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Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, March 19, 2015 OUR 125th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 12-2015 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS Westfield BOE Gives Okay To Lights at Kehler Stadium By SARAH McGRAIL middle of May so the turf field As local residents reiterated their Specially Written for The Westfield Leader could be used by Westfield High concerns about the impact that the WESTFIELD — Soccer and la- School and the town’s soccer and lights, and the generators needed to crosse teams will start training un- lacrosse teams after dark. run them, would have on their qual- der lights at Kehler Stadium on This was to help compensate for ity of life, WSA President Steve Monday evening after a pilot pro- what is a generally accepted short- Aronson promised the association gram was given the go-ahead Tues- fall of fields for the large number of would try to be considerate. day by the board of education. Westfield sports teams. He said, “If approved, we will But the board has warned that the Residents of homes near Kehler work diligently to be good stew- trial could be halted at any time if had suggested at a previous meet- ards of the field. We will instruct the sports teams are not good neigh- ing that the board might be contra- our players and coaches to conduct bors to the homes surrounding the vening land use ordinances relating themselves as good neighbors.” field. to the site if it went ahead with the Mr. Aronson went on to say that Westfield Soccer Association pilot program, but Board Counsel the WSA viewed the program as a (WSA) had asked the board for per- Richard Kaplow told attendees at “band aid solution” to the ongoing mission to use temporary lights Tuesday’s meeting that this was not lack of fields in Westfield. from the beginning of March to the the case. “It is not our intention for this to be the precursor to permanent light- ing, but would hope to see another turf field in Westfield where no one would be inconvenienced,” he said. And Scott Rodger, who spoke against the pilot program, sug- gested: “Maybe it is time for a grass- roots fundraiser to raise money for another turf field.” With the exception of Brendan Gallagher, who voted against the Photo courtesy of Bill Callahan, Westfield pilot program, the board voted that HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL...More snow is expected to coat the area on Friday, the first day of spring. the trial should go ahead. Elsewhere in the meeting, the board voted to approve a budget for Garwood Planning Bd. Postpones the 2015-2016 school year that sees members’ commitment to technol- ogy backed up by investment. The district’s technology expert, Vote on Townhouse Development Brian Auker, told the board that spending of $743,093 a year would By BRIAN TRUSDELL tion and several typographical errors Mr. Fraser said he expects a sched- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Brian Trusdell for The Westfield Leader be required to maintain the existing in the resolution. ule for legal briefs in the case to be FINANCIAL TEAM…Garwood municipal auditors Bill Swisher, left, and War- level of technology, with a further GARWOOD – The planning board Board Attorney Donald Fraser ex- filed by next week. ren Korecky, center, and Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Sandy Bruns answer investment of $803,645 in the 2015- has postponed a vote to memorialize plained at the March 11 meeting that The January 28 meeting drew a questions from the Borough Council March 12 regarding this year's proposed 2016 school year. its decision to grant final site plan while the application by Angela and capacity crowd at Borough Hall, with budget. The board voted unanimously to approval for a nine-townhouse de- Sandro Villaraut sought preliminary more than a dozen residents from approve a budget that included this velopment off Fourth Avenue. The and final site plan approval, several both Garwood and neighboring Garwood Teachers Protest spending. delay was a result of an unclear mo- changes to the blueprints were man- Cranford voicing opposition. dated by board members, such as But each of the six members who replacing the garbage area with a voted to approve the site plan — Delay on New Contract gazebo and shortening second-story Kathleen Villaggio, Michael Vena, County Looks to Cut Abuse Of terraces to remain within setback re- Gene Jannotti, Pat Quattrocchi, Craig By BRIAN TRUSDELL pleased with the significant progress quirements. McCarrick and Paul Tarantino — said Specially Written for the Westfield Leader made between the board and (teach- When the motion was put forth for they understood they were voting on GARWOOD – About 15 to 20 ers’ union) at the February 19 media- Sick Leave, Workers’ Comp. a vote at the board’s January 28 meet- the final plan