Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus USPS 680020 Published Every Thursday OUR 111th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 26-111 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. Thursday, March 8, 2001 Since 1890 (908) 232-4407 FIFTY CENTS Westfield Y Pulling Out As First Night Organizer By MICHELLE H. LEPOIDEVIN the five years, was an absolute reaf- ship, schools and printing facilities, AND PAUL J. PEYTON Specially Written for The Westfield Leader firmation that First Night Westfield and countless hours offered by vol- was worth every bit of the effort that unteers. Temple Emanu-El has also After five successful years, was put into it,” stated Ms. Black, in been the site for First Night Westfielders may have to find a new a detailed letter released last Friday Westfield’s major fundraising event, venue to ring in the new year follow- by the Y. Taste of Westfield. ing a decision this week by the “We always tried to raise approxi- “We would spend $45-$50,000 on Westfield Y that it will no longer be mately $80,000,” Ms. Black told The entertainment,” she said, “other organizing First Night Westfield. Westfield Leader. money would be spent on paper prod- Organizers said the decision to no Fundraising efforts, Ms. Black ucts. We’ve been very frugal with longer run the event was based on an explained, involve numerous enti- what we spend,” said Ms. Black. inability to attract a sufficient number ties such as Westfield houses of wor- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 of volunteers to man the multi-fac- eted event and not any lack of interest on the part of the Westfield commu- nity. First Night averaged 3,000 to Mr. Burrell, Ms. Halperin 5,000 attendees each year, most of whom were Westfield residents. “Unfortunately, the original group Among Those Leaving of volunteers who initiated this event has dwindled and new volunteers have not stepped forward to replace Positions at Town Hall them. Fundraising has become more difficult. At this time, we feel that the By DEBORAH MADISON Mr. Burrell has been Westfield event has run its course,” said Julia Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Recreation Director since 1993,a C. Black, who coordinated First Night Major personnel changes are in position that currently pays $55,000. Westfield for the Y along with Arlene store for the Westfield Recreation Prior to that, he was Assistant Direc- Bertrand and Barbara Karp. Department this month. Recreation tor since 1990. “The emotional and financial sup- Director Glenn S. Burrell will be Mr. Burrell said that he is moving port of The Westfield Foundation, leaving to become Recreation Direc- on “for personal and professional right from the start and throughout tor in Branchburg. reasons.” One of the main consider- ations involved the three hours of commuting he did between his home in Doylestown, Pa. and Westfield. Dems Question Legality He also will receive a $5,000 bump up in pay. In the 10 years Mr. Burrell has On How Labor Lawyer served in the department he has seen many changes. In particular, he said that he will miss the staff and dedi- Appointment Was OK’d cated volunteers who he has had the opportunity to work with over the By PAUL J. PEYTON issue to light over the minutes to the years. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader January meeting, which were on the Branchburg, he said, has an estab- One of the three Democrats on the governing body’s agenda for approval lished department with a lot of growth Westfield Town Council, Carl A. Tuesday night. in population and a very aggressive Salisbury, along with the former The former Mayor has charged open-space program. mayor, Thomas C. Jardim, have ques- that the appointment of the Labor “It will be a new challenge for tioned the legality of the reappoint- Counsel, which is done by the Mayor me,” Mr. Burrell commented. ment of the town’s labor attorney at with the consent of the Town Coun- The town has contracted the ser- this past January’s re-organization cil, was essentially illegal since the vices of Jersey Professional Man- David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader meeting. appointment was actually done by a agement of Cranford to hire an in- DONE!...STILL NOT DONE!...WHY?...The Hetfield bridge in Scotch Plains, top, has been totally completed for some council member and not by Mayor time. The Crossway Place bridge in Westfield, bottom, has been completed but the condition of the road is embarrassing. Frederick Danser, 3rd, has served terim recreation director until a full- Oddly, construction on the Hetfield bridge began several months after the construction of the Crossway Place bridge. The in the post for over 15 years, includ- Gregory S. McDermott. time replacement is hired. They have plaque shown between the two bridges reads, “Original bridge