Council Committee Gathers to Address Ways to Relieve Parking Woes in Westfield by JAMES FOERST Third Ward Councilman Neil F
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r. Published h m Thursday l SPS hWN)2« Thunidai. May .V 2INII (V08) 2.12-4407 OUR tilth YEAR - ISSUE NO Periodical - PoMi|t Paid al Westfield, MJ. SilHT I S'" I 1’IFTY ( ENTS Council Committee Gathers to Address Ways to Relieve Parking Woes in Westfield By JAMES FOERST Third Ward Councilman Neil F. to by the council, this would allow routes throughout the residential SpttMlh Written for the Wrsffield Uitdet Sullivan, Committee Chairman, stated for the council to move forward neighborhoods of Westfield stopping Jitneys, valet services, and a park that in finding a solution to the parking "without committing to a particular at designated pick-up locations ing deck were just a few items of problems, 'T he overriding objective solution or site," said Mr. Sullivan. around town. The service would also discussion last Thursday at the Town of any decisions w ill be to determine The funds would be paid for encompass remote parking facilities Council's Transportation, Parking how to best serve the community. Ev through the recent increases in park such as the lot at the Westfield Me and Traffic Committee meeting. eryone will have access to all the infor ing meter and permit fees w hich are morial Pool. Riders would be re mation involved in the process” ami projected to raise approximately quired to pay a minimal fee to utilize "there will be a commitment to involv $4(KMKX) m the first year. the services of the jitney. Although ing and incorporating public input." The committee recommended that slated as a short-term solution to the Hiring a full-time parking director the council proceed with a proposal lor parking deficiencies, "the jitney Emergency was the most pressing order of busi jitney service in and around the town could be incorporated us part of an ness for the committee. The commit as well as c onverting the South Avenue overall long-term solution to the lack Still Effective tee agreed that the first step toward a parking lot from a self parking facility of parking in the downtown area," parking solution would be to fill this to a modified valet service. said Mr. Sullivan. position. The job recently w as adver The council presently has pending The committee also recommended For Water Use tised to the public through various before NJ Transit an application for a the implementation of a valet park grant of two jitney vehicles to the ing service al the South Avenue lot. By HORACE R. CORBIN media outlets. Specialty Written for The Westfield leader “Some resumes have been received," town. The council and NJ Transit are The lot presently hus capacity of 46l) permit parking spaces available with Local residents served by said Mr. Sullivan, who indicated that slated to discuss this capital acquisi an additional 8 I metered spots. The Elizabethtown Water Company he would like the council to hire a tion in early May. The town would valet service wduldincrease the num were urged to continue to boil parking director “before the summer." incur no capital expense but would be required to hire drivers as well as ber of available spaces in the lot by their water while making every The committee also took another maintain the multi-passenger vehicles. approximately 125 with the ability effort to continue conservation step towaril the construction of the to sell approximately 200 more per efforts following a major water proposed parking structure by rec Councilman Sullivan stated that, mits based on current usage. main break Monday night near ommending the passage of an ordi "The jitney service could be up and The first 464 vehicles in the lot the company's primary water nance authorizing the allocation of running before the summer" with the each day would maintain the ability treatment plant in Bridgewater. $700,000 of general revenue funds possibility of an additional two ve hicles being acquired by January 21X12. to park and lock their cars. Once all The area affected included toward capital parking solutions. The jitney would incorporate Westfield, Scotch Plains, Although no solution has been agreed CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Fanwood and Mountainside, as --------------------------------- ttc well as one million customers in 46 municipalities served by Elizabethtown Water, including most of Union County. The break also impacted cus tomers in eight other communi ties serviced by Edison and Lib erty water companies. Erin Reilly, spokeswoman for Elizabethtown Water Company in Westfield, told The Westfield Leader and The Times o f Scotch Plains-Fanwood that the break was isolated as of Tuesday morn ing. The water company reported that customers began seeing nor mal pressures and flows by early Tuesday morning. However, ma jor news stations reported that some customers were still expe riencing low pressures through out the day. Backup pipe lines