Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, February 9, 2006 OUR 116th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 06-2006 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS Town Disciplines Detective Chambers, Keeps Details Private By PAUL J. PEYTON matter. And so the results of the par- he said, are a matter of public record. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader ticular matter are basically not re- Mr. Gildea said he opted not to WESTFIELD – In a private com- leasable and also not releasable un- have former police chief Bernard munication to the defendant, der OPRA (Open Public Records Act) Tracy serve as prosecutor during the Westfield Town Administrator Jim because it is considered a matter of hearings. He also decided not to at- Gildea implemented disciplinary ac- part of the personnel record,” Mr. tend the hearings to avoid “any ap- tions Wednesday against suspended Gildea said. pearance of conflict.” Westfield Police Detective Sandra Mr. Gildea, who received Mr. “I am going to issue a report today Chambers. She allegedly fixed a park- with the findings and she will get it. ing ticket for her son. Mr. Gildea She and her attorney can divulge what would not make public the actions they want to do,” Mr. Gildea said. being taken. He said Detective Chambers might Detective Chambers was charged want to divulge the findings to the with trying to have a ticket voided for press, which he said would be her her son and for lying during an inter- choice. He said Detective Chambers nal investigation by the Westfield remains on paid suspension pending Police Department. the outcome of the hearing. The official charges against her are “We will have to make the change false swearing, official misconduct, of her current status depending on neglect of duty, striking a summons what her decision is,” he said. Mr. from the record, conduct unbecom- Gildea said the town has not received ing an employee and attempt to use any intent to sue or claims from De- Detective Sandra Chambers authority to control or modify an- tective Chambers. The town settled a Fred Lecomte for The Westfield Leader other employee’s action. at her August hearing. discrimination lawsuit brought LESS THAN WELCOME...The landlord of 1 Lincoln Plaza ordered multiple vehicles towed from the North Avenue PNC During a 15-minute interview Damato’s report last Friday, discussed against the town by Ms. Chambers in Bank parking lot last Friday and Saturday for alleged illegal parking. The owners paid several hundred dollars to retrieve Wednesday morning, Mr. Gildea said the matter with Mayor Andy Skibitsky 2001. Mr. Gildea said the lawsuit and their vehicles from Seville Towing in Westfield. the non-binding recommendation of and members of the town council Tues- disciplinary hearing are not related. hearing officer James Damato was day night in executive session. He “As you know, there was a threat of “not releasable” due to the fact it was said, as administrator, it is his respon- a civil lawsuit. That has never materi- Landlord Orders Towing of Cars part of a departmental disciplinary sibility to determine the disciplinary alized at this point; doesn’t mean it hearing. Actions resulting from those action against a town employee. He can’t, but it has not. That is not on the hearings along with employee per- said the mayor and council, while con- table at this point. This is strictly an For Illegal Parking at PNC Lot sonnel files are not released to the sulted, are a policy setting body and do interdepartmental hearing,” he said. public per town policy. Mr. Gildea not have responsibility over employee Depending the outcome of the deci- By PAUL J. PEYTON towed by 9:30,” said Ms. Barrasso. courtesy (to those who use the lot.) said he would implement Mr. discipline matters. sion, Mr. Gildea said Police Chief Specially Written for The Westfield Leader “I really find it (being towed) very That is not how we do business in Damato’s findings and would send a He said the town hired a hearing John Parizeau might become involved. WESTFIELD – Multiple people mean-spirited,” she said. Westfield,” Councilman Foerst said. letter by 4 p.m. yesterday to attorneys officer for the proceedings to ensure “If she decides to return; if she dining in downtown Westfield on Fri- Irwin Ackerman, the owner of A&R, He said the PNC lot has been used in the Chambers’ matter. that the town had a “very indepen- decides not to come back. Those are day and Saturday nights last week released a statement Tuesday through for parking for over a decade. He also “Even though this particular hear- dent, unbiased and fair process for all positions that are obviously con- came out to find their cars