Town Seeks DMDA Review Teacher Move Sparks Protest Taxpayers Face
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Volume117 Number 23 THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2004 75 Cents Town Teacher move seeks sparks protest By Harry Trumbore noff said, “To uproot a devoted of The Item professional is tragic, especially DMDA for a school that has had so much The transfer of a popular transition.” teacher from South Mountain “Our school needs assets and review School drew protests from more she’s an asset,” said Cindy than 20 parents at the Board of Sonnabend, another South Education meeting Monday Mountain parent. By Eveline Speedie night. Board member Joshua Scharff of The Item At the same meeting, the made a motion to remove board capped the superintendent Yockel’s transfer from the per- The Township Committee in- of school’s salary increase for sonnel report, for reconsidera- tends to retain the services of an the 2004-05 school year at 2.4 tion, but received no support attorney who is an expert in cor- percent, half of the increase he from other board members. porate law, officials said this received last year. Yockel herself addressed the week, to review the status of the Board members eventually ap- board after the vote and said she current trustees and officers of proved the transfer of first grade was informed “totally out of the the Downtown Millburn Devel- teacher Christine Yockel to blue” of the decision to transfer opment Alliance (DMDA). Hartshorn School for the 2004- her two weeks ago. Township Business Adminis- 05 school year. However, the “I did not request a transfer,” trator Timothy P. Gordon con- vote came after many parents Yockel said, adding she has not firmed Robert D. Frawley of emotionally begged the board to received a satisfactory answer Morristown has been asked to reconsider the move. why the move is being made. review the DMDA’s election During the public comment process. The review arises from session, resident Barbara Port- Continued on Page A13 concerns raised in articles which have appeared in The Item, he said, in addition to concerns ex- pressed by members of the busi- ness community and individuals. Harry Trumbore/staff photographer Taxpayers face “More specific concerns are if BRIGHTENING THE COURTYARD—Laura and Fred Rhodes and other members of the recent election results are in Township Beautification League plant choice annuals Saturday in the planters of the question, what is the fiduciary re- newly renovated Courtyard as part of a town-wide project. See story and additional sponsibility of the Township photos on page B16. 10-point hike Committee to turn over the annual assessment of $160,000 By Patricia Harris local purposes, 96 points for that is collected quarterly?” of The Item schools and 57 points for county Gordon asked. “Are we handing needs. it over to a legitimate organiza- Vets remember D-Day When taxpayers receive their The average township house tion?” estimated tax bills in the mail with an assessed value of According to Gordon, the later this month, they can expect $763,300 carried a $14,197 tax By Harry Trumbore Committee felt it was important of The Item to see a 10-point hike in their tax bite last year. This year, assum- to have an objective opinion on rate, municipal tax collector ing the new rate is approved, the election procedures followed Six days after the nation hon- Gerald Viturello said this week. property taxes on the same house by the DMDA. “The purpose is ored veterans of its armed forces The tax rate for this year is will run $14,960—a $763 in- to determine the truth as to alle- on Memorial Day, ceremonies projected at $1.96 for every $100 crease. gations that have been raised,” were held above the beaches of of assessed valuation on a prop- Estimated tax bills will be sent Gordon said. “The Committee is Normandy to commemorate the erty, Viturello said, compared to out no later than June 18 and considering this as a review of 60th anniversary of D-Day. last year’s rate of $1.86. The of- payments are due Aug. 1. A final the electoral process of the Here at home, two veterans of ficial tax rate—which includes bill for 2004, which will be sent DMDA, not an investigation.” the campaign in France paused assessments for local govern- to township residents in Novem- Roger Clapp, the township’s last week to reminisce about the ment, schools and county ber, will reflect any adjustments attorney, confirmed Tuesday a events of June 1944 and the days needs—will be finalized this that must be made, Viturello letter was sent Friday to Paul that followed. summer after the county budget said. Gomperz, DMDA president, and Robert Needleman did not is