Freeholder Board Introduces $491-Million County Budget Substation on South Avenue in Cranford to Be Replaced
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Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, April 23, 2015 OUR 125th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 17-2015 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS Freeholder Board Introduces $491-Million County Budget Concerns Over Detention Center Staffing Raised By PAUL J. PEYTON Hudak said. Union County Infrastructure and Mu- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader “The overall result of our budgetary nicipal Aid program. COUNTY — The Union County effort is a tax increase of just 2.51 “A total of $1.5 million will be made Freeholders introduced a $491.9-mil- percent, the lowest in a decade,” he available to assist our municipalities to lion budget last Thursday with $335.3 said. The average tax increase per house- accomplish tasks undertaken in calen- million to be raised in property taxes, hold county-wide will be $52. dar year 2015,” he said. The funding is an increase of $8.2 million over last County impact spreadsheets on the coming from the proceeds from the year. amount to be raised in each of the 21 $26-million sale of Runnells Special- Freeholder Chris Hudak, chairman towns in the county and the average ized Hospital. of the board’s fiscal committee, said county tax per home in each of those Towns can use the money for down- the committee was able to reduce the towns will not be released until the final town development projects, economic proposed tax levy in the executive bud- budget is unveiled on Thursday, May development plans, large- and small- get presented by County Manager Al 28, county spokesman Sebastian D’Elia scale construction projects, commu- Faella by $820,000. told The Westfield Leader. nity enhancement projects, master “This was done without any loss of Mr. Hudak also announced a match- plans/feasibility studies/transportation jobs or impact to our services,” Mr. ing grant initiative for towns called the plans, child care/senior care infrastruc- ture projects, road work, including pot- hole repair and structural enhance- ments. “A portion of the sale (of Runnells) will be used annually to pay off Runnells’ debt service and the rest will remain in reserve, giving this board the option to reduce the tax burden moving Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader forward in future years and the ability A WESTFIELD TRADITION…Players take part in Saturday’s Westfield Baseball League opening day parade, a long- to meet any contingencies, should it so time tradition in the town. choose to do so,” Mr. Hudak said. The board will hold a public hearing on the budget on Thursday, May 14, at Substation on South Avenue 6 p.m., in the freeholders’ meeting room of the county administration building in Elizabeth. The board will vote to adopt the spending plan on Thursday, In Cranford to Be Replaced May 28. During the public comment portion By CHRISTINA M. HINKE Kalnins said. “They are installing some to be moved behind the new substation, of the meeting, Ronnie Armstrong of Specially Written for The Westfield Leader security and lights.” and will be the same size lot, Ms. Piscataway, a guard at the Union County Part of the work includes an oil tank Thomas said. The parking lot will not Juvenile Detention Center in Linden, CRANFORD — The planning board holding area and a new generator area be available for use during construc- approved a resolution on Wednesday Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader said he and other security staff at the that are being redone, Mayor Kalnins tion. Should the application be ap- DEVOTED YANKEES…Westfield Mayor Andy Skibitsky and Councilman detention center have “a lot of con- for the application by PSE&G to im- told The Westfield Leader. proved, construction is to begin in the Frank Arena joined in the Westfield Baseball League opening day parade. cerns” following the transfer of 30 ju- prove the substation at 700 South Av- The variance sought was to encroach fall of 2015 and be complete in early veniles from the now closed Hudson enue East, located near the Roselle on the 10-foot setback. The property 2018, Ms. Thomas said. County Juvenile Detention Center to border and known as the Aldene Sta- line it will encroach abuts the Garden There are 38, 12-hour permit park- Cranford BOE Opposes the Union County detention center in tion, that was presented to and ap- State Parkway, so the variance was ing spaces at that lot, Mary O’Connor, Linden. proved by the board March 18. found “minimally invasive” Mayor commissioner and planning board “A lot of our officers have been hurt. “It worked well for me,” Board Chair- Kalnins said. Also, “for the efficiency member, said at the Monday township