Westfield Serving the Town Since 1890 Leader
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The Westfield Serving the Town Since 1890 Leader USPS 680020 Published OUR 108th YEAR ISSUE NO. 51-98 Periodical Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. Thursday, December 17, 1998 Every Thursday 232-4407 FIFTY CENTS Westfield Community Says Yes To $11.7 Million School Bond By Vote of 2800-1033 By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN 3,751, or 19 percent, participated in nated in what it maintains is a con- the polls. munity. She called the vote a wide at the enrollment crunch in the el- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader the election, not including absentee tinued commitment to excellence. When The Westfield Leader first margin. ementary schools, which he felt would On Tuesday, the Westfield Board ballots. The successful referendum will contacted Mrs. Walsh on election She also expressed her apprecia- cripple the academic growth of stu- of Education received resounding Fifty-nine absentee voters decided allow the board to fund everything evening, she stated that some polls tion to all of the volunteers who were dents district-wide. acceptance from Westfield citizens to cast a yes vote, while 23 absentee from window replacements to com- had registered votes of 2 to 1, 3 to 1 involved in the organization of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 in all 25 districts of an $11.7 million voters chose to reject the bond. puter cabling to new classrooms to or 5 to 1. bond report and the support at the school bond for improvements to Since the referendum was officially combat the reported enrollment cri- After the votes were in, Mrs. Walsh polls. schools throughout the district. approved for formal vote by the board sis. stated that she was thrilled that the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. With a vote of 2800 to 1033, resi- on October 8 and thus presented to At the October 8 meeting, school community has come out and set William J. Foley, had previously dents gave their support to the bond, Westfield voters, there has been a board President Darielle Walsh had priorities for the children in the com- stated that the board took a hard look which will fund construction of new mixture of moderate debate and over- asked members of the community to classrooms, technological infrastruc- whelming support regarding the ne- become as informed as possible about ture work, and capital improvements. cessity and importance of the bond. the issues included in the referen- Out of approximately 19,489 reg- But the boards long and winding dum. She also asked citizens to pro- istered voters in Westfield, a total of road in pursuit of the bond has culmi- vide as much support as possible at DEMS Charge Politics in GOP Delay in Picking Insurance Rep. By PAUL J. PEYTON We are going to pull all stops Frigerio appears to be willing to Specially Written for The Westfield Leader because we feel it is (the possible stop at nothing in order to get the Westfield Democrats and Republi- appointment of AGA) wildly inap- town business. (The release will be cans on the Town Council are once propriate, said Mayor Jardim. run in next weeks paper.) again at odds over the appointment The Mayor admitted that, unlike Anthony M. Laporta of North of the towns risk management con- last year, Democrats only have three Chestnut Street, a former council- sultant, the individual who repre- of the nine votes on the council. man, said Mr. Lefevre does not have sents the town in workers compen- Thus, Democrats cannot reappoint political ties to either party in William A. Burke for The Westfield Leader sation and town property casualty Bollinger without at least some Re- NAUGHTY OR NICE Little Westfield. Rebecca Lenox visits with Santa dur- claims. publican support. It (the rumored appointment of ing last Sundays Welcome Home to The Democrats are seeking to re- Fourth Ward Councilman Mr. Frigerio) is patronage; thats all Westfield festivities. MotoPhoto and appoint Louis E. Lefevre of Bollinger Lawrence A. Goldman, a Democrat, it is, he said. William A. Burke for The Westfield Leader Portrait Studio sponsored a free photo Fowler. Mr. Lefevre has held the indicated that he will make a motion Mr. Laporta, employed in the in- CHRISTMAS PIPES Members of the Watson Highlanders Pipe Band per- with Santa for a donation of two non- position for years, while his firm, for a vote on a resolution re-appoint- surance field, served on a special form traditional festive bagpipe music for downtown shoppers. They will perishable food items for The Food although changing names over the ing Bollinger this Tuesday if Finance perform again this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bank at Holy Trinity Church. years due to mergers, has represented Committee Chairman and Second the town for half a century. Ward Councilman James J. Gruba The Republicans attempt to delay does