Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, March 23, 2017 OUR 127th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 12-2017 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Westfield Council Introduces Municipal Budget For 2017 By CHRISTINA M. HINKE $1.8 million in parking fees, $1.7 Gildea said. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader million in sewer fees, $700,000 in Debt service is $2.6 million, and WESTFIELD — The town coun- court fines and fees, and $450,578 makes up 6 percent of the budget. cil introduced its 2017 budget Tues- from the Westfield Regional Health The town continues to hold its AAA day with an 8-to-0 vote. Expendi- Department. The fund balance is rating from Standard and Poor’s. tures total $42,829,987, anticipated $2.2 million, up 123 percent, or The Special Improvement Dis- revenues equate to $15,167,605, $1.2 million over last year. trict budget remained flat over last bringing the tax levy to Expenditures include salary and year. $27,662,382. Taxes will increase wages of $16.8 million, operating During the public comment por- this year at 1.49 percent. The aver- costs of $4.4 million, and capital tion of the meeting, Westfield High age assessed home of $180,900 improvements of $1.1 million, School student Sydney Stewart would see an increase for municipal which funds infrastructure and De- asked the council how it would im- services of about $45 in 2017. The partment of Public Works (DPW) prove the pedestrian safety of Cen- town council is expected to hold a equipment and trucks. The council tral Avenue following the death of a public hearing and vote to adopt the has earmarked capital expenditures fellow student, 14-year-old Terry budget on Tuesday, April 18. The for the DPW over the last three DiFalco, who was struck by a motor budget is expected to be available years, and uses a “pay as you go” vehicle there on the evening of on the municipal website today. philosophy instead of borrowing March 4. Revenues anticipated include money, Town Administrator Jim “We are going to wait until the full report comes in and then we will take a look at that report with our traffic safety engineer…and determine what, if any action, will be taken,” Mayor Andy Skibitsky said. In other business, the council adopted an ordinance to authorize a $150,000, zero-interest loan from Christina M. Hinke for The Westfield Leader the New Jersey Department of Com- IRISH EYES ARE SMILING...John Dugan was given a proclamation at Tuesday night’s Westfield Town Council meeing munity Affairs that will go towards for being named the 2017 Friendly Son of St Patrick's Irish Man of the Year. paving a municipal parking lot. The Arc of Union County, Inc. is planning to build between four and eight affordable-housing units on Carey, Munoz Retiring From two parcels of land on the corners of Myrtle Avenue and Grandview Avenue, with an expected comple- tion date of 2019, Town Attorney School District Principal Posts Russell Finestein said. The council passed a resolution to convey town- By SARAH MCGRAIL Mr. Carey started his career teach- Jersey companies had been ap- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader owned property to Arc for this pur- ing physical education at Edison In- pointed. GET YOUR PANCAKES...Rotarian Maria Fuentez serves pancakes during the pose. Arc provides housing to the WESTFIELD — A school princi- termediate School from 1969 to 1988 Stone Creek, Inc., from Lodi, will annual Westfield Rotary Club pancake breakfast Saturday morning in the pal who has taught in Westfield for when he moved to Westfield High carry out the general construction Westfield High School cafeteria. intellectually and developmentally disabled. almost 50 years is to retire at the end School (WHS) to teach physical edu- work at a cost of $913,300; Comfort The council also passed a resolu- of this school year, the Board of cation and became assistant princi- Mechanical Corp., of Long Branch, tion to award a contract for a trailer Education was told last week. pal there in 1993. In 1996 he re- will be responsible for the HVACR Board to Take Comments mounted mobile firewood proces- Stewart Carey, who has been prin- turned to Edison to take up the role at a cost of $809,510; and the electri- sor that will be able to make fire- cipal of Roosevelt Intermediate of assistant principal and became cal work will be carried out by Eliza- wood from timber at the recycling School for more than 12 years, will principal at Roosevelt in 2004. beth-based Lessner Electric Com- From Public on Birchwood center. Residents of Westfield will stand down after 48 years teaching at The district will also lose another pany at a cost of $1,583,200. By MICHAEL BONACCORSO A developer has not been chosen nor CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 three different schools in the district. school principal as Jeanette Munoz The overall cost to the town will Specially Written for The Westfield Leader have bids been accepted. No blue- has announced her intention to leave be $3,306,010 which was raised by a CRANFORD – The planning board prints for the site have been presented, Jefferson Elementary School after $4-million bond voted for in January was updated last week on the 16-acre officials said. New PD Chief Named in 15 years. 