Westfield Police March to Protest Prolonged Contract Negotiations by LAUREN S
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Hiroshima, August 6, 1945 - 130,000 killed, injured or missing. 90 percent of city was leveled. Nagasaki, August 9, 1945 - 75,000 killed or wounded. Over 1/3 of city was leveled. (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, August 8, 2002 Published Every Thursday Since 1890 OUR 112th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 48-112 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] FIFTY CENTS Westfield Police March To Protest Prolonged Contract Negotiations By LAUREN S. PASS force were joined by police from Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Springfield, Garwood, Mountainside, The streets of Downtown Westfield Linden, Winfield Park, Scotch Plains, bustled with the usual Tuesday North Plainfield, Berkeley Heights, evening dinner goers, and jazz mu- Kenilworth, Clark, Union County sic; as members of the Westfield Corrections, the Union County Swat Policemen’s Benevolent Association Team; as well as members of the (PBA) marched through town with Westfield Fire Department. signs around their necks, asking for Since it is against the law for any public support and salary benefits. police department to strike, the PBA The PBA was making a peaceful held their peaceful demonstration. demonstration due to the non-reso- The parade of more than 70 people lution of their contract. Their con- departed Police Headquarters and tract expired on December 31, 2001, proceeded up East Broad Street and and negotiations are set to go into circled the center of Westfield before arbitration on Friday, September 13. returning to the Municipal Building Members of the Westfield police in order to attend the Public Session Lauren S. Pass for The Westfield Leader PARADE OF DEMONSTRATORS…Members of the Westfield Police Department wore posters calling for fairer of the Town Coun- contract wages and carried American flags throughout the downtown on Tuesday evening. Pictured, above, the peaceful cil. The march was demonstrators cross from the Westfield Train Station to process down Elm Street. led by Lieutenant Peter Klebauer of the Westfield Fire De- partment, who WF Parking Director Resigns; played patriotic songs on the bag- pipes. According to past Lauren S. Pass for The Westfield Leader PBA President Scott STANDING UP FOR Council Agrees to Settlement DAD…Daughters and sons champi- Rodger, who has oned their parents’ call for fairer been handling the By LAUREN S. PASS numbers used in the letter. into closed session to discuss poten- Policemen’s Benevolent Association Specially Written for The Westfield Leader contract negotiations Mayor Gregory McDermott said tial litigation. contracts during the demonstration, Prior to the public portion of the for the PBA, the holding signs saying, “My Daddy’s the percentages remain the same and Mayor McDermott presented Me- march was held in My Hero,” “Health Insurance Cuts public Town Council meeting Tues- the bills are correct. morial Pool lifeguard Allison day, Town Administrator James order to bring their Unfair!” and “My Dad’s Worth It.” Mr. Gildea also announced that he Milkosky with a proclamation for “plight” to the atten- Gildea told governing body mem- received the resignation of Parking recently saving the life of a young ing towns’ averages range from 2.02 bers he had received a letter from tion of the citizens of to 3.4 officers per 1,000 citizens. Director Barry Sommers on Friday. boy who had a seizure and had Westfield. Westfield School Superintendent Dr. Mr. Sommers has given two weeks stopped breathing at the pool. Westfield has the fifth largest popu- William Foley regarding a letter en- The officers lation in Union County, with the notice for personal reasons. Miss Milkosky received a stand- handed out flyers in closed in residents’ tax bills. The public portion of the Town ing ovation from the crowd in the second lowest crime rate at 12.8 per- He said that Dr. Foley was disput- town reading, “We cent. Council meeting was delayed for a council chambers. take care of your ing the average assessed home value short time while the council went Robert Casino, a Madison Avenue Officer Rodger also stated that the families now please police department handled 3,500 resident, spoke to the council regard- take care of ours.” ing road repairs needed on his street. motor vehicle stops in 2000, and According to Of- doubled that number at the request of He said that with the shared leaf ficer Rodger, there collection service between Scotch the Town Council in 2001, incurring Graffiti Is Appearing Lauren S. Pass for The Westfield Leader are 1.91 policemen almost no cost increase. Plains and Westfield, there is in- for every thousand creased traffic on the street. He said CALL FOR SUPPORT…Hoisting an American flag, He also said that since all 9-1-1 Westfield Police Officer Gary G. Moore joined fellow people