Council Acts to Repeal Salary Hike New Twp. Manager Named
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Wedding planner Back to the future Get lucky, even if Careful planning is tfie key Township officials concluded the to a perfect wedding day Bicentennial celebration Saturday you 're not Irish!! by burying a 99-year time capsule PLAY GREATER MEDIA'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY CONTEST f Page 17 Page 3 Look in todays Classified Section for the contest rules SentineServing South Brunswick l FEBRUARY 25,1999 VOLUME 6. NUMBER 18 Council acts to repeal salary hike Petition to overturn law submitted Mon. BY CHARLES W. KIM j_ Hessen dissenting. Staff Writer Public hearings on the two ordinances are scheduled for he South Brunswick March 16. Township Council voted Under the previous committee T Tuesday to repeal its con- form of government, committee troversial salary increases. members received $5,000 per It also introduced a second year, and the mayor $6,500. ordinance returning salaries to The council also decided to the 1998 level. send the total compensation The repeal ordinance, passed package for governing body by a 4-0 vote, came one day after members, which includes health a petition containing more than benefits, to a citizen task force 1,600 signatures was submitted for study. to the township clerk calling for a Mayor Debra Johnson said public vote on the issue. that she would reluctantly sup- Councilman Edmund Luciano port the repeal, but felt that pass- was absent from the meeting. ing the increase at a point later in The controversial ordinance the year would have been decep- called for a $2,000, or 40 per- tive. cent, increase in the pay for "I have no interest in repeal- members of the council and a ing this ordinance whatsoever. $3,000, or 47 percent, increase in We should see it through the pay for the mayor. process," Johnson said. The ordinance was introduced She said that it had been Members of the Tzu Chi organization offer "blessings from at the Jan. 1 organization meeting "pointed out to her rather force- heaven" during a Chinese New Year celebration at the South Brunswick Senior Center Friday. and adopted on Feb. 2, in both fully" that the cost of a $22,000 Augusto F. Menezes/Greater Media instances by a 4-1 vote, with lone to $28,000 special election would GOP Councilman Ted Van Continued on page 23 New twp. manager named Council hires Medford resident at $90,000 per year BY_CHARLES W. KIM He has a bachelor's degree in He is scheduled to start work Staff Writer political science from Central March 29. State University in Edmond, According to Busch, Watkins Okla. will be provided with a vehicle to nr Councilman Edmund Luciano commute from his home in he township has a new was absent from the meeting and Medford. JL manager. Councilman Ted Van Hessen left "He will use the car to com- Concluding a lengthy search, prior to the vote on the resolution. mute and for township business. shortly before midnight Tuesday, The resolution was one of the He will reimburse the township the South Brunswick Township last action items at Tuesday's for any personal use," Busch said. Council voted 3-0 to hire marathon meeting, which ended Busch also said that Watkins Matthew Watkins of Medford in around midnight and included a will continue to live in Medford Burlington County. work session and a regular meet- and does not have to relocate to Watkins, 43, has been city ing. South Brunswick. administrator for Burlington for 4 Watkins will be paid $90,000 The residency requirement Petition committee members Sylvia Lee and Vincent DeLucia 1/2 years. Prior to that, he served hand Township Clerk Kathleen Thorpe a 1,600-signature peti- per year as the new manager, will be revisited in three years, as the administrator for Barnegat tion Monday to repeal an ordinance increasing Township according to Township Attorney . according to the township's tran- Council salaries. Augusto F. Menezes/Greater Media Township in Ocean County. Bertram Busch. Continuedon page 13 2 SENTINEL FEBRUARY 25, 1999 bs ' * * *1 The New Jersey Association of Realtors' Million Dollar Club Membership is oui industry's way of saluting real estate achievement. Having 16 winners undei one roof (one a 7-time Gold Recipient, a 3-time Silver Recipient, 12 Bronze Awards and 2 Lifetime Member Awards) is an extraordinary accomplishment' Voted One of You have proven that knowledgeable, experienced real estate professionals aic (he lk-sl what the public wants. You have proven again and again that. .. in I«W8 no News Iiihunv Afce 4>e Gloria Zastko The Realtor You've Trusted for over 27 years 1998 MJAR GOLB AWARB SILVER AWARD DISTINGUISHED LIFETIME MEMBEE AWARDS Andrew Zastko John Calandruccio (Cal) Joyce Ann Staples Andrew Zaslko BMONZE AWARDS Sheila Anderson Linda Battistelh Ginger Boyle Sonya Panson Kevin Shamy Kathy Snell Joyce Ann Staples Barb.ua Yospm Ifow.nd \tispin