adopted and the county’s The system of sending esti- to members of the organization’s fight on D-Day. He arrived with board of taxation has certified mated bills has been a policy of board of trustees. the 83rd infantry division seven the figure, according to Viturello. the Township Committee since Gomperz acknowledged Tues- days after the initial landing and The tax-setting process is 1998. The policy saves the town- day he was in receipt of the he recalled his landing craft nearing completion, with the ship interest costs for borrowing letter. pulled right onto Omaha Beach. $35.5 million municipal budget for tax anticipation notes and “There was a problem, as was “Our guys were able to walk ready for passage at the Town- maintains a consistent quarterly reported in The Item,” he said. onto the sand,” he said. “That ship Committee meeting next tax payment cycle for taxpayers, “As also was reported in The was good because there were a Harry Rosenthal Robert Needleman week, and the schools portion of according to the tax collector. Item, we took steps to repair the lot of mines buried in the water.” week, Needleman said his men ashore on D-Day because he was the tax rate already known. The The vast majority of the town- Although troops had been pour- soon encountered pockets of already there. A paratrooper with Board of Education has ap- ship’s 6,500 taxpayers are Continued on Page B12 ing into the beachhead for a German resistance in the vicini- the 82nd Airborne Division, proved a $57.3 million budget. paying their bills on time, pro- ty. Rosenthal landed the night With regard to the additional viding the township with a Needleman’s outfit was before outside the town of St. 10 points that will be collected, nearly 99.3 percent tax collec- thrown quickly into the fierce Mere Eglise. He escaped the fate increased municipal spending tion rate for last year, Viturello fighting in northern France, of many of his comrades who accounts for four points and reported. pushing slowly through country- either were killed by German eight points are due to additional “That’s a good collection per- side lined with hedgerows. soldiers as they descended on the school spending. County spend- centage,” he said. “Each farm had large hedges town or drowned in the sur- ing is expected to decrease this Also, in each year’s budget, around their fields, and the Ger- rounding fields that had been year, however, and may ease the the township sets aside a reserve mans were in control,” Needle- flooded by the Germans. tax burden by two points. A pro- for uncollected taxes. The Town- man said. “We encountered very little re- posed 2004 county budget of ship Committee is anticipating Needleman was a radio opera- sistance,” Rosenthal recalled. $547 million shows a $22 mil- collections at 98.47 percent this tor whose job was to work far “We banded together in small lion reduction in spending. year, and the budget calls for a ahead of the division with an of- groups. The confusion was mul- The $1.96 rate is broken down reserve of $1,771,536 to be set ficer who was the spotter for the tiplied tenfold by the confusion into approximately 42 points for aside. artillery. of the Germans.” It was after the Battle of the Many of Rosenthal’s memo- Bulge that a German unit being ries of those days revolve around pursued by the 83rd turned and the deaths of his fellow soldiers. Light voter turnout threatened to counterattack. In He and his men recovered one an action that calls to mind man’s body while under sniper scenes from “Saving Private fire. Another friend of his was for uncontested field Ryan,” Needleman and his offi- killed while removing a booby- cer moved within just a few trapped mine. Six days after the By Eveline Speedie Linda Seelbach weighed in with buildings away from the massing landing, Rosenthal went to of The Item 240 votes. Incumbents McDer- German armor and called in ar- Omaha Beach to meet an army mott and Seelbach are both run- tillery fire, virtually on their own unit from his native North Interest in Tuesday’s primary ning on the Republican ticket. position, which they held for 12 Dakota. election was light in the town- Rep. Donald M. Payne, whose hours. “The sand was stained blood ship, due largely to the number 10th District includes the Mill- They were so close to the Ger- red,” Rosenthal remembered. of uncontested races. burn portion of the township pri- mans that Needleman, who is “Bodies were still floating in the Locally, the three candidates marily, drew 179 votes. Payne, a Jewish and fearful of being cap- water.” for Township Committee in the Democrat, is running unopposed tured, took off his dog tags and Among the medals he earned Nov.