built by Central Railroad of New Jersey in 1887, ing the previous four years under Mr. A resolution appointing Mr. Danser recommended Laura Botto, who re- Replacement Bridge built by NJ Transit in 1999.” Jardim. The Democrats brought the was put forth by Second Ward Coun- cently retired as Director of the cilman Matthew P. Albano, Finance Scotch Plains Department of Parks Committee Chairman. and Recreation. Mr. Jardim said that according to Mr. Burrell’s last day with the Westfield Board of Ed. Grapples With Budget, the Westfield Town Code, the ap- Recreation Department will be Fri- pointment can only be made by the day, March 16, which also happens Mayor or the Acting Mayor, in this to be the day that Allison Halperin, Tentative Calendar During Regular Meeting case Third Ward Councilman Neil F. the Program Coordinator for the Rec- Sullivan. Thus, he reasoned, Coun- reation Department is also leaving. By MELISSA BETKOWSKI “I have a real problem with aca- vanced Learning Program (ALP) cilman Albano had no authority to Ms. Halperin, who was the first Specially Written for The Westfield Leader 2001-2002 Tentative Calendar demic programs being in the sec- from the base budget to the sec- make the appointment. candidate to fill the newly created On Tuesday night, the Westfield ond question with no cuts in (the September February ond question in place of the el- He stated that he believes Mayor position of Program Coordinator in Board of Education held its regu- athletic budget),” Curriculum Com- Days of Instruction: 15 Days of Instruction: 18 ementary school foreign lan- McDermott abstained on the resolu- November of last year, will become Days Omitted: 4 for Labor Days Omitted: 2 for tion vote due to a possible conflict larly scheduled meeting with the task mittee Chairwoman Annmarie Day, Rosh Hashanah and Presidents’ Weekend guage program. Ms. Rhodes did the new Recreation Supervisor for at hand being further discussion of Puleio said. Yom Kippur concede that this would not be a over the professional relationship the Scotch Plains Recreation De- the 2001-2002 school budget. Board President Darielle Walsh dollar for dollar trade as is re- between Mr. Danser and the Mayor’s partment. The projected 2001-2002 school October March father, Frank X. McDermott, a found- “I regret this move coming at such noted that it is not the board’s Days of Instruction: 22 Days of Instruction: 16 quired by the budget procedure. budget currently stands at position to micromanage the ath- Days Omitted: 1.5 for Days Omitted: 5.5 for Staff She then suggested putting the ing member of Apruzzese, a bad time,” Ms. Halperin said. Her $60,050,992. The spending plan Columbus Day and Parent In-service and Spring McDermott, Mastro & Murphy. Mr. letic department budget, but that if Conferences (Grades K-5) Vacation second grade portion of the for- new position in Scotch Plains will would be supported by a tax levy of board members feel strongly about eign language program in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 approximately $51 million, to be the need for cuts in the athletic November April second question, but leaving the voted on by residents in April. budget, Athletic Director Ed Days of Instruction: 18 Days of Instruction: 22 third, fourth and fifth grades in Days Omitted: 5.5 for Days Omitted: 0 Numerous concerns were raised Tranchina should be asked to bring Teacher Professional Days, the base budget. by board members over academic Thanksgiving Recess, proposed reductions to the board. Parent Conferences and Ms. Puleio noted that by cut- programs that are currently part of Board Member William Wallace Curriculum Planning ting the second grade program, the second question to be put to the reminded the board that it is charged the district would be losing a voters. December May with the task of deciding what items Days of Instruction: 15 Days of Instruction: 22 “critical year” for the students to belong in the base budget and which Days Omitted: 6 for Days Omitted: 1 for gain fluency in the program. of those belong on a second question. Holiday Break Memorial Day Ms. Puleio noted that research Mrs. Rogers Board Member Kimberly O. has shown that second graders Rhodes, also concerned about aca- January June are less inhibited and less aware demic programs in the second ques- Days of Instruction: 21 Days of Instruction: 15 of themselves than third graders. Drops Out tion raised the issue of keeping the Days Omitted: 2 for New Days Omitted: 0 Robert J. Roth, K-8 Foreign Year’s Day and Martin elementary school foreign language Luther King, Jr. Day Language Supervisor noted that in the base budget. the elementary foreign language Of BOE Race **Last Day for Students: Friday, June 21** Noting that there are a lot of **Graduation: Monday, June 24** program is not a stand-alone pro- value judgments to be made, Ms.