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¢ Accidentrate; poor pavementkey issues ":a Avenueopen to big truck , by SteveGoodman ’ During that ( me, the large vehicles thereby reducing the volume of traffic wrGekage,"the Bennetis Lane ManagingEditor used Bennetts Lane as a substitute on his road. resident continued. route. The10.ton limit on Ihe Bennetts "As residents of Bennetts Lane "Theprime consideration here is for Driving safety emerged as" the Lane bridge was often ignored andthe we’ve been patient for two’ years the loss of humanlife," Mr.DelCastle primemotivation behindthe Franklin trucks also hadto negotiatea sharp90- withoutcoining to youwith petitions,,’ emphasized. TownsldpCouncil’s 6:3 vote Thursday, degree bend in the road. he told the governingbody. "Wedon’t havemoney in next years Jan, 26, to adopt an ordinanceto allow The 28 residents fronting the budgetfor capital improvemcnts,’jthe heavy trucks to traverse Veronica LATEIN November,the township narrow, curbless lane haveall called mayorresponded. Avenue. completedrepairing a 1 200-foot, police many, manytimes to report "Humanlife and humaninjury take Ahot issue in the past, Ihe noise smoothlycurving stretch of Veronica automobileaccidenls {n front of tbeir precedence over all else," Mr. created by trucks using JFK Avenueat a cost of $65,000.The road homes,according to Mr. DelCastle. DclCastle argued. "I’m sure you Boulevard to reach Easton Avenue had been built on a running stream "The most expensive accident in agree with me." and eventually Route 2a7, was and’the water flow had eroded the Franklin Townshiphappened in front "Tllat’s the issue here tonight, championed by 0nly one Levitt road bed from underneath. of myhouse," he said, referring to sn whether we’vegot a few moretrucks resident. "It wasagreed that the t,200 feet we Insurance claim against the township going downJFK or not," councilman While Mayor Jack Cullen, whose repaired was the most critical see- that wassettled for $100,0o0. Joe.Martiansaid. finn," Township Manager Harry constituency lies along JFK "Openingup a road that isn’t ready "We’renot going to kill half this Boulevard,acknowledged "there is an Gerkenreminded the council, township," Dr. Martino continued, Therest of the road, whileit doesn’t ¯ for heavy trucks one mustthink that influence of Veronica Avenuetraffic we would be liable," MayorCullen referring to the accident toll on on JFKBoulevard," he also said, "the meet the township’s current Bennetts Lane, "just because principal reason whyI remainagainst specifications received the nod from countered¯ the township engineer, Mr. Gcrken "Let’s fix it properlyso trucks can somebodysaid Veronica Avenue has it {s that the road (VeronicaAvenue) useit," Mr. DelCasilepressed. holes in it." isn’t built for trucks." indicated. "I’m not in favor at this time of Traffic on Veronica Avenue,which repairing the other portion of Veronica links Route27 to HamiltonStreet half BENNETTSLANE resident Tom "AS 1 WASputting my notes a mile east of the JFKlight, has bees DclCastle urged the council to adopt together tonight, there was a loud Avenue,"councilwoman Helen Reilly ¯ limited to vehicles weighingless than the resolution to lift the heavy boom,and guess what, the police are Tom DelCastle four tons for the past twoyears. trucking ban on Veronica Avenue, there right now removing the See VERONICA,page 18-A Joan Finucane T"°Fra nklin news-recorD ):: Vol. 26, No. 5 Twosections, 38 pages Phone(201) 725.,3300 + Thursday, February 2, 1978 Secondclass postage paid at Manville,N.J. ()8835 ¯ $4.50 a year]15 cents per copy First aid and fire volunteersseek to absorb proposedbudget cuts by Steve Goodman The Franklin - SomersetFirst Aid townshipto go towardsconstruction of Lewisargued. "I don’t knowwhat a ManaglngEditor Squad and the Millstone Valley anew firehouse. paid squad would do." . ’ . "~ Volunteer Fire Departmentare both Constructionof the structure Will "Wepay for our ownradios, our own At least two volunteer community seeking financial aid from the beginin the spring, Mr.Shimalla told coveralls andanyihidg that pertains to service organizationshave their hand township above the approximately the governingbody. Thebuilding site our personal use," he explained¯ out for someor all of the $10,000the $3,000 presently budgeted for each is located in an old corn field ou Franklin TownshipCouncil removed group¯ AmwellRoad, next to Onka’s bus -TONIGIIT You’ve put us in a from the proposed$5.5 million 1978 garage. ligbt that is unfavorable and un- municipal budget. I:REDSlIIMALLA, president of the The fire companyplans to dedicate justi[iedy Cnm)cilman Charlie .~ .The council’s action cameduring a fire company,approached the council’ the ,completedbuilding-’in:1979..to DUrand’~said;:’.r.dspondingto + the budget worksession on TuesdayJan at its ageudasession on Tuesday,Jan. commemorateits 00th annivei’sary, figures. 