being towed Valerie Horton of his Millburn office. said the towing fees appeared to be ing was done in public, which was at this hearing due to the nature of it. tingent upon the results here. But he or already gone from the PNC Bank “The parking is for use by bank excessive. The councilman was not the request of the defendant in this Mr. Gildea said Detective Chambers’ will be involved obviously with any parking lot on North Avenue. customers only and not for extended sure if there are state laws regulating matter, which is obviously her right attorney would have 10 days to de- of those things,” he said. The bulk of the parking lot is cur- use parking before or after banking,” towing fees from parking lots. to do, it is still not a ‘court case.’ It is cide if he will appeal the decision. An When asked whether that meant rently closed to the public due to Mr. Ackerman said. Representatives at Citywide Tow- an interdepartmental hearing, which appeal, if filed, would be heard in Detective Chambers was not be ter- ongoing construction. The owner of When reached, a receptionist who ing and Sevell’s Auto Body Company, is considered an internal discipline state Superior Court. Court matters, CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 the building, A & R Westfield Lin- answered the phone stated, “you Inc., located on Windsor Avenue in coln Plaza, LLC, currently is con- would think they (motorists) would Westfield, were not available for com- verting the second and third floors know how to read English.” ment when contacted by The Leader. from business use to residential con- Another member of Mr. Ackerman’s Ed Kozmor, a PNC Bank corporate Council Discusses New dominiums. The Westfield Planning office staff said Tuesday morning, “We spokesman, released a statement Board approved the project last year. didn’t tow them (cars) for an hour and Tuesday afternoon. One of the individuals towed was a half, just for the record.” “PNC is committed to make it easy Diane Barrasso, owner of Barrasso Chez Catherine owner Didier and convenient for customers to do Affordable Housing Regulations Consulting on East Broad Street. She Juvenal said he saw a car being towed banking in Westfield and throughout By MICHAEL J. POLLACK tuted, Westfield is not a COAH com- nuisance to children. had just exited Chez Catherine restau- from the PNC lot but did not know if New Jersey. We have been working Specially Written for The Westfield Leader munity. Also, the committee is tackling the rant on North Avenue when she ob- any of his patrons’ vehicles had been with the landlord who owns the prop- WESTFIELD — During Tuesday’s Third-Ward Councilman Dave issue of Porto johns and their intru- served a car in the process of being removed. erty, which we lease to keep the parking town council conference session, the Haas asked what happens in the case siveness to the neighborhood. The towed by Citywide Towing of “It’s a customer’s (responsibility) spaces available for our customers dur- council discussed new affordable of a subdivision— “does that grow committee talked about screening Hawthorne. Ms. Barrasso’s car already to know better of where to park,” he ing banking hours,” Mr. Kozmor said. housing procedures, made referrals our town-wide COAH obligation?” them by using three-side board-on had been removed to Sevell’s Auto said, noting if a “no parking sign” is The drive-up window is open Mon- to the zoning officer in terms of Councilman Foerst responded that, board-fence “so you don’t see the Body Company, Inc. She said about “a displayed, the customer should avoid day through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 through lots and front porch require- “There will have to be a philosophi- Porto john, you see more of a screen handful” of vehicles were towed. using the lot. p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ments, addressed quality of life is- cal discussion on how we approach it, so that only the door is open. We’re “It doesn’t make any sense,” she Westfield Fourth Ward Councilman and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. sues pertaining to demolitions and that specific example where one prop- going to look at the health regula- said. Ms. Barrasso said the building James Foerst said he felt the landlord The branch’s hours are Monday, Tues- gave an update on the redevelopment erty turns into two, that would in- tions.” owner should have placed cones should have provided an initial warn- day and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 3 designation repeal. crease our obligation by one eighth.” After Councilman Foerst empha- around the parking spaces to stop ing to customers before initiating the p.m., Thursday from 8 a.m.