Union County to Hold Deer Hunt in Late Fall with Archers Questions
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Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, August 16, 2018 OUR 128th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 33-2018 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Questions Arise After WPD Police Chief Wayman’s Departure By CHRISTINA M. HINKE said. place,” Mr. McMahon said. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader The New Jersey Division of Pen- He added, “I’m urging you to re- WESTFIELD — After the town sion and Benefits would have to be move bad apples from the police de- announced that David Wayman was alerted if Mr. Wayman is under inves- partment.” He called on the town to act retiring as police chief two weeks ago, tigation, Mr. McMahon said. He asked in transparency. Joshua McMahon a trial attorney of the town to share the “details and Mr. McMahon’s statement came Schiller McMahon, asked the town circumstances of what had led to this after Mayor Shelley Brindle said at the council at their Tuesday night meeting departure so that the community is onset of the meeting: “I am limited by what the town’s position is on his confident that things are not being what I am legally allowed to share.” retirement, what the town told the state, swept under the rug. It is my under- While the town has appointed Cap- and if the town allowed the chief of standing that there are several officers tain Chris Battiloro as acting police police to retire while under investiga- that are under investigation. The com- chief, the town is searching for a per- tion. munity would like to know what is manent chief. The town is “looking for “The police chief retired under a going on here and what is to be done a chief with unquestionable character cloud. The mayor indicated it is a about it.” and integrity, embracing the commu- result of the (Union County) “I don’t think the law prohibits the nity policing model, who can trans- prosecutor’s office. Clearly something mayor or any of you from discussing form the culture to one of trust and more is going on here,” Mr. McMahon your knowledge of what is taking accountability,” Mayor Brindle said. In her remarks about a traffic acci- dent that occurred in January involv- ing a police officer’s daughter, she said Mr. Wayman’s departure and this accident were “separate and unrelated incidences.” Greg Kasko, a retired Westfield police officer, said in April Mr. Wayman was allegedly involved in a Christina M. Hinke for The Westfield Leader hit and run accident at the police NO MOVEMENT AT MINDOWASKIN...The Mindowaskin Park playground renovations are on hold until the rain clears department’s impound lot at the con- up, Town Administrator Jim Gildea said Tuesday. The concrete walkways at the park are also on hold until a subcontractor servation center and the accident re- can be found. The Centennial Celebration of Mindowaskin Park is also on hold until renovations are complete, he said. port, by Detective Lieutenant Leonard Lugo, said there were no suspects. In other business, three residents of Carleton Road said they are among Union County to Hold Deer Hunt many of the residents on their road who had signed a petition to have curbing installed at the time their road In Late Fall With Archers will be repaved. However, the town By PAUL J. PEYTON have fallen from trees. through March 1, 2019 and will be held had not included the curbing with the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader paving job that is slated to be done this The freeholders approved the 2018- two days in morning and afternoon Christina M. Hinke for The Westfield Leader year. In Westfield, the residents are COUNTY — Due to the significant 2019 deer management plan for both shifts followed by six days of afternoon ACTING CHIEF...Captain Chris Battiloro has been appointed acting police chief bow hunters as well as for those using shifts. The shotgun deer hunt will en- of the Westfield Police Department (WPD) after the town announced David responsible to pay the town for the increase in deer sightings throughout Wayman’s retirement as chief August 1. Act. Chief Battiloro has been a member of cost of the curbing, a cost Carleton the county, the Union County Free- shotguns. The deer management plan compass Watchung Reservation, the WPD for 23 years. Road resident Doug Miller said is holders last Thursday approved a new includes Watchung Reservation, Lenape Park, Nomahegan Park, Ash much less than if a homeowner hires a deer hunt through the use of archery Nomahegan Park, Lenape Park, the Brook Reservation, Oak Ridge Park, contractor themselves. He said the equipment. Summit portion of Passaic River Park, Hawk Rise Sanctuary and Linden Mu- Cranford Forms