and that the Villarauts teachers picketed outside the tion” session. ing, it was merely for “site plan ap- would not have to appear before the Garwood school board’s regular “We are encouraged and look for- proval” with no stipulation for pre- board again. monthly meeting Tuesday and dis- ward to completing and finalizing By PAUL J. PEYTON for sick days if they are not sick,” liminary or final approval. Since the resolution needed to be puted Board Attorney John Geppert’s the negotiations at the final media- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Mr. Paterson said. “So hopefully you Therefore when Mr. Fraser drafted modified to include both preliminary assessment of “significant progress” tion session scheduled for March 31,” COUNTY — The Union County are moving towards that direction.” the resolution, he stated it was for and final site plan approval, and also being made in negotiations toward a Ms. Bracaglia said in reading the last Freeholder board on Thursday In other business, the Freeholders preliminary approval. be corrected for errors such as indi- new contract. of the statement. adopted a new sick leave and work- passed a resolution ripping the “I wasn’t going to make that deci- cating in one place in the document The colorful display, with many But teachers’ union Co-President ers’ compensation policy to cut down Christie Administration’s proposed sion on a matter of such public inter- that the complex would have four teachers sporting red as they have at Tamara Benc, during the public com- on employee abuses that are driving $225-million settlement with est,” Mr. Fraser told the board. three-bedroom units and five two- board meetings for the past several ment portion of the meeting, coun- up overtime costs. ExxonMobil over environmental The project already is the subject bedroom units – and the reverse in months, came as the finance commit- tered by reading a three-and-a-half- During the agenda meeting that damages to sites including the of a lawsuit by four Garwood resi- another place — the board members tee submitted its preliminary budget, minute statement of her own. preceded the regular meeting, Bayway Refinery in Linden, which dents, including a sitting member of decided to wait until its Wednesday, which would raise taxes on the aver- “A second mediation date has been Norman Albert, director of adminis- Exxon used to own. The state had the planning board, Bruce Paterson, March 25 meeting to memorialize age home in Garwood about $217. set because, sadly, very little has trative services, said the new policy, been seeking $8.9 billion in dam- and Westfield Leader Publisher their decision. Teachers paced back and forth on changed since our initial meeting,” “would essentially give the county ages in the 11-year-old lawsuit. Horace Corbin and his brother, David Also at that meeting, the board will the sidewalk at Lincoln School be- Ms. Benc said in reference to the the authority to verify the use of sick Freeholder Chris Hudak called Corbin. The plaintiffs are disputing offer its suggestions and thoughts to fore the meeting with signs that read year-long talks. “It is difficult for us leave and workers comp.” the settlement a “slap in the face” to the board’s decision last year to grant the borough council regarding drafted “Settle Now” and then moved inside to remain positive when the progress He said after three consecutive the residents of Linden and the a variance that allowed the Villarauts amendments to the town’s ordinance for a relatively brief 45-minute regu- made over the last year is negligible; sick days there is a form to fill out county. “That $225 million repre- to proceed with the project despite regulating commercial signage, spe- lar monthly gathering. not significant, but negligible.” that calls for health representative sents 2 percent of an estimated $8.9- the area being zoned for three single- cifically portable – or sandwich board Attorney Deborah Bracaglia read Approached after the meeting, Mr. information and verification by billion settlement over damage done family homes. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 a brief statement from Mr. Geppert, Geppert said, “Our statement stands. county department heads. Mr. Albert over the course of a century, mostly who arrived at the meeting late. We’re optimistic we’ll resolve some- said his department will hold a train- in Union County as well as in She quoted Mr. Geppert as saying thing.” ing procedure for all county depart- Hudson County in Bayonne,” he the “board’s committee was very CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ment and division heads for the stated. implementation of the policy. He said the damage was done to “It’s (the new policy) designed in 1,500 acres of wetlands comprising essence to get a handle on overtime, three square miles of land.

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