BOE Gives Final Approval for $71.7 Million Budget

Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, April 1, 2004 Published Every Thursday Since 1890 OUR 114th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 30-114 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS BOE Gives Final Approval For $71.7 Million Budget By ED COONEY cation to every student in the dis- continuous budget increases. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader trict.” She cited growing enrollment The last time the public voted to The Westfield Board of Education as the main factor responsible for the CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 voted unanimously to give final approval to the 2004-2005 school district budget at its meeting on Mon- day night. Westfield citizens will have the opportunity to accept or WF National Guard reject the budget when they vote at the annual school board election on Tuesday, April 20. Armory Troops Will The 2004-2005 budget, which the board and the school district’s ad- ministration have been assembling and discussing since early January, Be Deployed Overseas totals $71,710,802. Of that number, By LAUREN S. PASS women as well as their families the public will only be voting on the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader tax levy of $65,163,152. The board’s during this period of service,” Con- approved budget represents a 5.99 The 250th Signal Battalion, gressman Ferguson told The percent increase over the total bud- based at the Westfield National Westfield Leader. Guard Armory has been activated A phone call to Lieutenant Colo- get for the 2003-2004 school year. Amy Horowitz for The Westfield Leader Board President Arlene Gardner for federal service and will soon be nel Roberta Niedt in the Public deployed out of Fort Dix, The February 28, 2002: WIRED WITH TECHNOLOGY…The National Guard Armory on Rahway Avenue in Westfield has praised the board’s work and fiscal Affairs office was not returned as been wired with upgraded, state-of-the-art equipment. Pictured, above, are: Lieutenant Colonel De Cara, Captain responsibility, saying “that our per- Westfield Leader confirmed on of press time. Christenson and Lieutenant Mercurio. pupil and administrative costs are Tuesday. The newspaper was un- According to its web site, the below the state average attests to our able to confirm as of press time battalion has not been deployed EMOTIONS ESCALATE AS RESIDENTS CLAIM APPEARANCE OF UNDERHANDEDNESS efficient use of taxpayer money.” whether the battalion would be overseas since World War II. The The per-pupil cost in the Westfield going to Iraq in conjunction with battalion’s first active duty in sev- public schools is approximately Operation Iraqi Freedom or Af- eral years was in 2002, when it $11,000. State funding covers only ghanistan for Operation Enduring participated in post 9/11 bridge Westfield Residents Take Issue $758 of the per-pupil cost. Freedom. and tunnel protection. Westfield resident Peter Murray Congressman Michael Ferguson In 2002, a $500,000 communi- briefly addressed the board, criticiz- (R-NJ) will be visiting with the cation center was constructed at ing its budgetary spending habits troops at the Westfield Armory on the Westfield Armory, located at With Council on Parking Decks and saying that the board is not “be- Saturday and intends to see them 500 Rahway Avenue. This center ing sharp enough” in keeping neces- off at Fort Dix. enables the National Guard to part- “I want to thank the 250th Signal ner with the private sector in inte- By LAUREN S. PASS equivalent to a $400,000 mortgage. pen to the schools if 98 current sary budget increases to a minimum. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Third Ward Councilman Mark Westfield residents left their homes He cited the difficulties being en- Battalion of the New Jersey Na- grating and maintaining state-of- tional Guard for the tremendous the-art distance learning and con- On Tuesday night, the chambers Ciarrocca questioned whether the for the new development. countered by Westfield residents of the Westfield Town Council was quality of the school system was taken Mr. Reading said that the town is dependent on Social Security to meet sacrifice that they are making in ference centers throughout the state service to our country. My prayers of New Jersey. packed with residents out to voice into account for the study. He said that already seeing regeneration in the the financial demands of the tax levy. their opposition to and concerns with are with our service men and CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 the towns used in the comparison school system, but said that 98 units Ms. Gardner responded, “We have the parking garage-redevelopment were “not comparable,” and ques- is not a “real increase” in the housing to make sure we offer a quality edu- projects on South Avenue and Pros- tioned, “Is that a really fair analysis?” market. pect and Elm Streets. Mr. Reading said that people would First Ward Councilman Sal The evening