31. ¯ 24 asking for a donation from the accordingto the group’spresident. "Wecan only do so muchwith the moneythat we have," squad member MEMBEI~.SOF the first aid squad Lee Cuddy emphasized. "Moneyhas turned out at the council’s regular 1o comefrom somewhere." public meetingon Thursday,Jan. 20, The Franklin - SomersetFirst Aid in present their case. Squadstill has an $8,900outslanding Squadpresident, MiekeyLewis, told debt for their new Girard Avenue the .governing body the squad bome. predicted 197Bexpenses would exceed in addition, (bey planlo spend$1,500 $56,000,while anticipatedrevenue was to purchase a base radio station and in the neighborhoodof $13,000. bare earmarked$9,000 to purchase 30 "Whenwe took over the squad two homealarms at a cost of $300apiece. years ago," Mr. Lewissaid, "webad The’ squad is also looking to spend $35,000;we built the buildingwith it," $20,000 to replace their 1970 Ford Councilmen Richard Messner ambulance. remindedhim the council bad donated Franklin - Somerset anticipates earning $11,000from their annual fund Mothernature exceedsweigh’t limit , ! $15,000 towardsbuilding costs last ] year. drive. Donations from Somerset Ice depositedon the GriggstownBridge has caused the massiverun-off from last week’sheavy melt. "We had plan~ "Continuinghis presentation, Mr. County, the Lions Club and Franklin downstreamsldsof thestructure spann{ng the M{llstone River nedto reconstructthat bridgeth{s spring," Somerset County Lewisindicated the squad answered Towush{p’sbudgeted allocalloa will to coffapsetwo {nches, prompt/ng the countyto closethe frneholdorWarren Nev/ns said. "h maybe closed for a month 1,369 emergency,calls in 1977, an provide revenue approaching$,1,~00. br{dgeto vehiculartraffic onSunday, Jan. 29. Twofeet of ice now;I don’tknow. It maybe inconvenient to peoplefor a averugeof 125 each month.With tile Theyalso have $1,519in savings. formedafter the M}l/stoneovedlowed Its channeldue to rhe while." (RichPipe{ing pholo) continuing population rise, he an- ticipated the numberof calls will rise "TIIEIII’~ AREoptions that the above 250 par month. council could consider that are less costly than tbe stralgbt $10,000," CITING NEI(;IIBOItING mayorJack Cullen told the squad ,I members, Residentslike rur life; municipalities as examples, Mr. Dependingupon the costs Involved, Lewis provided (lie council with financial akl figures donatedto other Iho Iownshpmight decide to supplythe squad with gas and oil, according to local rescue squads, TownshipManager 11arry Gerken. vote fo maintainstatus quo Manville, a town of two squnre lie will also check toseo If the miles, gives their first aid squadthe squad’s anlleipated $7,go0 {nsurance by Steve Gomhnml as a v{llage.What Is goingto happento local streets on Iheir way threugi maximumamount allowed hy law, h{ll can be picked up at a reduced P, InnaghtgEditor It {n the future is tbo question, Dr. M}ddlchash, $15,000,according to tile Franklin - .. Somersetsquad president. )rein{urn ondor lho lownshlp’s Ilamiltonsaid, priminglbo groupfor pe cles, "Preserve our v{llngo["rang out in lheconconsus plannlng sess{on. AI)I)[tESSIN({[ha problem Plscatawnydonates $14,000to each ’Tin going to review the whole of two squads servicing tile cam- Iho halls ef Ihc MlddlebushReformed AmwellRend, residenln diseusset siluation and report back to thn Churchoa Monday, Jan. 30. ’,TIle VILLAGEcomplex Is the Ihrco opllons: uumlty, East Brunswickgives $12,490 council," Mr,Gcrken said, Indicating Thebattle cry wasraised daring Iho ¯ -to relnln AmwcllRoad along lh Io Its squadand Brklgewalcr which Is (be council will probahlyemlsldor file Franklin Township Consorvatlan way we’d like to see Frnnklln present path without improvnmont MICKEYLEWIS, president of the Franklin.SomersetFirst Aid Squadmakes a point servedbysix s( uads,donates $0,000 to Townshipgrow," hn explained. "The ¯ .to widenthe current highwayto duringhis presentationto the Franklin TownshipCouncil during thb council’s matlcr .at Its agenda session on Club’s cmtconsusplamdng session on village complexhas n banrt beat ta It{ enehof I ram. Tnestlay, Fob.7, Ibofuhu’o of Mlddlobusb and lhe roar {aries; ned regular publicmootlng on Thursday,Jnn, 26, "We’rededicated voluuteors," Mr, it has places (or paoplo,gather," Ill reducing the proposedmmdclpal propnsedhnprovoment of nearby Mlddlcbusil prosoul centers ¯ -Io constructa newstl’oleh o£.road budget by $10,000, Ihu council took Amwol}Rend. nloag tim unused rnllrond }racks arouud the M{ddlebus{Reformed $7 I00from police operating funds "A lot o[ Iho horllngo In Franklin Churchlho Mlddlobash School, n post parallel to rite existinghighway on fill $500was removed from sodaaorv cos Townshlplies