Kean Signs Bill to Require Emergency 911 Number
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Neptune crushes CBA in basketball matchup, 1B ThMONMOUTH eCOUNTY'S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1878 ister FRIDAY. JAN. 20. 1989 VOL. 111 NO. 93 25 CENTS Kean signs bill to require emergency 911 number ators who handle an estimated 3,500 calls Penn said that revenue will pay for the By MIKE BURKE each day from people who dial '0' and ask annual operation and maintenance of the THE REGISTER to be connected to an emergency agency," 911 system. In addition, it will restore a Bennett explained. "It is apparent that total of about $16 million to several mu- public access to emergency services is nicipal coffers in the state each year by Residents will be able lo get emergency woefully inadequate." changing the tax status of the phone com- service from anywhere in the state by dial- panies. ing 911 as New Jersey yesterday became While the number of emergency tele- only the second state in the nation to re- phone numbers varies from county to The court-ordered breakup of AT&T quire the system from border to border. county, some use as many as 40-80 differ- had caused some towns to lose property ent listings. tax revenues from the phone companies, Assemblyman John O. Bennett III, R- and the legislation will give that money Monmouth. the bill's sponsor, said "There is little benefit in providing so- phisticated emergency resources if a per- back to the local governments, Penn said. Maryland is the only other state using a The companies will recoup those losses in universal emergency line. son dies or property is destroyed while'a caller is thumbing through a phone book other state and local incentives. Gov. Thomas. H. Kean signed the legis- or trying to get a number from an opera- "But it's not a windfall for any one lation and a companion funding bill yes- tor," Bennett said. The 9,11 line will elimi- company." Bennett said, noting that any terday. Bennett estimated that the 911 sys- nate such cases, he added. advantages accrued by the companies as a tem could be operating in about two years. Kean also signed a companion funding result of the new tax status would transl- The new system will cut response time package proposed by Assemblyman John late in to savings for consumers. and could save lives that might otherwise S. Penn. R-Somcrsct. It will alter the tax "The bill mandates that they go to the have been lost under current conditions, status of telephone companies and impose state Board of Public Utilities for a rate Bennettt noted. the state's 6 percent sales tax on the pur- reduction if they receive extra revenues as "There are about 1,000 telephone oper- chase and leasing of telephones. See GOVERNOR. Page 2A N.J. Republicans at inauguration; look ahead to gubernatorial race • RELATED STORIES 3A Gov. Thomas H. Kean told party faithful Virginia is home lo many campaign at Wednesday's New Jersey Ball, "for I pros who work in the capital. But New By NED KILKELLY think the next governor of New Jersey is Jersey is familiar turf as well. Many big- THE REGISTER somewhere in this room." name consultants worked on this past Expectations were high in the GOP- fall's hotly contested presidential and Sen- THE REGISTER/WILLIAM PERLMAN WASHINGTON, DC. — While Re- packed ballroom at the Sheraton-Wash- ate races. publicans across the nation have de- ington Hotel for keeping the governorship • \ scended here to celebrate the inauguration in the party in.November's showdown. A few gubernatorial hopefuls pressed Tuba tryout of the country's 41st president and anoth- the flesh at New Jersey's bash — as advi- As one of only two states — Virginia sory committees back home continued to Amy Degourge, 9, of Little Silver gets a tuba lesson from Dean Plank of the er four years in the White House, many the other — scheduled lo have a guberna- New Jersey party members focused atten- explore their candidates' respective Festival Brass, a five-member musical ensemble which performs^ a^ Mark- torial race_ in l989^_New Jersey has at- tion on remaining in Trenton a year from tracted the aTTenfion'oT prominent politi- chances of succeeding Kean — and recent ham Place School, Little Silver, in a program sponsored by the borough now. election losers made the rounds, saying Parent-Teacher Organization. cal analysts, media consultants and "Enjoy the dancing and the music," campaign strategists. hello and trying to gauge the success of See REPUBLICANS. Page 2A County task force to plan for future water shortages dry as last year's warm months. our backs are against the wall." York City's water. level of the company's reservoirs rain fell in the area, well under the By VIRGINIA KENT DORRIS Arnold Kleeberg, county emer- said Kleeberg. New Jersey-American's reser- stood at 84.3 percent of capacity at average rainfall total of 3.98 inches voirs are at significantly higher mid-week, with the Swimming for that month. THE REGISTER gency management coordinator, Earlier this week, New York said that although officials