not. Mr. Goldman serves on that Westfield Library Celebrates10th Birthday the appointment of Mr. Lefevre last committee. year was defeated when former Re- Mr. Gruba, the veteran Republican publican Councilman Norman N. on the council, said Mr. Lefevres Greco abstained and First Ward current term could be extended five With Gala Councilwoman Gail S. Vernick was days until the council organizes in By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL The party honored all those who its current location at 550 East Broad The first cake, donated by Lias in absent. The end result was a 4-3 vote January. This, he indicated, would Specially Written for The Westfield Leader were instrumental in making the $3.5 Street. Westfield, was lit by former Mayor favoring Bollingers return. All four ensure that the town is adequately Many Friends of The Westfield million building possible 10 years According to Eva Wiley, Chair- Ronald Frigerio, who was in office Democrats on the 1997 council, in- represented in insurance claims filed Memorial Library gathered Saturday ago, including local groups and resi- woman of the Birthday Party Plan- when the town was in need of a new cluding Mayor Thomas C. Jardim, against the town in the interim. evening to celebrate the buildings dents who helped move more than ning Committee which organized the library. Also lighting the first cake supported the appointment. Republican Second Ward Coun- 10th birthday on the very day that 103,000 books from the librarys prior celebration, and an active member of was Alex Williams, another former Democrats say the battle is really cilman Matthew P. Albano simply it first opened its doors in 1988. location at the Municipal Building to the Friends of the Library, stated that Mayor and Councilman who sup- over a desire by Republicans to ap- wants to look at all the alternatives the Kolterjahn family was very ac- ported the library project. point Amalgamated General Agen- that are available out there for the tive in making the new building a The second cake, donated by Cline cies (AGA), a firm run by former towns insurance representative so reality. & Murphy of Westfield, was lit by Westfield Mayor Ronald Frigerio. the council can make a well thought Ms. Wiley explained that not only Mrs. Kolterjahn in honor of her late AGA once was the towns secondary out decision. did the late Paul Kolterjahn serve as husband, as well as her own work as insurance agent through a brokerage In a press release just issued by the the President of the Librarys Board a founding member of the Friends arrangement with Pearsall & Mayor to The Leader, Councilman of Trustees and donate a large sum of Committee that was started 26 years Frankenbach Inc., now Bollinger. Goldman is quoted to say that Mr. money to the new library, but he also ago. worked hard to help pass a referen- The third cake, which was donated dum to attain the present facility. by Kings of Garwood, was lit by John His wife, Lynn Kolterjahn, who is Malloy, who had served as the Town Board of Ed Reviews very active on the Friends commit- Administrator at the time the new tee, stated, I know he is very proud library was constructed, and Edward of this library and he would have A. Gottko, the current Town Admin- loved to be a part of this event to- istrator. Intermediate School night. Lighting the fourth cake donated According to Friends of the Li- by Bovellas Italian Pastry Shop in brary President Barbara McIntyre, Westfield and designed to resemble a Mathematics Program other key people who helped make big stack of books was Ray Stone. the new library possible were asked Mr. Stone was Westfields Mayor By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN problem-solving projects with equa- to help celebrate by lighting candles during the first two years of the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader tions, tables and graphs. on 10 different cakes, marking the librarys construction. During its Monday evening meet- From the Ground Up, another librarys success year by year. Also lighting this cake was David ing, the Westfield Board of Educa- seventh-grade module, involves mod- According to Ms. McIntyre, the Rock, who represented the Westfield tion examined a presentation by Fran eling, measuring and constructing Kimberly A. Broadwell for The Westfield Leader grand cakes which adorned the partys Board of Education when plans for Elson, Mathematics Coordinator for CELEBRATING A DECADE Barbara McIntyre, President of the Friends of model homes from scales, measure- the Westfield Memorial Library, left, lights a candle with Michele Picou as part dessert tables were donated by local the library were being made. It was kindergarten through grade 8, re- ments and geographical construc- of the librarys ten year anniversary. Mrs. Picou was President of the Friends bakeries and restaurants to mark the also mentioned by the Friends that garding the mathematics program at tions, according to Ms.