baseball stipends may be Rietzke, Roosevelt School custodian, district’s health insurance premiums funded by a league but said next year’s who have combined more than 82 years for employees will increase by 12 per- will be a combined team where previ- of employment with the district. cent, and Horizon Blue Cross Blue ously, Edison and Roosevelt Interme- Resignations announced included Shield will replace Cigna as the district’s diate Schools each had a separate team. Mary Beth Eliades, Kerry Handerhan health insurance carrier, said Bob Volunteers or funding are needed for and Jeannine Hughes, Wilson School Berman, business administrator, at the high school variety show, a Satur- paraprofessionals; Elizabeth Hansen, Tuesday night’s board meeting. In a day science program advisor, experi- Edison School social studies, and March meeting, he said Cigna had first enced mat cutters and donations for art Veronica Naughter, Roosevelt School bid to increase the premiums by 30 frames for student art, and computers Spanish. percent, and later, it was negotiated to for the libraries and intermediate school, Under finance, the board approved under 16 percent. Employees receive which she noted has been cut from the $12,000 in outstanding checks to move health, prescription and dental cover- budget for the past few years. The dis- into the fund balance as miscellaneous age under the new plan. trict also needs funding for a high school revenue. An out-of-district placement The board announced it has filled the summer weight training coach for the was approved for a student to attend the Westfield High School assistant princi- 2009-2010 year. Piscataway-based Interim Alternative pal slot vacated by Douglas Sanford, The board also approved the retire- Education Program, a 45-day program who left for a principal job. Lydia ment of Valerie Maggs, Edison school CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Suarez-McNulty has been hired for the position, effective July 20, at an annual Charles Laskowski for The Westfield Leader and The Times CHILD-ID...Emergency Services crew chief Moses Gomez of Roselle last Saturday helps Westfield youngster Isabella salary of $94,500. She was previously Broaddus with her fingerprinting at the CHIP program, an annual service of the Atlas Pythagoras Masonic Lodge in assistant principal at Bogota High Westfield. The program provides parents with up-to-date records of fingerprints, tooth print, saliva and scent sample and School for seven years and a special- a DVD to document the child’s image and speech pattern, to be used by the police in case of an emergency. education teacher. Superintendent of Schools Margaret Dolan described her as having a “great positive attitude.” Ms. Dolan reviewed the district’s Freeholders OK $600K Dog Park; budget with the board. The challenges the district faces she said were as fol- lows. The state has delayed payments of aid to school districts, including Golfers Critical of Course’s Closing Westfield, from June to July 1. State By PAUL J. PEYTON “A $600,000 dog park? I’m trying to each player unlike county summer con- aid for Westfield schools is less than 6 Specially Written for The Westfield Leader wrap my mind around it. What are certs, which are free of charge. percent of total revenue, whereas aid CLARK — The Union County those dogs going to have?” Mr. Bury “I really feel you snowballed or short- for N.J. schools is 40 percent on aver- Board of Chosen Freeholders approved questioned. “Is it required? I mean, changed the people of Union County age, she said. To stay within the state- a nearly $600,000 contract last Thurs- what will be there $600,000 later?” when you closed this course,” Mr. mandated limit of a 4 percent increase day for improvements to the county’s Freeholder Chairman Al Mirabella Nadasky said. He said Oak Ridge’s in the budget, the district eliminated dog park at Echo Lake Park. The meet- said the current park is “well utilized,” problem was poor management. about two-dozen administrative, teach- ing, held in Clark, was the second and there is a need for it in the county. County Manager George Devanney ing, secretarial, paraprofessional and David Corbin for The Westfield Leader meeting of the year held outside of the Jim Bittner of Cranford said the free- said he proposed privatizing Union custodial positions. Forty-one stipends BASEBALL THRILLER...Fans pack the Elizabeth High School baseball field county seat in Elizabeth. holders are spending money on a dog County’s three golf courses in January for extra-curricular activities were Saturday for the county championship game between Westfield and Scotch Plains- The contract, to Falcon Ridge Con- park, yet they closed down the Oak 2008, and this past January, he pro- eliminated. There will be no new com- Fanwood (SP-F) high schools, won by SP-F in 10 innings, 1-0. See story on page 11. struction of Watchung, includes a Ridge Golf Course, which he said was posed closing Oak Ridge to reduce the puter purchases. paver walkway with two kiosks lo- utilized by “thousands.” county’s deficit. “We are really tight with our teach- cated on both sides, a waiting/view- “For a little bit more than that in the Garwood Councilman and Republi- ing staff,” Ms. Dolan said. Officials Concerned Over ing area with a gazebo to shade dog way of a loss…we closed a golf course can candidate for freeholder Anthony She said the district needs to bridge owners, self-closing gates, benches, and bulldozed it. And now you’re going Sytko asked the board for the cost of the gap by working together with the dog water fountains, dog bag sta- to build a dog park for $600,000? That, disassembling Oak Ridge and of the community, parents, staff and stu- Return of H1N1 Flu in Fall tions, and a dog wash pad near the what, a hundred people use?” Mr. new driving range at Galloping Hill and dents, noting that community groups By PAUL J. PEYTON New Jersey’s confirmed cases are parking lot to clean the dogs upon Bittner said. requested a timeline on the completion support teachers; parent groups are Specially Written for The Westfield Leader in Burlington, Bergen, Camden, and exit of the park. Robert Nadasky of Roselle Park ex- of construction at Galloping Hill. “supportive” to every school, and staff WESTFIELD — Union County Monmouth Counties and all victims Multiple county residents voiced pressed his “disbelief” at the golf Freeholder Mirabella asked Mr. volunteer with groups to give a “fuller health officials are preparing for the “were traveling or had contact with their displeasure over the money being course’s closing. He said the course has Sytko to complete an Open Public education” to students. potential widening spread of the cur- people who had traveled,” Mr. Jones spent on the dog park. had an average of 30,000 rounds of golf Records Act (OPRA) form to receive The district plans to create volunteer rent H1N1 flu strain, commonly said. As of Tuesday, New Jersey’s Tina Renna, president of the Union played per year, which matches the the information. opportunities and mechanisms to sup- known as Swine Flu, this fall. confirmed cases of this strain of flu County Watchdog Association, called national average. Neil Boyle of Clark questioned why port underfunded programs and “We’ve been very fortunate in was 15, and there were a reported the expenditure “kind of extravagant” “I understand money is tight, but I the freeholders did not come to Clark grassroots lobbying to examine state- Union County that we have not had 5,123 nationwide, including five when municipalities are having to lay think you could have come up with earlier to explain their plans for Oak funding practices. any confirmed cases [of the H1N1 deaths, according to the Centers for off police officers and firefighters. better ideas,” Mr. Nadasky said. “One Ridge. “We don’t know what you are Ms. Dolan said she is “confident” flu],” Union County Health Officer Desease Control (CDC). New York John Bury of Kenilworth said his day, you look in the paper and you are going to do with that thing,” he said. that the elementary coordinators for the Lester Jones said during a May 11 State recorded its first fatality from town has tabled plans to build a new closing it, and the next day you are “The purpose of the golf courses science program will be available next meeting with county officials and Rep. H1N1 over the weekend when a pub- public safety building due to a lack of bulldozing it. I can’t understand how it were not to balance the budget for the year, that the elementary safety patrol is Leonard Lance (R-7th, Union) at the lic school assistant principal died of funds and other towns are laying off went so fast.” county freeholders… If you want to being worked on for next year and that county’s public safety building in the illness. workers. He said golf generates money for balance the budget in the park, put toll the forensics program will be in place Westfield.

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