Subcom. on town gets charged about $28 per lineal Ron Zuber, director of parks and Ashbrook Reservation, Oak Ridge Park, nicipal Landfill. foot whereas two quotes he received recreation, told The Westfield Leader Hawk Rise Sanctuary and Linden Mu- Per questioning from Freeholder were over $100 per lineal foot, and in that the archery hunt would be in No- nicipal Landfill in Linden, the Cushing Angel Estrada, Mr. Zuber said the latest Garwood Housing Projects vember and December after the leaves Road Detention Basin in Plainfield and deer hunt counts show 68 per square CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Fanwood and the Hillside portion of mile in the Watchung Reservation, 182 By ZOE RADER Along with this action, the township Elizabeth River Park. per square mile around Lenape and Specially Written for The Westfield Leader committee also gave the go-ahead to a Green Acres Approves According to an email to The Leader Nomahegan Parks, 90 per square mile CRANFORD — The township com- proposed off-site improvement and fees from Mr. Zuber’s office, the fall bow around Ashbrook Reservation and Oak mittee announced at its workshop meet- ordinance that was brought to them season runs from October 1 through Ridge Park, 53 per square mile in Hawk ing Monday that they are establishing a Monday night. Lease for Gumbert Ice Rink December 31, Monday through Friday. Rise Sanctuary and the Linden munici- subcommittee to evaluate the North The ordinance would require appli- By CHRISTINA M. HINKE more than five additional seasons, un- Parks included will be Watchung Res- pal landfill, 183 per square mile in and and South Avenue redevelopment cations of a larger-scale, such as the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader der Green Acres rules. ervation, Watchung Reservation - around the Cushing Road Detention projects in neighboring Garwood. North and South Avenue redevelop- WESTFIELD – On July 25, Green The ice skating rink, under the lease, Glenside Avenue portion in Scotch Basin, and 260 deer per square mile in The purpose of the bipartisan sub- ment, to pay for any extraneous cost Acres had provided written approval to is to be made available to the general Plains, Lenape Park, Ash Brook Reser- Elizabeth River Park in Hillside. committee will be to provide a formal that may arise during their project that the town to lease a portion of Gumbert public for approximately 220 hours. vation, Oak Ridge Park, Passaic River Mr. Zuber said the goal of the deer analysis of issues that the redevelop- the township usually must cover. Park for a temporary public outdoor ice Green Acres had told the town the use Park, Hawk Rise Sanctuary and Linden management program is to remove 130 ment may cause, said Deputy Mayor “I think it’s the right thing to do, the skating rink. Kenneth Anderson, Jr., the for the balance of the anticipated 820 to Municipal Landfill. Mr. Zuber said the deer from the Watchung Reservation, Ann Dooley, who serves as commis- way things are changing,” Ms. Dooley owner of Arena Realty Partners, LLC 850 available hours of ice time is to be bow hunt will likely not begin until after 85 deer from Lenape and Nomahegan, sioner of engineering and zoning on the said. and the Union Sports Arena located on specified in the contract. “Based on our the leaves have fallen in November and 100 deer from the Ashbrook Reserva- township committee. The ordinance would not govern Route 22 in Springfield, approached prior conversations, we believe that the December. tion and Oak Ridge Park, 16 deer from A 298-unit apartment complex is communities in Cranford’s shared ser- the town earlier this year to place an ice intent may be that the majority of this The winter bow season, which runs Passaic River Park in Summit, 10 deer proposed along with a second 72-unit vices program and current applications rink atop the basketball courts at time will be made available for public from January 1 through February 16, from Hawk Rise Sanctuary and the structure for the former abandoned in- that have already been approved won’t Gumbert Park, and subsequently the use by various school and club hockey 2019, will include two days of morning Linden landfill, 25 deer from the dustrial properties of Casale Sheet Metal be affected. With the committee’s unani- town council by a majority vote ap- teams, however, we require the con- and afternoon shifts followed by four Cushing Road Detention Basin and 25 and Petro Plastics on South Avenue in mous nod of approval, more specifics proved the concept. tract to address this specifically,” the days of afternoon shifts only. The win- deer from the Hillside section of Eliza- Garwood, while another 124 apartments as to what types of applications — “We believe the lease, as revised, email states.