Transfer of Pensions We wondered [if the merging of the woman Bobbi Anderson said of the of the system it needed to be where it committee workshop meeting. Twenty- two county (detention centers)] were application. was,” Mayor Kalnins said. six of those spots will be made up for by By THOMAS VAN DUYNE the state would raise taxes that would CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 “It is a good area,” Mayor Andis Later this year, PSE&G also will replacing metered parking on the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader be [the] answer, but, [Governor Christie] come before the planning board for an northside of South Avenue between CRANFORD — At Monday night’s doesn’t want to raise taxes. Bottom line application to redo the substation on South Union Avenue and Washington regularly scheduled meeting the board is having us raise the taxes and the local GW BOE, Teachers’ Union South Avenue in the downtown near Place with permit parking there. Those of education (BOE) passed a resolu- residents [angry] at us rather than them the train station. permit holders will no longer have tion sending word to Trenton that it, raising the taxes and letting us be [an- The substation supplies power to dedicated spaces in the township dur- like many other school boards which gry] with them.” Reach Pact on Contract parts of Cranford, Westfield and other ing the closure of the lot, but rather will passed identical resolutions circulated Another component of the resolu- neighboring municipalities, Lauren need to park in other permit spaces on by a larger BOE governing board, stands tion was calling for the autonomy of By BRIAN TRUSDELL Christine Guerriero said, similarly, she Thomas, senior project manager for a first-come, first-served basis, Ms. in opposition to the proposed transfer school boards to be able to choose the Specially Written for the Westfield Leader hoped the matter would go before the PSE&G Delivery Projects and Con- O’Connor said. of pension responsibility to local mu- carrier of their health insurance pro- GARWOOD – The school board board for approval by its next meeting struction, told The Leader in a phone PSE&G’s plans for the area are as nicipalities. Currently, the state is re- vider. Currently, if a district is not in- and teachers’ union have reached a on Tuesday, May 19. interview. follows: The current building that is sponsible for three major components volved in the state provided option, all tentative agreement on a new contract, In other matters, the board approved “The Cranford substation is part of empty will be knocked down. PSE&G of school district employee benefits: districts must submit evidence to the board member Barbara Greet said at a two-month agreement with the Bor- our ‘Energy Strong’ program to will install two “shelter isles,” that will pension, Social Security taxes and post- state that the plan they have chosen is Tuesday’s meeting, but no specifics ough of Garwood to provide janitorial strengthen and protect our systems house the “equipment in a prefabri- retirement health care. cheaper and provides greater cover- were disclosed pending ratification by services for the new Recreation and against severe weather and flooding,” cated metal building,” Ms. Thomas said. Under Governor Chris Christie’s pro- age. As of now, Cranford district em- both sides. Sports Complex, or athletic center, on said Brooke Houston Fisher, a commu- “It is the only way it will fit… from a posed “Road Map to Resolution” the ployees are enrolled in the state health “The issue of salary guides needs to the south side of town, as an extension nications officer with PSE&G. construction perspective it is a less funding of those would now have to care system or the direct ten, the cost of be finalized,” said Board Attorney John of the arrangement the two have to The new substation will be raised risky way to construct it,” she said. The come out of school budgets. The state which is roughly $2,300 a month or Geppert, who refused to comment or perform similar services at borough four feet, which is the FEMA level plus metal buildings also help to prevent mandates that school budgets can only $27,600 a year without factoring in clarify further. hall. one foot, Ms. Thomas said. flood damage, Ms. Thomas said. increase by 2 percent annually. Robert employee contributions. Some ques- The terms were reached at a March The borough will pay $75 per week The substation will remain on the During Hurricane Irene in 2011, the Carafango, the district business admin- tions were raised by board members 31 negotiation session before a media- for two cleanings of the center’s field same property. substation had been under four feet of istrator, anticipated that if the “Road about whether or not this would be the tor, the second before the state-ap- house.