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Councils go into huddle on cable TV pick By Dave McGrath they share school and library facilities. by joining forces, Matawan and Aberdeen tion for Aberdeen and Matawan. Ring said. Aberdeen Mayor Edward Kaufman said- Matawan and Aberdeen have joined forces Mataw'an Mayor Victor Armellino said may be treated as a higher priority by the The PUC decision is expected in three to four that the selection of Cross Country was in selecting a cable television company to that local programming will be better served company and be given cable service earlier. months, according to Ring. partially based on the financial capability of serve the two communities. if the two councils select the same single Borough Attorney Robert Feldman said While the PUC is considering its applica­ the firm. company. that many of the main routes over which The Matawan Borough Council last night tion. Ring said, preliminary planning, like At the Aberdeen Council meeting Monday, The two councils will send representatives cable must be laid go through both communi­ approved a resolution which will give a cable that going on in S. Amboy, will be done in Norman Brenner. 93 Deerfield Lane. Aber­ to a meeting with a representative of the ties. A single company will be able to string franchise to Cross Country Cable of Bound Aberdeen and Matawan. deen. asked the council to consider request­ companies to negotiate terms of the ordi­ cables easier through both towns instead of Brook. The Aberdeen Township Council Some cable service can be expected in the ing a 3 percent gross receipts tax on the nances which will govern the use of cable in just one, he said. granted a franchise to Cross Country community by late next year. Ring said. company instead of the 2 percent normally the communities. “We’re super pleased," said George Ring, Monday night. “There will be something in 1979,” he said, collected. Brenner also told the council that The township and borough attorneys will general manager of Cross Country, reacting The joint selection is the result of a “how much really depends on the amount of it can ask for an initial franchise fee from the draw up the ordinances for approval by the to the council's decision. company. meeting Thursday between the two councils councils. make-ready that is completed by the utility Ring said that Old Bridge also awarded a companies.” al which they discussed the advantages that The councils' selection must be reviewed cable franchise to Cross Country Monday “ There’s nothing in the law that prevents might result from awarding franchises to the the State Public Utilities Commission night. Make-ready, according to Ring, is the you from collecting a franchise fee. ' Bren­ same company. before construction of the cable system may In S. Amboy, where Cross Country re­ preparation of utility poles so that cable can ner said. RITA GRAHAM Officials from both municipalities agreed begin. ceived a franchise last month, “strand be strung on them. The work is done by the According to Brenner, if the township that one company serving both communities Cross Country has applied for franchises in mapping” has begun. Ring said. utility companies, which are reimbursed by charged a franchise fee and a 3 percent gross GOP leaders would best serve the interests of everyone several other communities in southern Mid­ Strand mapping, according to Ring, is a the cable company. receipts tax. the revenue could be channeled involved. dlesex and northern Monmouth counties. It preliminary procedure necessary to plan the Cross Country presently serves approxi­ into a local programming system adminis­ Aberdeen Mayor Edward Kaufman said has already been granted a franchise in S. stringing of cables, Ring said. mately 4.500 customers in Middlesex and tered by the school district. plan shakeup that it is “desirable” to have one company Amboy. The State Public Utilities Commission Somerset counties, Ring said, and is con­ Such a system, according to Brenner, can serve both communities, especially since Officials from both municipalities said that must also approve Cross Country’s applica­ tinuing to build in that area. be used to enhance local identity By Lee Duigon I MON BEACH If the Republican majority on the Borough Council gets its way. Union Beach will get a new borough attorney and a new borough engineer at the council's Jan. 7 reorganiza­ Sick whales THE tion meeting, according to GOP Councilman Le fty (iomez Rita Graham. lends bar: The Republicans—who gained a 4-2 ma­ find a friend: jority this year with the election of Harry Page 5 Page 14 Woolley and Carolyn LaBerta—want to replace attorney Patrick Healy and engineer Frederick Kurtz. Ms. G