were brought into service, and the output of Elizabethtown’s Franklin treat ment plant was increased to maxi mum capacity, Ms. Reilly re ported. The company issued a precau David B, Corbin for The Westfield Leader tionary boil water advisory no POIJTFCAL VISIT...Democratic politicians stopped by the office of The Westfield Leader and The Times of Scotch Plains- Brooks Crandall lor The Westfield Leader tice on Tuesday morning, in case .Fanwood „..wood during Sunday’s Spring Fling festivities. Pictured, left to right, arc; Union County Freeholder Lewis Mingo, Jr„ SPRING SPLENDOR IN THE DOWNTOWN...Sunday’s annual Spring Fling contamination entered into its former Westfield Mayor Thomas C. Jardlm, Woodbridge Mayor and candidate for New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey, activities were enjoyed by residents and visitors to Westfield's downtown. distribution system due to low Union County Freeholders Mary I*. Ruotolo and Daniel Sullivan, and former Seventh District Congressional candidate ,1. Pictured, at top, crowds gather on the corner of Quimby and Elm Street to pressure in the mains. As of Brooke Hern. Mr. Jardlm and Mr. Hern are both running for Assembly in the redrawn 21st legislative district. savor Italian ices and view rare crafts; center, a youngster has his caricature Wednesday, the advisory re done by a visiting artist; bottom, members of a musical ensemble from the mained in effect. New Jersey Workshop of the Arts perform festive selections. Many area schools were closed on Tuesday due to the water advi Council Agrees to Fund Hiring sory, while schools that remained Spring Fling Attracts open advised students to bring their own water. Of Consultant to Design Deck To date, there is no evidence that contamination entered the By PAUL J. PEYTON posed for the downtown. will include design of Ihe deck in Specially Written for The Westfield Under 30,000 to Downtown distribution system, Ms. Reilly The bond ordinance, to be intro terms of aesthetics, the size and loot- stated. The company recom The Westfield Town Council duced next Tuesday night, will en print of the facility, as well as pos By DEBORAH MADISON programs also sponsored by the mended, as a precautionary mea agreed Tuesday night to move ahead able the town to raise $700,000 in sible development of businesses and Specially Written for The WcstfieUl Leader Chamber. The Chamber also hosts sure, that customers continue to with an ordinance to fund the hiring bond anticipation notes for profes residential development along the The Spring Fling street fair held in of a consultant to complete the de sional services that will include the another similar event in September, CONTINUED ON PADS 10 frontage of the facility on Elm and downtown Westfield on Sunday at the Festifall. sign phase of a parking deck pro- design and construction management Prospect Streets. tracted its “biggest crowd ever," ac 5 F for the building of a maximum, 826- The second half of this phase, he cording to Westfield Area Chamber space parking facility. explained, will include producing of Commerce Chairwoman, Debbie Town Administrator Thomas Sh the aclual building plans and specifi Schmidt. annon, who expressed eagerness to cations for the projccl, leading to the The weather cooperated with a move the project along, said the con hiring of a contractor. ceptual, or schematic design, phase near perfect day to draw approxi CONTINUED ON PAOE 10 mately 30,000 participants, she esti mated. “We also had more vendors and more non-profit organizations than Enrollment Crisis at RIS in previous years,” she added. Many new vendors introduced their wares to this year’s event, Discussed by School Bd. making it a truly multicultural ex By MELISSA BETKOWSKI sented to the board. These include; perience, with food, jewelry, cloth Specially Written for The Westfield Under • Beginning with the 2001-2002 ing and music from countries span Westfield Superintendent of school year, offer parents of entering ning the globe. Schools Dr. William J. Foley pre sixth grade students the option of Raagini filled the air with the sented the recommendations of the attending Edison School with trans enticing aroma of Indian cuisine, Citizens Advisory Committee regard portation. Dr. Foley noted that it will while pan flute melodies from Bo ing overcrowding at Roosevelt Inter take a minimum of 15 students to livia wafted down East Broad mediate School at the Board of make instituting this plan practical. Street If currv wasn’t vour thing. Education s regular meeting held ■ Beginning with uie 2001-^.002 you roptd dine on Greek* Chinese Tuesday night «t ieffem m Elemen school year when the average dam or Italian dishes. And, there was tary School. size on a team exceeds 25 students, plenty of good of fashioned Ameri The committee, made up of 22 provide a paraprofessional that will can fare like Bobbie B’s barbecued parents, administrators from both be assigned to assist teachers as Roosevelt and Edison Inicrmediate needed.