The Westfield Leader

Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, October 7, 2010 OUR 120th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 40-2010 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS Town Council Reinstates Crossing Guard at Central and Sycamore By LAUREN S. BARR tember, residents in the area of Central Third Ward Councilman Mark Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and Clifton Street began attending coun- Ciarrocca thanked Councilwoman WESTFIELD – Following weeks cil meetings to voice their concern for Neylan for working on the issue so of complaints from residents, Coun- the safety of their children crossing at quickly. He added that, “no matter cilwoman JoAnn Neylan, the Public the traffic light without a guard. The how much data you have, [you] never Safety Committee chairwoman, an- town council chose to put a traffic- know until it’s on the ground,” citing nounced at Tuesday night’s Westfield safety officer there to cross the children a similar instance in which a traffic- Council meeting that the crossing and collect data at the intersection over calming device was installed on Sum- guard at Central and Sycamore Av- the past several weeks. mit Court and then removed. Coun- enues will be reinstated as of today. Councilwoman Neylan stated that cilman James Foerst said that the Nine crossing-guard positions were her committee “listened, responded in council works to make the right deci- eliminated at various locations around a timely manner, and stayed within sion, regardless of politics. Westfield at the start of the new school budget.” She said that the decision to Michelle Weinberg of Boynton year due to budget cuts. The cuts reinstate a guard at that intersection is Avenue thanked the council for re- were made following multiple meet- being made with “new data that’s been sponding to the residents’ concerns ings of the Public Safety Committee, gathered” by the officer who was there. and said, “thank you for putting our the police department and the She also said there were issues the crossing guard back.” BRAKES group. council did not realize “until after the In other business, Town Administra- After the school year began in Sep- children went back to school.” tor James Gildea announced that pav- ing would soon begin along North Av- enue/State Route 28. He said that the state would not provide police for traf- David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader fic control but that the contractor will PRETTY IN PINK...The Lady Blue Devils volleyball team, coached by Bev Torok, raised more than $12,000 in the annual have flag people on duty. The project “Play for Pink” volleyball game to raise awareness for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness to help will span from Westfield to Roselle. find a cure. See story on page 12. Mr. Gildea also announced that the town has seen a “surge of filming- permit requests.” On Wednesday, the Westfield BOE Highlights Cuts Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filmed on Prospect Street and at Vicki’s Diner, and another advertise- ment will film in the downtown on Made to 2010-2011 Budget Friday. By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL the Parent-Teacher Organizations been eliminated. She said the music, He said the town also has received Specially Written for The Westfield Leader (PTOs), Westfield volunteer associa- art and drama teacher has to run back a request from ABC to film “What WESTFIELD – The Westfield tions and individual community mem- and forth between schools, making Would You Do?” for two days this Board of Education made a presenta- bers. classes change from having two 30- month on Prospect Street. He said he tion to the public Tuesday evening She noted that the school board minute instruction periods per week “may have to reject” the request, as it entitled “Ramifications of the 2010- was able to negotiate a $1.2-million to one 45-minute class. is on the one-way portion of the street, 2011 Budget Reduction.” decrease in school employee health She said that librarian positions which may cause problems for busi- According to Margaret Dolan, su- insurance during recently concluded also have been cut, with one less Greg Ryan for The Westfield Leader nesses, shoppers and the fire depart- perintendent of schools, Westfield’s contract negotiations, and that money librarian in the high school, and giv- AN APPLE A DAY...The Westfield Historical Society holds its AppleFest ment. district budget is down, while student also was saved from energy conser- ing the intermediate schools one fundraiser last Saturday at its future home and archives location – the Reeve The council concluded its meeting enrollment is up. She also stated that vation. Additionally, she stated that shared librarian. In addition, she House on Mountain Avenue in Westfield. by going into closed session. The