WF BOE Reviews Violence, Vandalism Statistics for Schools
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Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, October 23, 2003 Published Every Thursday Since 1890 OUR 114th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 07-114 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] FIFTY CENTS WF BOE Reviews MS Resident Asks Council Violence, Vandalism For Skate Park By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Statistics for Schools During the opening of Mountainside’s regularly scheduled By ED COONEY of the incidents occurred after school monthly council meeting a procla- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader during extracurricular activities. mation was read by Mayor Robert The Westfield Board of Education “We do not have a lot of incidents Viglianti. reviewed statistics of violence, van- during the school day,” he said. The proclamation stated that on dalism, and substance abuse in the Westfield Police Officer Ron Allen behalf of the Governor Livingston school district at their Tuesday meet- attributed the rise in incidents to an Band Parents Organization and their ing. increase in the number of pupils in wish to acknowledge the musical In the 2002-2003 school year, there the school district. accomplishments of the Governor were 23 reported incidents of offenses, “The numbers are going to grow as Livingston Highlander Band that “most of which occurred at the high enrollment goes up,” said Detective November 16-22 be known as Band school,” according to Superintendent Allen, who works at Westfield High Appreciation Week. The Band of Schools Dr. William Foley. The School (WHS) as a “Resource Of- Parent’s organization also encour- number of reported incidents rose ficer.” He works towards forming a ages all Mountainside citizens to from 15 during the 2000-2001 school rapport with the students in order to take interest in and give their full year. Of the 23 reported incidents, all help make WHS a better learning support to the band and their annual resulted in out-of-school suspensions. environment. programs. The district notified the police in He complimented the behavior of In other business, teenaged resi- 12 of those instances without filing a WHS students, saying, “I think the Horace R. Corbin for The Westfield Leader dent, Connor Norris approached the complaint, and nine times where a students are doing a great job with CLOSE ENCOUNTERS...Last Saturday morning at the Westfield ‘Y’, New Jersey U.S. Senator Jon Corzine (D) from Borough’s governing body asking complaint was filed. Summit escorts assembly candidate Ellen Steinberg (D-21) of Chatham. The senator extends his hand to Westfield’s State what he would have to do to get a policing themselves.” Senator Thomas Kean, Jr. (R-21), shown left. Westfield’s Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-21), second from the left with Dr. Foley noted that the majority The board heard comments from skate park into Mountainside. his back to the picture, pays close attention to his competitor. Not pictured, Westfield Mayor Gregory McDermott (R) The mayor told Mr. Norris that he Maureen Mazzarese, WHS Student with councilpersons Lawrence Goldman (D) and Susan Jacobson (D) were also present to receive Senator Corzine as he Assistant Counselor. She also com- toured the ‘Y’. Billed as a non-campaign affair, the event with the senator was arranged by Darielle Walsh, ‘Y’ Chief should contact other towns that have Volunteer Officer and by Mark Elsasser, ‘Y’ Executive Director to promote federal funding support for ‘Y’ programs. skate parks and see what is needed CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 and then talk to Recreation Depart- Fall Back! ment Director Sue Winans to submit a proposal. He then noted that the Daylight Savings Time Ends Westfield Y Obtains Permission from Board Recreation Department would dis- Sunday, October 26, 2 a.m. cuss the proposal and then make recommendations back to the gov- erning body. To Use Church Basement for Daycare Space In other business, the Mountainside council approved a first reading of By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL Monday, November 10, or were au- full-day kindergarten program to Buontempo, who owns property at an ordinance fixing salary ranges for Specially Written for The Westfield Leader tomatically placed there due to in- newly renovated rooms in the base- 726 South Avenue, was denied a certain municipal employees, fixing With over 23 cases scheduled for sufficient notice. ment of the church, which is in a use variance for his tenant, Su- both a minimum range and putting a Monday evening’s monthly meeting Requesting a use variance and a separate building from the daycare preme Construction of Springfield, cap on over 75 Borough employees. of the Westfield Board of Adjust- variance for a free standing sign, The and is also used for the church’s to store contractor’s equipment and The resolution noted that the sal- ment, members actually voted on 17 Westfield Y, sought and was granted Sunday school. supplies. ary paid to each