2016. The rest of the money from the Birchwood Avenue property, which The planning board meeting for Roosevelt will lose long-serving bond will be used to pay architects’ the township recently purchased from public comments on the redevelop- librarian and media specialist Moira fees and to buy seats for the new developer S. Hekemian Group for ment has been tentatively set for Garwood; AFC Bldg. Closed Abraham who has been at the school auditoriums. $18.5 million. Wednesday, April 19. Residents can since 1993 and Suzanne Hanas, who Mrs. Sullivan also went on to The township is now looking for attend, voice their opinions and view By BETSEY BURGDORF recommend the council undertake a has worked as part of the secretarial present a tentative school budget to another developer to build an apart- specifically what may be planned for Specially Written for The Westfield Leader revaluation until mandated by the state team for 11 years. the board and told members there ment complex on the site. The new the site. GARWOOD — At the March 14 to do so, which she said will be in Patricia Marchiano, a mathemat- would be no increase in aid from the development would contain 225 units, Mayor Thomas Hannen, Jr. said meeting of the Garwood Council, the about two to three years. Ms. Switzer ics teacher at WHS, will be leaving state for the new school year. State 37 percent less than the 360 sought by the goal is to sell the property to a new police chief was named, the clo- stated there would be no advantage to after ten years. aid now represents 3.5 percent of the Hekemian. notable developer whose vision for sure of the building located at the have it done before the state mandate. A new Roosevelt principal will Westfield budget compared to 8.3 Engineering consulting firm Ma- Cranford aligns with the residents’ Garwood Sports and Athletic Com- She estimated the revaluation would oversee a major change at the school percent in 1991, while enrollment in ser Consulting, employed by vision. Mayor Hannen said bids will plex was announced, and the budget cost about $120,000. That total does as contractors have been appointed the district has increased by 45 per- Cranford, told the planning board it be considered from developers who and the affordable-housing develop- not include updating the tax map, to carry out major renovations to the cent. has been determined that the have “excellent” financial track ment was discussed. which comes at an additional cost. auditoriums at both middle schools. She presented a chart showing that Birchwood property meets all the cri- records and who are willing to nego- Councilman Lou Petruzzelli an- The council passed a resolution, 4 Business Administrator Dana the cost per pupil had been kept teria for redevelopment. Board mem- tiate development aesthetics effec- nounced that Garwood Police De- to 2, with Councilman Joe Sarno and Sullivan said the board was obliged lower than the state average and bers said a public legal notice will tively with the planning board, town- partment Lieutenant James Wright Councilwoman Ileen Cuccaro voting to accept the lowest bid from a re- lower than several school districts in announce that 215-235 Birchwood ship council and resident desires. The was unanimously named by the coun- against, to refer the redevelopment of sponsible company and three New the area with similar enrollments. Avenue has been zoned for redevel- mayor also said it is in the township’s cil as the new chief of police. He will the South Avenue Casale/Petro prop- opment. The notice is legal proce- best interest to choose a developer replace Chief Bruce Underhill, who erty back to the planning board. Coun- dure identifying a meeting date to who is financially solvent so the will retire at the end of March after cilman Petruzzelli said the governing discuss evolving development details. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 serving 17 years on the force. body hired an attorney and a financial Council President Sara Todisco advisor to “crunch numbers” and talk reported that the budget process is to the developer, Ed Russo.