in Westfield, calls come into the police depart- the town should bear some of the cost officers and their families in the peaceful demonstration. where as neighbor- In Downtown Area, and not the Madison Avenue rede- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 velopment and improvement group. He also said he is concerned that the houses being developed on Madi- RR Station Underpass son Avenue are getting to be too big Police Attend Council Meeting; By JENNIFER PINTO for the size of the street. A Leader reporter went through Town Engineer Kenneth Marsh Specially Written for The Westfield Leader the adjacent alleyway and found Residents, commuters and visi- said a temporary road improvement this to be true. had been performed on Madison Conference Session Rehashed tors have noticed that graffiti is Of particular concern and no- beginning to make an appearance Avenue five to six years ago and that ticeable to commuters is the ap- he would support Madison Avenue By LAUREN S. PASS tion and performance.” after negotiations is just the begin- in Downtown Westfield and in the pearance of graffiti on the ce- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Bates Way resident Anthony ning, then a relationship has to be train station underpass. for inclusion on the list of 2003 road ramic artwork in the Westfield projects to be considered. The public portion of the Town Coun- Attanasio stated that a “lack of lead- established and maintained. He asked Paul Babik, an accountant whose Train Station underpass. In the cil meeting began with The Pledge of ership” has been shown. He pointed the council to negotiate “in good office is located above Sam Goody Walnut Street resident John incipient stage of graffiti, three of Tingley questioned the progress of Allegiance as usual, but there was an out Third Ward Democratic Coun- faith,” as, “one body.” on Quimby Street, told The the eighteen mural tiles are marked unusual fervor in the air. As more than cilmen Kevin Walsh and Fourth Ward John Dugan, a Westfield resident, Westfield Leader that someone the proposed cultural arts center at up. the Westfield Board of Education 70 people, a large portion of which was Democratic Councilman Lawrence former Westfield Police Officer and apparently climbs on the roofs of Stacey Farley, of Westfield, de- a representation of the Westfield Po- Goldman, charging them with hav- lifetime PBA member commended the Brick Oven and Jos. Banks building. signed, produced and installed the Mayor McDermott stated that he lice Department, overwhelmingly re- ing “clandestine meetings” with po- the council for the job that they do, Clothiers, presumably at night. tiles in 1998 as part of the $6 sounded The Pledge in the Council lice officers during the negotiations. and that disagreements make things They have sprayed graffiti on has not heard anything recently and million Westfield train station that the council is not going to be chambers. Mayor Gregory McDermott He added that people are currently get settled. He said that the contract the side of his building at the sec- project. Ms. Farley was selected told The Westfield Leader that listen- asking for corporate accountability, is not just for the police officers, but ond floor level, from front to back. financially involved. by NJ Transit and by Westfield Resident Sal Antonelli questioned ing to the crowd recite the pledge was, as well as accountability in the sen- also for their families. The graffiti is visible from Quimby community representatives after “so overwhelming.” ate, and that the grassroots level is, He spoke of the wonderful reputa- Street. Mr. Babik related that why Sycamore Field, behind a competition among 16 artists. Westfield Fire House Two, has been Mayor McDermott began the open “no place for partisan politics.” tion that the police department has taken out of commission. He said discussion with a statement that the Mr. Attanasio also said that Coun- within the community and the state, that the field was redone using county mediation for the PBA contract has cilmen Goldman and Walsh should, and that he would pay anything for funds. been set, and that the members of the “consider resigning their positions.” them to be there when he needs them. Mayor McDermott responded that council would like to see things come Michael Patrick, a 22-year Westfield Mr. Dugan said that he tells his son both Sycamore and Sid Fay fields to a conclusion. He added that be- resident said that the town, “pride that, “we live in the safest town in the have been taken out of commission cause they are still in negotiation the ourselves on being the best”. Adding United States, and I believe that.” because they are in bad shape, but members of the council would not be that the taxpayers spend “65 percent” Resident and Chair of the Westfield that the fields are being worked on. able to answer any questions regard- of their tax money on the children, Republican Party, Jon Bramnick Mr.