We look forward to serving you again and again!! Put your property on our "Best Seller List!" Call "Your Realtor of Choice" Now! 732*297*0600 http //wwwiii)erseycomAUVGlonaZastko/ MLS 1582 Rt. 130 North • North Brunswick; NJ f.tirldk si t soul* M t> Mi SENTINEL, FEBRUARY 25, 1999 3 tniix! Rt. 1 fatality Is still being Investigated Township man, 22, struck by two vehicles early Monday BY CHARLES W. KIM Staff Writer SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Police are continuing to investigate a pedestrian traf- iic accident which took the life of a town- ship man early Monday Jason Lange, 22, ol Monmouth Junc- tion, was killed instantly after being struck by two cars about 1:30 a.m on FOR POSTERITY — South Brunswick Township Clerk and Bicentennial southbound Route 1, police said. Committee Chairwoman Kathleen Thorpe (I-r) joins council members Ted Van Lange was a lifelong township resi- B-I-N-G-O Hessen, Deputy Mayor Frank Gambatese, Mayor Debra Johnson, Carol Barrett dent. Funeral seiviccs are scheduled tor Page 4 and Edmund Luciano in burying a Bicentennial time capsule in the municipal complex Saturday. See story, page 6. today. Augusta F. Menezes/Greater Media Sgt. Maik Hiestand said Tuesday that witnesses arc still being interviewed. "We are not ruling out any possibili- ties at this time," he said. Witnesses reported seeing Lange lying • Classifieds Page 30 Fire budgets, pension in the roadway neai the New Road inter- section early Monday morning, Hiestand • Editorials Page 10 said. And one witness driving noithbound • Entertainment .. .Page 14 on Route 1 told police he thought he saw plans pass with ease Lange lay down in the roadway just • Letters Page 10 before the accident. • Marketplace . .Page 28 Luck, who won the other open seat hands Police don't know why Lange was on BY CHARLES W. KIM the loadway, Hiestand said. Staff Writer down with 70 votes, wasn't sure whethei a • Milestones Page 23 run-off election will have to be held or Lange was stuck first by a vehicle dri- • Obituaries Page 16 SOUTH BRUNSWICK — While voters exactly how the outcome will be decided. ven by township resident Frank Hillinski, 49, and then by a vehicle driven by • Police Beat Page 24 overwhelmingly approved budgets and pen- Luck said this was the first time this has sion plans for all three tire districts in happened Edmund Brown, 20, of Glen Rock, • Sports Page 26 Saturday's elections, one of the Kingston Fire district elections were held according to police. Board of Fire Commissioneis seats statewide from 2 to 9 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene remained undecided Tuesday because of a District 1 at 2:54 a.m., according to Hiestand tie vote. Residents in Fue Distnct No. 1 in No charges were filed. Walter Dowes, a write-in candidate, and Kendall Park approved the $522,001 budget Police are awaiting autopsy and tox- Phone numbers: incumbent Charles Hoens HI each received 85-13 and the Length of Service Award icology leports on Lange to see if alcohol or drugs may have been involved in the Editorial 254-7000 Ext. 8226 21 votes in a three-way race for a thtee-year Program (LOSAP), 94-6. commissioner seat. Incumbent tire commissioners Jack tragedy. FAX 254-0486 Hiestand and Patrolman William Kingston Fire Commissioner Norman Continued on next page Displqy Advertising 972-6740 Grischuck are handling the investigation. FAX 972-6746 Classified 1-8Q0-660-4ADS School budget to be introduced Monday Classified FAX 432-0016 BY CHARLES VYUCIM Oct. 15 by the state. Delivery problems? Staff Writer The board authorized Scott to negotiate a The windfall stems primarily from the Call circulation at 254-1755 contract not to exceed $5,000 with Suburban state's switch from projected to actual before noon on Friday. SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A prelimi- Associates of Ridgewood for the survey. enrollment changes. In South Brunswick's nary school budget for the 1999-2000 school Board members hope the survey of town- case, the change is plus 7.3 percent. year is scheduled to be introduced at ship residents will provide insight about why The additional money may be used to Monday's Board of Education meeting. the referendum failed in December and help offset an increase in taxes, but Barcelo said The board is switching its March 8 meet- it to find ways to win voter approval in no decision has been made yet on the addi- ing to Monday in order to meet a March 4 October. tional funds. Sentinel deadline to submit the spending plan to the According to Barcelo, a public hearing "This is a one-time opportunity to county superintendent of schools. on the new school budget will be held some- address things m the district we have put Budget committee Chairwoman Gail time around March 20, after which the board off" and the money may be used to finance Managing Editor Marilyn Duff Barcelo said at Monday's board workshop will vote to adopt.