Thumbs up for Westfield, SP-F Bonds Town Westfield Voters Embrace $14.9 Million Referendum
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High school hoops season kicks off today. Please see Sports, Page C-1 WESTFIELD SCOTCH PLAINS FANWOOD Vol. 15, No. 50 Friday, December 15, 2000 50 cents Around Thumbs up for Westfield, SP-F bonds Town Westfield voters embrace $14.9 million referendum ... while SP-F approves $24.1M plan Tae kwon do students By THOMAS SCOTT The vote tally, including proposed improvements, school By THOMAS SCOTT with 3,1199 affirmative votes and absentee ballots, was 2,564 votes chop way to top honors THE ilHCOHD-PRESS officials — factoring in $6.5 mil- THE KKCOHI) 1'HKSS 1,46() votes against the bond, in favor of the bond and 742 votes lion in state aid — settled on the according to school officials. SCOTCH PLAINS — WESTFIELD -Inn strong against, according to school offi- $14.9 million bond approved by SCOTCH PLAINS — Voters "When we saw early on the Sharon Chillemi won three show of community support, resi- cials. voters Tuesday. turned out in strength Tuesday fust results lor District 9 indicat- gold medals in the AAW dents voted 3-to-l Tuesday in Concerns over a projected 36- "Such strong support is to pass the Board of Education's ing a clear 2 to 1 vote in fnvor of Morris Cup ta<' kwon do favor of the $14.9 million bond porcent increase in high school tremendous," said Board of $!2-i.l million bond referendum. the bond, we were excited," championship, hold Nov. 12 referendum. enrollment over the next seven Education President Darielle Fiinwood and Scotch Plains Superintendent Dr. Carol Choye in Rockaway. The bond will provide funds years prompted school officials to Walsh. "I am sit encouraged to voters embraced the bond by a said Tuesday night. "With the Chillemi is one of VA ath- lor a program of improvements develop recommendations fur have the community behind our better than 2 to 1 margin. The results from each district coming letes on the competition team school officials believe are needed improvements to the high school. completing this project, which is vote tally for all Scotch Plains in, we felt all the hard work pay- sponsored by Martial Arts at Westfield High School. After working out the costs of the (Continued on page A-ll> and Fan wood districts came in (Continueil on page A-ll) America, based on East Second Street in Scutch Plains near the Plainfield border. Samantha (iryzyucz. Rondeep Dutta, John Router SPACE cases and Zack Skolnick aL«> won gold medals in their divi- sions. Residents unite to keep on eye The competition team is under the direction of Jeff Serdinsky, a fifth-degree on development in Scotch Plains black belt, By THOMAS SCOTT electorate. In total, the team was THK t'HIvSK "Our goal is to show electe4 awarded 26 medals in Morris officials concern about what Cup championship. SCOTCH PLAINS gets built," he added. "We want For more information on Feeling the pressure of what the (standard) of redevelop- the event or Martial Arts they consider relentless devel- ment established for downtown America, visit opment -—particularly along Scotch Plains to be consistent www.serdinsky.com on the the Route 22 corridor — con- ... with the level of develop- World Wide Web or call (908) cerned residents of Glenside ment in the. neighborhoods." 322-0440. Avenue and SPACE'S surrounding scrutiny of pro- Bagger's new bill eyes neighborhoods "Our goal is to show posed revision have formed elected officials concern of the government efficiency the Scotch Township's 1' I a i n s about what gets built. We The Assembly Regulatory Master Plan A ., .•; ocia t to n want the (standard) of ami variance Oversight Committee has (' uncerning redevelopment estab- issues target approved a bill sponsored by Environment. potentiul nega- Assemblyman Richard Bagger SPACE held lished for downtown tive impact on (R-22nd Dist.) that would inaugural Scotch Plains to be con- residential establish a Joint Commission meetings Dec. 2 sistent ... with the level of properties — on Governmental Performance and Saturday. from property Review and Evaluation. The group, development in the neigh- v A 1 u e s , The bill, A-2703, was sent to uccorcUng to borhoods." increased and the full Assembly after passing THOMAS SCOTT/RECORD-PRESS members, changing traf- 5-0 in committee Dec. 7, Instructor Dan Zugale leads a rehearsal of the Seventh Grade Band at the Edison Intermediate School in hope*? to bring — Henry Johnsen fic patterns, according to a press release Westfield. The popularity of music programs In the Westfield School District has soared In recent years, and a new commit - Scotch Plains safety, noise issued that day. shows no sign of slowing. n i t y - w i d «> Association nnd Hunting — Under the measure, the awareness to surrounding' or commission would conduct issues afT'ecling