WF Residents to Receive Sewer Bills to Offset RVSA Costs WF BOE
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Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, March 1, 2012 OUR 122nd YEAR – ISSUE NO. 09-2012 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS WF Residents to Receive Sewer Bills to Offset RVSA Costs By LAUREN S. BARR Tuesday, March 13, meeting. “only wanted to charge what we needed Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Finance Committee Chairman Sam to fill the budget gap,” rather than cre- WESTFIELD – The Westfield Town Della Fera told the council during their ating a utility to cover the full $3.6- Council took the first step Tuesday conference session that the fees are an million bill from the RVSA. night in setting up a new fee for sewer amount that, “the committee believes According to Mr. Gildea, the RVSA usage in order to offset a budget gap of is reasonable.” He pointed out that the was using its surplus to help offset costs approximately $1.5 million. town’s bill from the Rahway Valley to the towns it services, but has now run The council unanimously passed an Sewerage Authority (RVSA) is up 7.6 out of money to do so. Additionally, the ordinance on first reading which will percent over the previous year and is RVSA is carrying a large debt service allow the town to bill single- and multi- the single biggest line item increase in related to court-mandated improve- family housing units $170 for the year; the budget. ments and a new co-generation facility. condominium and townhouses $135 Town Administrator Jim Gildea told Westfield is joining the neighboring per unit; commercial and industrial The Westfield Leader that “no tax ex- towns of Clark, Springfield and Scotch uses $315 and each apartment unit empt properties are being billed” and Plains, all of which bill residents for $100. Bills will be sent out on or around that this ordinance is for 2012 only. He sewer use. Tuesday, May 15, and payments are said that bills to residents are to cover “a At the start of the public meeting, due Sunday, July 1. A public hearing on portion of the utility that is normally Mayor Andy Skibitsky told the public the ordinance will take place at the supported in total” and that the town that an armed robbery at Turning Point that was recently reported “did not occur” and that an employee has been charged with filing a false report and theft in connection with the incident. He also told residents that they should make sure that all of the doors and windows on their homes are secure, and encouraged residents to be alert to suspicious activities following recent home robberies. Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader The public comment portion of the REDEDICATION CEREMONY…The community gathered on Sunday at the rededication of the Cranford Rescue Squad. meeting once again centered around The building that housed the squad was destroyed during Hurricane Irene. the Central Avenue pedestrian crossing signal. Cambridge Road resident Lisa WF BOE Presents Tech Report, Decicco said “what has been going on here is totally ridiculous,” referring to behavior on the part of both audience members and members of the govern- Discusses Reading Requirements ing body. She said that the council may By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL room.” He added that work was also administrators that utilized technol- have created a safer crossing, but has Specially Written for The Westfield Leader done looking at trends in other dis- ogy very effectively, but that the re- Betsey Burgdorf for The Westfield Leader made the intersection of Central Av- WESTFIELD – Members of the tricts and looking at the possibilities cent years of budget cuts have pre- HOUSEWIFE IN THE FARMHOUSE…Former “The Real Housewives of New enue and Clover Street worse. Westfield Board of Education (BOE) of how to help update how Westfield vented updating of equipment and Jersey” star, Dina Manzo, was in Westfield on Monday filming a segment of her “I think that you missed the opportu- and audience members heard and saw integrates technology. other technical resources. HGTV series “Dina’s Party” at the Farmhouse Store on East Broad Street. Pictured nity,” resident Sharon Stockwell told a technology presentation given Tues- When asked how Westfield rates in During the presentation Mr. Aauker with Ms. Manzo are Farmhouse Store co-owners, Ed Menapace, left, and Bill Curtis. the council regarding its resolution to day evening by Assistant Superinten- bringing technology to students, Su- noted that from March 2012 until not move the light to the corner at the dent Paul Pineiro and Chief Technol- perintendent of Schools Margaret July 1, 2012 work will be done to county’s expense. ogy Officer Brian Aauker. The pre- Dolan, who is also part of the district make the district wireless and he Cemetery Financially