started with a presen- choose the units because of their Caruana used Battery Park City in County Freeholder Bd. Discusses tation from Richard Reading on the convenience for commuting, not for New York as an example of a devel- school impact study he submitted to the school district. opment that was projected to pro- the town. The study concluded that Fourth Ward Councilman James duce a small number of children, but six public school children would come Foerst questioned what would hap- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Tire Recycling Transfer Facility out of the 98 rental units, which were proposed at the time of the study. By MATT MARINO continuing to operate as a transfer such as Casings is to ensure that tires Mr. Reading revealed that the nine Specially Written for The Westfield Leader facility, and that there is no residue or are disposed of properly. Casings affordable housing units now in- At its regular meeting held on March other environmental concerns. Ac- will not actually destroy the tires, cluded could yield one child for ev- 26, the Union County Board of Cho- cording to Mr. Spatola, when all of said Mr. Barry, but rather serve as a ery three units, or a total of three sen Freeholders discussed a new ordi- the specifics are in place, the facility transfer point for the tires to be school children. He said a total 12 nance involving plans for a tire recy- expects to handle a maximum capac- shipped to out-of-state locations. He school children was the high-end cling transfer facility in Hillside that ity of 185 tons of tires daily. noted that the number of tires dumped prediction for the development. would fall under the Union County In response to several questions on roadsides is increasing, and that He said that the “units are not Solid Waste Management Plan. from the freeholder board and the landfills have often refused to take particularly child friendly,” also Before voting on the ordinance, public, County Counsel Robert Barry the tires and dispose of them. pointing out that with the average the board held a public hearing, with stated that the purpose of a facility rent being $2,190 a month, it is Joseph Spatola, Director of the Union CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 County Utilities Authority (UCUA), leading the formal presentation to the board. Canadian Geese Control Battle Mr. Spatola explained that for several years, Casings of New Jersey, based in Hillside, has served as the transfer point for tires from gas sta- Wages On in Union County tions and automotive centers to be By DEBORAH MADISON program using various methods will tion is different and every park will taken to out-of-state facilities for Specially Written for The Westfield Leader be employed to lessen the geese popu- be evaluated on an individual basis processing. The debate over how to handle lation this coming spring and sum- to determine which methods will be Casings was seeking formal ap- Union County’s epidemic of geese mer. best for that area. If necessary, one Fred Rossi for The Westfield Leader proval by the board to serve as an wages on, with animal rights groups The program may include non- option, said Mr. Galligher, will be official transfer facility under the SUNNY DAYS...Area residents were out enjoying the spring weather at the crying fowl over the latest methods lethal as well as lethal methods, said CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Tamaques Park playground over the weekend. Solid Waste Management Plan, with being proposed to rid the parks of the company spokesperson Paul final approval coming from the New fecal birds. Galligher. The company will use egg Jersey Department of Environmen- According to the animal control oiling, plantings, chemicals and noise tal Protection (DEP). company hired by Union County deterrents as well as rounding up and Borough BOE Will Send $11.5 Mil. Mr. Spatola added that the Hillside Freeholders, Goose Control Tech- slaughtering the geese, if necessary. government has approved of Casings nology of Metuchen, a multi-faceted Mr. Galligher said that each situa- Budget to County for Approval By BETSEY BURGDORF million. Fixed costs make up 92 because of the need for an additional Specially Written for The Westfield Leader percent of the total expenses, which teacher. The 2004-2005 school budget was does not leave the board much room School board elections will be held the primary focus of the televised for modification. on Tuesday, April 20, from 2 to 9 Mountainside Board of Education The Spending Growth Limita- p.m. Residents can vote at the fol- meeting last Friday night. Business tion Adjustment (SGLA), a state lowing locations: Our Lady of Administrator Paul Visuzzo pre- Department of Education budget Lourdes Church, Mountainside Bor- sented the $11.5 million budget, stat- adjustment allowance based on stu- ough Hall and the Mountainside Pres- ing that the tax levy will be respon- dent population growth, will allow byterian Church.

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