reductions in this school year’s bud- the administration has been paying stated that a Basic Skills teacher also private topics included a lease nego- get included cuts to personnel, opera- for its own professional development was cut. tiation with the Westfield Senior Citi- tions and supplies. and that, due to advances in technol- In her presentation, Superintendent Developer Seeks Out of Deal zens Housing Corporation and pend- In her presentation, Superintendent ogy, postage and printing costs also Dolan stated that managerial posi- ing litigation regarding Robert and Dolan noted that the budget was cut have gone down. tions – as well as secretarial, parapro- To Preserve Circa-1785 Home Adele Ball versus the Town of by $4.2 million, but that some help Superintendent Dolan also noted fessional and counselor positions – Westfield Board of Adjustment. has been given back to the schools by that the impact has been felt in the have been cut. She stated that, “there By LAUREN S. BARR Following his own findings, he con- classroom with technology for stu- are fewer managers than 20 years Specially Written for The Westfield Leader sulted with the town’s construction dents. She noted that classroom com- ago, when Westfield had fewer stu- WESTFIELD — The town’s plan- official and hired an engineering firm, Union County to Launch puters newer than 2006 are sparse, dents.” ning board began a hearing on Mon- CEC, Inc., to evaluate the house, and that PTOs have purchased most She also said “custodians have been day night on an application by de- which he testified confirmed his find- new models. cut, which is hard, because we have veloper Michael Mahoney to be re- ings that the house could not be saved. EMS Backup Service She also stated that students have old buildings. One school is 100 years lieved of conditions set forth in his Board member Robert Newell By PAUL J. PEYTON partially offset by billing transported had to supply some of their own ref- old, and many are 80 years old.” 2000 subdivision application to pre- questioned why Mr. Mahoney had Specially Written for The Westfield Leader patients at a rate of $550 per trip, al- erence materials, such as magazines She concluded that these cuts were serve a house on East Broad Street waited so long to move the house and ELIZABETH – The Union County though Mr. Scuturo said the insurance and periodicals. The superintendent made because the district was “forced that dates back to 1785. whether he had done anything to pre- Board of Chosen Freeholders, last week, reimbursement rate would likely aver- said that older classroom books had to.” Additionally, she said that her In February 2000, Mr. Mahoney serve the house in the interim. approved a one-year pilot program for age $300. Billing would be outsourced to be used, rather than purchasing presentation was not meant as a com- was granted a fully conforming three- Mr. Mahoney responded that he a county-wide mutual-aid Emergency to an independent billing contractor newer models in better condition. plaint, but just “statements of fact.” lot subdivision of the property on the had “seven good years” of construc- Medical Services (EMS) ambulance who would charge the county a fee of 6 She also stated that no new library Many board members stressed the corner of East Broad and Karen Ter- tion and that there were other corps aimed at filling in daytime gaps percent on revenue collected. books have been purchased other than importance of grant writing, and race. At the time, he agreed to move projects, but he did not rent the prop- faced by volunteer rescue squads. The County Manager George Devanney donations made from parents. board member Jane Clancy asked the existing structure – the childhood erty out or note any vandalism dur- program will be located in the county’s said oftentimes, 911 calls seeking an Superintendent Dolan also stated about perhaps rotating some school home of former Westfield Mayor Ri- ing those years. public safety facility in Westfield. ambulance get bumped to multiple that a student-activity fee for those library books with the public library chard Bagger, which has never re- Mr. Newell disagreed with Mr. Director of Emergency Management towns in an attempt to find an available wanting to play sports after school to give students more options within ceived historic designation – to one of Mahoney’s interpretation of his Chris Scuturo said the operation would ambulance. “Meanwhile, we are talk- has now been established. their schools. the three subdivided lots and to restore engineer’s report, stating that it, “does have one ambulance staffed with two ing about someone’s life here,” Mr. In terms of personnel reductions, Mrs. Clancy also stated, “these the home. According to reports in The not say the house can not be re- EMTs (emergency medical technician) Devanney said.

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