T Fra N Kl in News-Record
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t Fra n kl in news-recorD Second class postage paid at Manville, N.J. 08835 $4.50 a ’,’ear 15 cents per copy Vol. 26, No. 29 T~vosections. 40 pages Phone: (201) 725-3300 Thursday, July 20, 1978 Cops suspended for , Messner resigns seat / fiir n gat fle ei ng car " Vacancy may force law test Franklin Township Councilman the densities Ihat exist, especially in A Franklin Township patrolman and LAST MONTI!two other township Richard Messner resigned his the highv,’ay development zone." he two special police officers received patrolmen. ,John Casale and Dan Township Council seat last Thursday continued. ?,Ir. Messneralso indicated limited suspensions from active duty l.ivak, received two-day suspensions completing his intention as announced he could support elimination of garden following a departmental in- for withdrawing their weapons from by the press last April¯ apartments as an approved use of vestigation of a June 27 incident when their holsters while attempting to Mr. Messner’s resignation was the highway development land. the three officers fired at a car fleeing apprehend.two juveniles riding mini- result of his recent move from his ¯ ’There is enoughleadership on the a partial roadblock on Blackwell’s bikes on May27. Heinrich Road residence to a new council to put the direction of future Mills Road near South Middlebush Chief Pfeiffer was vacationing in home in Montgomery Township. growthin the proper perspecti,:e." the Road. Germany~hen the incident occurred Presently pursuing a masters degree departing Republican said. Council’s Ptl. Charlie Biddle will be and Capt. James Brown conducted the in education at Rutgers University, he structure favored the Republicans 7-2 suspendedwithout pay for two days at departmental investigation. Upon his also indicated the increasing burdenof until his resignation. the convenienceof the department. return, the chief visited the his course work was a deciding factor. according to Police Chief Russell llawthorne Drive scene and deter- A seven-year veteran on council, ON POLITICSand what it meant to Pfeiffer. Thetv,’o special officers. mined that motorcyclists traveling at Mr. Messner’s decision to leave the him to be a council member. Mr. Murray Rothblatt and Harold Harris. 2.5 mph and emerging from the bike governing body has forced Franklin to Messner admitted he would miss the were removedfrom the active duty trail wouldhave been on top of the two pioneer the application of a new responsibility and ~he people he’s roster for a 30-dayperiod. Eachofficer officers before the)" could unbolster amendment to the .Municipal worked with. fired oneshot at the car whichescaped their weapons. Governing Body Vacancy Law. "’I’I1 miss some of the associations police after a 15-milechase that began The March change in the state and friends I:ve cultivated." he said. "In my opinion, they had their guns statute calls for a special election be "’Politics is liking people and trying in Hillsborough and endedin South out before the,,’ saw the motorcycles." Brunswick. held in Novemberto fill the council to help them the best way you can." he the chief explained. vacancy, According to Township continued. "I appreciated the op- Discussing the suspensions Chief tie explained weapons were em- Pfeiffer said the patrolmenwere out of Attorney Thomas Cafferty. council portunity of serving the people of ployed in both incidents "without maybe able to appoint someoneto fill Franklin Township for more than dangerwhen they fired their weapons. justification," indicating the only "The,," shouldn’thave fired whenthe Mr. Messner’s seat until the seven ’,’ears." permitted use of a firearm by a Novemberelection. The former councilman remained car was past them," he said. also patrolmanis to protect himself. citing the possibility of shooting a Mr. Messner’s term expires next noncommital about deciding to re- fellow police officer on the sceneand "I don’t ~ant a copto jeopardizehis July and whomever is elected will enter politics at the local level in standing out of the light as reason life,’" Chief Pfeiffer emphasized."A serve until June 30, If the November Montgomeryor on the county level as enoughfor not using a gun in that police officer has ever,,’ right to election victor choses to seek a full a freeholder. He indicated by making situation. protect himself." four-year council term. the incumbent a decision now. he wouldnot be able to would then be required to campaign leave his options open to chose to run for election in May. for office in the future. ¯ ’It appears we will have to hold an election in November and then Conflicting band figures ’F-I-R-E’ spells... another one for the same seat in May, whenthe township normally holds its ... a fire zonein front of the stores in the ShopRite plazaon plied his free-hand technique to designate the prohibited elections.’" explained Mr. Cafferty. EastonAvenue. Last Friday AngeloLembo of Bloomfield ap- parkingzone in the parkinglot. anger board members DURING.4. telephone interview and inside ... yesterday, the former councilman The band size crisis is over. fictitious lack of uniformsto reduce the discussed Franklin’s direction under arts ..................... 