office or position for cases as some applicants either asked permission to utilize the recently According to the Y’s attorney, John Neighbors Sean Coakley, John the calendar year 2003 as established to be carried to the next meeting on renovated basement area of the First Schmidt, the Division of Youth and Preston and Carmello Villanueva all CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 Baptist Church at 170 Elm Street as Family Services (DYFS), who li- opposed Mr. Buontempo’s request. additional daycare rooms for their censes the Y’s facility, recently noti- Mr. Coakley read a prepared state- childcare center. fied the daycare that the organiza- ment, noting that the construction Planning Bd. Meeting WF Fire Dept. Updates The Y, which houses their main tion needed an “appropriate certifi- company “has used the garage to Scheduled for Tonight building on 220 Clark Street, has cate of occupancy” for the use of the store gasoline” uses the site as “a been leasing a 12-room building at two additional classrooms and garbage transfer station,” and that By BENJAMIN CORBIN the rear of the church as a daycare coatroom area. Each classroom holds “more that one vehicle is stored on Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Residents on Services facility for over 10 years. 12 children. the property.” WESTFIELD -- There will be a In 2002, the daycare moved its In other business, Richard special meeting of the Westfield By BENJAMIN B. CORBIN arching does not mean they are not CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 Planning Board tonight, at 8 p.m. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader charged, so extreme caution should The Fire Department is the first in the Municipal Building. The be taken. The second thing to stress meeting will cover preliminary and line of defense for residence, not is with telephone and cable wires only during the times of extreme Orenda Circle Drainage Problem final major site plan approval of even though they are not charged it One Elm Street Associates, L.L.C., emergency, but as aid for everyday doesn’t mean they can’t be charged. difficulties that may arise. There are plans to convert the building lo- These wires can be charged if they cated at One Elm Street from a many things people would never con- are resting on power lines which then From MS Analyzed by WF Council sider calling the fire department for, bank into a restaurant. makes them extremely dangerous.” The applicant’s proposed use of but they should consider calling the Trees can also be a cause for alarm. By LAUREN S. PASS Second Ward Republican Council- with a presentation of the Engineer- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader the property will be a restaurant fire department for occurrences other man Rafael Betancourt questioned if ing Department’s Geographical In- If you see a tree resting on a power on the first floor and commercial then for fires. This article will try and line or a branch is hanging off a A drainage issue on Orenda Circle the pipes are on private or public prop- formation System (GIS), which com- shed some light on what the fire was at issue during Tuesday evening’s offices on the second floor. power line the fire department should erty. He said that if it is private property bines maps and aerial photographs The applicant also proposes to department can do to serve the meeting of the Westfield Town Coun- than it is an issue among neighbors. of the town allowing individual ad- be called so they can make an assess- convert the parking area into a Westfield community. ment on what course of action needs cil. Town Attorney Robert Cockren and dresses to be pinpointed. The Westfield Leader talked with According to Town Engineer Ken- park like setting with a gazebo to to be taken. Town Administrator James Gildea Individual property surveys, and be used for outdoor café dinning Lieutenant Scott Miller from the neth Marsh, runoff from Mountainside will research the matter further. other information such as taxes and In accordance with downed power as regulated by out door café li- Westfield Fire Department’s Fire lines, or trees bringing down power is channeled into pipes and discharged Tuesday night’s Westfield Town property history can be attached to on private property in Westfield. He censing. Prevention Bureau to discuss all the lines are power outages. Power out- Council conference session began CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 different services that are available ages may also be caused by severe said that in order to remedy the situ- to the community. Lt. Miller said, weather. If power goes out and a ation, the water would have to be “the Department has such an array of family member is on a breathing contained and conveyed back to tools on the trucks, the fire truck is machine, the fire department has Mountainside where it could be chan- Sommerich Lauded by Assembly, like a rolling toolbox and all these portable generators that will give the neled into a stream, which ends at tools are here to help the commu- breathing machines the power they Echo Lake Park.