Peter Serpico said he uses the light sentation was introduced by Board wide technology ad-hoc committee, would give students and teachers alike regularly and “this is an improvement member Mitchell Slater who is the stated “our schools have pockets of the opportunity to use their own tech- Responsible for Security to this neighborhood.” He acknowl- chairperson for the Technology Ad- technology.” She elaborated that there nology devices at school. He said the edged that some cars do run the red hoc committee on the BOE. were some programs, teachers and CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 By BETSEY BURGDORF Because of the level of Ms. Houston’s light, but said that happens at all lights. In his opening statements, Mr. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader celebrity, and the magnitude of interest Tony DelDuca criticized the latest Slater noted that the committee “has WESTFIELD — The media atten- in her final resting place, the Westfield report on the light from the engineering looked closely at how our district was MS BOE Presents Budget tion has faded surrounding the sudden Police Department required the assis- firm Pennoni Associates, commis- currently integrating today’s technol- death and the unexpected interment of tance of several other local depart- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 ogy into everyday life in the class- singer Whitney Houston at Fairview ments to keep the area surrounding Details; Seeks Public Support Cemetery in Westfield, but police pres- Fairview safe for motorists and resi- By DOMINIC A. LAGANO tion this evening than I thought we ence is still noticeable at the cemetery dents. Costs of Family Court Specially Written for The Westfield Leader were going to be three weeks ago,” he gate. “With the cooperation of the Union MOUNTAINSIDE – The said. Questions have arisen as to who is County Police Department, the Union Mountainside Board of Education The proposed budget expenditures responsible for payment of the round- County Emergency Response Team, Building Up to $45 Million (BOE) provided more specific figures for the 2012-2013 school year are esti- the-clock police presence, needed to and the Cranford Police Department, By PAUL J. PEYTON hard costs.” in its second budget proposal for the mated at $14,950,056, with the re- keep curious fans out of the private we were able to minimize the impact of Specially Written for The Westfield Leader County Counsel Robert Barry ex- 2012-2013 school year this past Tues- quired tax levy in the amount of cemetery. the burial service to our community,” COUNTY – The Union County plained that the issue on the family day evening. $13,937,971 for the borough. Westfield Police Chief John Parizeau Chief Parizeau said. “I would also like Board of Chosen Freeholders last court dates back nine years, when the Acting Business Administrator The residents of Mountainside will told The Westfield Leader that although to thank the residents in that area with Thursday introduced two ordinances state first informed the county of fire- Daniel Saragnese and Nancy Lubarsky, not vote to approve or reject the pro- he cannot “comment or release infor- being patient and understanding, as and passed a resolution regarding code and safety issues in the court- chief school administrator, presented posed budget this year as a result of a mation on the security procedures in well as those who have been visiting construction of a $45-million, 78,000- house tower. the proposed budget to the public. new state law enacted on January 17 place,” Westfield taxpayers are not re- loved ones at the property.” square-foot family court building “We have investigated a number of According to Mr. Saragnese, the stating that public approval is not re- sponsible. “The compensation for the Westfield Town Administrator Jim being built at 10 Cherry Street in alternatives,” Mr. Barry said, noting district’s financial position has signifi- quired if the proposed budget does not police officers is being provided by a Gildea concurred, telling The Leader Elizabeth. The new building will in- that the state gave the county two cantly improved from recent years. “As exceed a state-mandated 2-percent in- private entity,” Chief Parizeau said. that Westfield residents will not bear clude a 150-space parking deck. initial options, one for an exterior fate would have it, things fell in our crease cap over the previous year’s Despite police presence, several au- the cost in any way of the 24/7 security Freeholder Dan Sullivan said the staircase on the tower or to build an favor and we’re in a much better posi- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 dacious fans have attempted to “crash” and that the safety of the community is $45-million cost includes $36 mil- interior stairwell into the tower. the gate, claiming they are visiting not being compromised.