arc. City and Westchester County. levels than those which supply River Reservoir at 83.2 percent of Rainfall levels so far in January, "not overly concerned" with cur- N.Y., declared a drought watch be- New York City despite lowcr- capacity and the Glendola Reser- she said, are also lower than nor- The county's emergency water rent levels at New Jersey-Ameri- cause low rainfall levels have left than-normal rainfall in December voir at 87.1 percent. mal. task force will meet Jan. 31 to as- can Water Company reservoirs, reservoirs in the Delaware River and early January, said Kalhy Szc- The combined total should be Szczepanik said .98 inches of sess the current water situation the creation of a plan of action was Basin have dropped to less than 50 zepanik, spokesperson for the closer to 100 percent at this time rain fell during the first half of the and to develop a plan it will imple- necessary. percent of capacity. Those reser- water company. of year, she said. month, running behind the ment if the summer of 1989 is as "We do not want to wait until voirs supply about half of New Szczepanik said the combined In December, only .7 inches of monthly average of 2.58 inches. Foundation mounts Middletown to seek legal costs fund drive for camp after winning suit by developer mountains where they can relax Selikoff s dismissal last week of a for a wide variety of birds and ani- By VIRGINIA KENT DORRIS and regroup. By VIRGINIA KENT DORRIS five-count suit filed by Murphy mals including deer, hawks and against the Planning Board and blue herons. THE REGISTER "There are camps for sick chil- THE REGISTER dren, but none that I know of for the township last Feburary. - Although Murphy agreed to the entire family," said Karaban, Murphy, a principal in Better limit the development lo 18 MIDDLETOWN — Thomas MIDDLETOWN — The town- houses during the course of six adding that having a seriously ill ship will seek to recover legal costs Homes and Gardens Real Estate Karaban has a dream: to create a child in the family takes its toll on in Saddle River, could not be hearings on the project, the Plan- place where sick children and their from a developer who charged his ning Board voted to turn down the siblings and parents as well. civil rights were violated when his reached last night for comment. families can take a vacation from "Their lives have been turned application in December 1987. the stress that accompanies a life- application to build 18 homes on In 1986, Murphy first proposed In his suit. Murphy charged thai threatening illness. upside down completely," he said. an environmentally sensitive site the construction of 24 houses on a "Their whole world has been shat- the board's decision was "arbii near McClees Creek was turned 84-acre site bordered by Navesink trary, capricious, unreasonable Karaban heads the Rainbow tered. The families become dis- down. Foundation, a non-profit organiza- River Road, Cooper Road, Mc- and otherwise wrongful" and jointed, and for some it's just too Clees Road and McClees Creek in tion he founded in 1984 to help much." Attorney Bernard Reilly yester- asked the court to overturn the day said he has filed a motion the Navesink section. ruling. seriously ill children. Karaban said he has already lo- THOMAS KARABAN seeking $4,000 in legal costs from According to Lawrence Carton Murphy further claimed that the Last year the group provided cated the camp he had envisioned Joseph J. Murphy Jr., applicant for — a 24-acre wooded site with a the approximately $2 million he III, Planning Board attorney, the township's actions were "in viola- abour SI 00,000 to families of chil- needs to purchase and operate the the Hunts Crossing development, dren stricken by cancer, diabetes, lake, athletic fields and several proposed development generated tion of the Fifth and Fourteenth camp. calling Murphy's suit against the an outpouring of public protest Amendments of the Constitution" muscular, dystrophy and other ill- buildings in Warren County — township "frivolous." nesses to pay for transportation, and named it Rainbow Mountain. Karaban said he and other from neighbors and environmen- and asked for compensatory dam- medical bills and other necessities. This week, Karaban said, he members of the foundation began The decision to try to recover talists because the steeply-sloping ages, legal fees, and "any other Now he wants to give them what kicked off a fund drive — dubbed to think about founding the camp the legal costs comes in the wake wooded site encompasses about 19 such procedural, substantive and money can't buy — a camp in the the Rainbow Dream — to collect See CHARITY, Page 2A of Superior Court Judge Marshall acres of wetlands and is a habitat See MIDDLETOWN, Page 2A THE BOTTOM LINE Double talent Basking in victory Full house The only thing that keeps • For state Republicans, the Local politicians and just Ann Landers 9A Lotteries 2A Tom Avaklan from being a Inaugural festivities In plain folk packed the house Bloom County 6A Movies 10A one-man band Is that he Washington, D.C.