1-FF Franklin High School students wan- marching force. the current council¯ clover correspondence ....... IO-A ring to marchnext fall will be allowed According to Mr. Blaustein’s in- "I think Franklin Townshipis on a drum t~i bagle corps .......... O-A to participate to their heart’s content. ventory the high school had enough positive plane of growth," he said. Jersey playbill ............. I5-A The June auditions were all for uniforms to outfit a marching band of No more accMents: ¯ "Theindustrial situation is one of the obituaries ................. 3-A naught¯ 198 participants including a 44- positive aspects I see." police blotter ............... 2-A Last Thursday, the Franklin member band front. The board "The whole density problem has Shakespeare Festival ........ 12-.4. Township Board of Education, without reminded Mr. Arnold the total number really got to be reviewed," the former sports ........... q-A. lO-A. l l-A spending another nickel beyond the of musicians was supposed to be 198. Hodgin plans prevention via education mayor insisted, when asked about the town forum ................ 4-A $13,900 approved at its June 22 878 garden apartments proposed for meeting, found out it could provide IIOVeEVEtl, BYlast Thursday, the by Steve Goodman "formulat0:i to attempt to prevent would get without the cooperation of construction on Route 27 in Franklin sufficient uniforms and musical in- numbersgame ,.,.’as laid out straight Managing Editor repeat occurrences, people including top management." Park. struments to outfit a 198-member for lhe board members, who A safety committee, composed of See NO ACCIDENTS,page 5-A "’I support a downgradingof someof marching band unit. discovered Mr. Arnold’s band size was Remember the old prevention municipal" department supervisors. Twodifferent "official" inventories the correct figure. meets monthly to review the accident adages ? ( :i. of marching garb, two heated public "We’ll get to the bottom of this "An apple a day keeps the doctor reports. After classifying each mishap sessions with a vocal group of band Thursday." school board president away," "a stitch in time saves nine" as preventableor non-preventable,the ~( parents and a tough decision madefor Sondra Sulam had angrily insisted at and the one about the beneficial committee submits its recom- ))-!: apparently wrong reasons left many lhe July 10 meeting. aspects of "early to bed, early to mendation emphasizing the retraining .~;~ :i:: school board members in anger and "We got a ream of material this rise...’" of identifiable accident repeaters. ~ ,’:. ,, upset following the most recent big," she had charged, spreading her Well, Franklin Township’s Charles according to Mr. Hodgin. ’:,.,,:2: meeting. hands about a foot apart, "and it ttodgin is presently synthesizing "a "I can’t tell you howmanv accidents : :,%-=’. doesn’t jibe with what we got today." spoonful of sugar" to key township I prevent." he explained. ’:but l have INITIAl. UNIFORM inventory employees toward preventive seen the frequency drop since ¯ ’" The board acted in good faith on the ~ figures as reported to the board by information given us," she had con- medicine as a way to reduce ac- February." ~! " " band director Calvin Chase and music tinued, admitting, "we are only as cidents. To expand township employees’ department chairwoman Linda good as the information we receive." Hired through CETAfunding. Mr. safety awareness. Mr. Hodgin has Beyea, led the decision-making body Hodgin is the Franklin Township presented.Mr. Gerkenwith a proposal to believe they would be forced to The band parents had expressed to establish mini safety committeesin Safety Coordinator. His job, a staff ,")’G’.~ reduce the size of the marching unit their outrage at the board decision to position to Township Manager Harry each mumcipal department. To be from the 198 figure to 114. limil the band size to 114 at a June 29 ¯ tierken and Township Clerk Mary staffed by the departmentsupervisor On July 10 Leonard Arnold of Patton special meeting. Then on July 10, Duffy, is to appraise the and a couple of employeevolunteers. Drive provided board members with a Helen Brown of Drake Road has municipality’s safety needs by con- /he team would be responsible for different uniform inventory he ob- presented the board with petitions ducting physical surveys, in- initiating newworkers to the depart- tained that day from high school containing 160 signatures. vestigating accidents and collecting ment’s safety procedures and for principal M, Lee Blaustein and alleged and analyzing the township’s accident policing the work area. he indicated. lhe school board used an apparently See BOARDANGER. page 5-A history. i "I was hired to set up workable IN ADDITION. Mr. Hodgin is ~"~ safety programsin an effort to reduce writing a townshipsafety manualthat .~- accidents involving township em- he intendsto completethis fall.