raham said. The appointments will be made by Mayor Vincent Farley, a Democrat, with the ap­ In d e p e n d e n t proval of a majority of the council. ☆ . , ☆ The V\ If the council does not approve an appoint­ Matawan Joint Free ment, the mayor must either offer another * ☆ ^ candidate or make an interim appointment Public Library for a period of up to 30 days, after which he Vol. 9 No. 7 Wednesday, Dec. 20, 1978 20 Cents must name a candidate who will be accepted 1 6 5 M a i n S p . ^ by the council. WiXA & w p j c T 1 r / “Everything is up in the air,” Farley said. “We’ve all been throwing some names around, and they (the Republicans) have their choices, and we have some of ours.” The Republicans, Ms. G raham said, feel R epublican Club raps council's plan that “something has been lacking” in Healy’s performance as borough attorney. “We’d also like to get somebody with a fresh viewpoint,” she said. Healy is a close political associate of former Democratic Mayor Fred Varlese. Healy’s political ties, however, are not to im pose tax on garb age collection being held against him, according to Ms. G raham . “I don’t think that entered into it that By Dave McGrath the total budget should be reduced by $5,000. Ravenna asked the council what had been costs have gone up in other municipalities wishes to enter a regional collection service much,” she said. ABERDEEN “I want this council to know that not only done to keep the cost of garbage collection accordingly, he said. or start its own refuse pick-up. Although Kurtz’s performance as engineer The Township Council’s plan to create a will each Republican in this town be down. “Frank, how much were you paying for Councilman Desmond McMahon said that has not. been unsatisfactory, she continued, the council should consider entering into a garbage district was criticized this week watching your deliberation on the budget, Guluzzy said that many alternatives had gas five years ago?” Sadowski asked Ra­ the council majority is interested in con­ by the township Republican Club. but so will all the other hard-pressed tax­ been considered, including a joint contract regional collection system. venna, alluding to the inflationary pressures tracting a larger consulting firm. The council Monday introduced an ordi­ payers in the township,” said James Nell, with Matawan Borough. That idea was “I think we should get in touch with the in the national economy. “We want a larger firm that has more time nance which would create a garbage district club president. rejected, he said. county about the formation of a regional to devote to applying for state and federal allowing the township to levy a separate tax “This is not an attempt to raise more Only one other company bid for the The ordinance contains a provision which sanitation service for the Bayshore or the grants,” she explained. “We can’t afford a for refuse collection. money,” Kaufman said. “It is designed to collection service, Guluzzy said. would allow the township . » cancel the county," he said. “We should have some kind full-time business administrator at this time, The council also awarded a five-year give us a certain amount of flexibility.” “Many other towns only got one bid,” Gu­ contract at the end of a calendar year if it of study made." so a lot of that will have to be done by the contract to Waste Disposal Inc., Neptune, for “Anyone familiar with the cost of garbage luzzy said. “We were fortunate in that engineer.” garbage collection. The average annual cost collection,” the mayor added, “knows that respect.” - The Republicans, Ms. Graham said, favor will be $247,000, according to Township we are obviously faced with an increase in “We tried to get alternatives,” Council­ Keyport accepts trash bid the appointment of T&M Associates, Middle­ Manager Donald Guluzzy. cost. It has to have an impact on the tax rate man Eugene Sadowski said, “but so far we town, as borough engineer and Richard The council approved both measures unan­ one way or another.” haven’t gotten one.” Thaler, Little Silver, as borough attorney. imously. Ken Lehn, a representative of the Repub­ Sadowski said that the township has with 1-year escape clause “T&M is one of the larger firms in the The Township’s current five-year contract lican Club, asked the council if its action enjoyed a garbage contract for the past five area,” she said, “and they’ve had a lot of with Waste Disposal will expire next week. indicated that the state cap law was ineffec­ years at a cost of $118,000. Refuse collection By Audrey Kratz After the meeting. Mayor-elect Richard experience in applying for grants.” The annual cost of refuse collection during tive.

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