Concerning adjacent to studies and issue reports on the quality of Environment Glenside and the effectiveness of state agen- life in Scotch Route 22, as Strike up the bands weli as in nnd cies and programs in operating Plains and the efficiency; meeting goals and preservnt ion of residents' prop- around Ih< Watch ung objectives; nnd accomplishing erty values. Reservation. legislative intent. It also would Westfield students hit high notes as music programs soar The group is concerned Among tht> issues SPACE members hope to bring into review the functional areas of By THOMAS SCOTT Edison Intermediate School. "For "We stress a well-rounded about general development in state government according to approach from the beginning," Scotch Plains and its neighbor- sharper fucim are citizens'con THK UKCOKS I'KKKS some kids, it's a little easier to cerns over tht* impact of com- a seven-year schedule, the get started fast than it iu to play said King. "Even the percussion hoods, and the community- release said, wide impact of current issues mercial development on resi- WESTFIELD — In the town's the clarinet or the trumpet. We players, who learn primarily dential areas, identifying who "The goal of the commission schools, the halls are alive with have 46 alto sax players at playing on a pad, must, be able to involving commercial expan- will be to review, evaluate and sion and development, accord- has the authority to govern and the sounds of music. Edison." read the music." regulate commercial develop- report to the public on the per- With the start of a band pro- There are presently two inter- ing to SPACE founders Karen and Henry .Johnsen. ment, identifying who is formance of existing govern- gram for fourth- and fifth- mediate-level bands, but that is responsible for township- mental agencies and pro- graders in 1994, there were 728 "Strong progress with slated to increase to three, and "The pressure of developers has put, the zoning and enforcement- of rules and deci- grams," Bagger said in the kids that could play an instru- good teachers and kids two wind ensembles. The growing sions and evaluating the com- release. "As a result of the com- ment in the Westfield School programs will soon require Planning boards in a hard .spot," said Mr. Johnnen, a con- parative costs in taxpayer mission's proposed duties, the District Six years later, that that want to play music another instrument teacher, dollars to maintain the government will become more sulting engineer. "They're in a number — under the pilot band are fundamental to the according to King. township infrastructure, based open to the public and will program — has nearly doubled, 'There are also three elemen- difficult position between com- allow state residents the success and popularity of plying with developers and rep- upon the review of a rammer- to 1,368 students, and with 90 tary bands, plus a north side and (Continued on page A-ll) opportunity to witness and percent of all fourth- nnd fifth- music with the elemen- south side band and string quar- resenting tin; will of the town examine the ways in which graders in the district today play- tary- and intermediate- (Coiitinued on page A-ll) state agencies are managed." ing an instrument, the phenome- Bagger's district includes na appears set to spread for some level kids." Westfield, Scotch Plains and time to come. — Linda King Fan wood. What makes the district's Bagger said the nine-mem- music programs such an over- Supervisor of ber commission would be com- whelming success is no secret, fine arts for prised of equal numbers of according to school officials. Westfield schools bipartisan senators and "Strung progress with good assemblymen with the legisla- teachers and kids that want to tive budget and finance officer play music are fundamental to The violin i.s still the top as an ex officio member. The the success and popularity of choice in the string section. The office of Legislative Services music with the elementary- and string section dips into a younger would provide professional intermediate-level kids," said talent pool, with kids at the staff, employees and resources Linda King, Westfield's .supervi- third-grade level learning under to the joint commission, the sor of fine arts nnd a former band former teacher Ted Schlossberg. release stated. director. "Having a band program Hut it is the winds section that "It is my hope that the com- that is open to everyone set many has the most appeal to young mission will help to streamline of these kids on their way. The kids, according to Shapiro. "Every governmental agencies, reduce realization of accomplishment year, there is a Music Shop, a live the amount of duplicate work and growing self-esteem kept (l«'iiH). at the elementary level for and in general yield a more them motivated and striving as the third grade," he said.