XtBB Serving Westfield, Scotch Plains and Fanwood Friday, September 10,2004 50 cents Council hears report on project's finances retail on municipal parking lots The plan proposes reserving THE RECORD-PRESS between Prospect and Elm 19 spaces for the new owners of Streets, Tracy proposed the town condominiums constructed in WESTFIELD — The town's reconfigure several public park- conjunction with the project, Parking management proposed redevelopment project ing facilities and raise parking adding 75 new permit spaces, at Prospect and Elm Streets fees. The fate of that project may adding 100 short-term parking would be self-supporting if cou- hinge on the results of a non- spaces, and maintaining the cur- efforts updated, as well pled with wide-ranging parking binding referendum on the ballot rent 148 long-term metered rate increases, a consultant told Nov. 2. spaces. WESTFIELD — Town Administrator Jim Gildea updated the the Town Council at its first pub- Combined with the municipal The combined parking man- Town Council on parking management statistics at a conference lic meeting in over a month. parking lot behind Barren's agement plan envisions the cre- meeting Tuesday night. Tim Tracy of Desman Drug Store, a parking deck ation of 89 additional commuter The council has recommended the town's parking depart- Associates presented a compre- would create a large downtown spaces (or 135 permits at the ment increase the rate of oversell at the South Avenue train sta- hensive parking management parking facility, according to the planned oversell rate), 94 new tion parking lot. In the lot, which has a capacity of 540 spaces, model, picking up on an outline report. all-day employee spaces (105 460 of which are devoted to commuter parking, the council presented by Mayor Greg Tracy said the town should permits at the oversell rate), and wants to sell 700 permit spaces to reach an oversell rate of 52 McDermott before the council's move the 89 employee permits 100 new metered spaces for percent. 669 permits have currently been sold for the parking summer break. currently assigned to the North downtown shoppers. The plan lot. In the presentation, which Avenue train station lot over to would increase downtown park- Gildea said two letters have been sent to the 660 residents on assumed the town will proceed the new parking facility, main- ing capacity by 17 percent, the waiting list for spaces at the train station lot. Of those that with construction of a 490-space taining the 85 employee spaces according to the report. parking lot, 19 condominium the newly constructed deck (Continued on page A-2) units, and 3,000 square feet of would replace. (Continued on page A-3) leaiy ttrambte Back to school, Ferguson, Brozak After a stellar 2003 season, quarter- back Dan LaForge and the Scotch for Ptaim-Fanwood Raiders open the new season at East Side Friday the first time take to the airwaves night. For that story and much ByBMD which candidates had to report more on the new fall season, see THE RECORD-PRESS on their fundraising activity, Sports, PageC-1. Ferguson had about $1 million Although the onset of Labor cash on hand compared to Day typically marks the begin- Brozak's $205,000. ning of the political campaign Though fundraising expecta- season, both U.S. Rep. Mike tions for Brozak have been high, Ferguson (R-7th District) and his Ferguson's campaign manager Democratic challenger Steve Amanda Woloshen pointed out Brozak have already been on the that Brozak has taken in only campaign trail for weeks. half the money Carden's cam- Brozak, a Westfield resident paign had generated by that who has characterized himself as point in 2002. Campaigns will be a "conservative Democrat," has required to report fundraising kept an especially high profile. totals again at the end of the He was featured on the front month. page of the Wall Street Journal; Regardless of where they cur- gave a speech at the Democratic rently stand financially, both National Convention; presented campaigns have devoted funds The first Wednesday after a public rebuttal speech during for television commercials on fWMilMMS Lstoor Dsy Is often overwhelm* the Republican National cable stations throughout the 7th ing enough if you're a student, Convention; and appeared on District, which includes portions Is Scstcs nates but for new Mnderfsftonsrs the CNN, UPN, and Fox. of Union, Somerset, Hunterdon, Gameiand, a new place to find high- experience can approach a Yet the question remains — and Middlesex countiea. end coffee and high-speed comput- whole new level. At WSBMSM • cam a Democrat.ieven with all the One Ferguson ad focuses on ers, opened recently on Park Jefferson Elementary School, national recognition lavished on his background as a teacher and Avenue. For more on Mitchell and Erica Cheung (right), who's not Brozak, truly compete in a dis- touts a voting record that Cheryl Bruntel's enterprise, see quite 5, got a pep talk from her trict that went for Bush in the "reduces class sizes* and PageA-3. mom Dana before heading Into 2000 presidential election? "strengthens accountability." Mrs. Ho's classroom. For Ferguson defeated Democrat Another ad backs Ferguson's Erica's classmate Brianna Tim Carden by 17 points in his dedication to the military and Museili, left, having an apple 2002 re-election campaign, and claims he "voted to give our nametag seemed to make the appears to hold an enormous troops the tools they need to win process a little easier. NICOLE DIMELLA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER financial advantage over Brozak. As of June 30, the last date at (Continued on page A-2) Deer control remains a top priority for SP Council ByOHEQMARX at Watchung Reservation, there is not a simi- spring and summer Marks said he "saw at long program to bring down the number of deer should allow the population to leave THE RECORD-PRESS lar program to manage the population that least one a day dead in the road." resides in and around the Ash Brook The animal's presence on local roadways local neighborhoods and return to the reser- SCOTCH PLAINS — Township officials Reservation, which is located almost entirely makes a serious human injury "only a matter vation. expect to meet sometime in the next few on the south side of Scotch Plains. of time," he said. A ground census confirmed that the num- weeks with county representatives to again But with the number of deer in that part Some residents have requested "deer ber of deer in the area is indeed in excess of press the case for a deer-management pro- of town increasing steadily, and with the ani- crossing" signs in their neighborhoods, but "at state guidelines for a healthy population, he gram on the south side of the municipality, mals becoming a more visible presence in this point, every roadway we have is a deer said. The next step in the process will be a Mayor Martin Marks said at a council meet- roads and backyards, even during daylight crossing area," Marks added. more sophisticated aerial census, which can- ing Tuesday. ' hours, Marks and the rest of the Township As the Ash Brook population has grown, not be undertaken until the leaves fall from The township has already received concep- Council believe a hunt is necessary. some of the animals appear to have taken up the trees. A good way to tual support from the county for the project, "It's said that it's come to this, but it's a residence in small, wooded areas in the sur- Assuming the aerial census confirms the but local officials are anxious to move ahead health hazard," Marks said. rounding neighborhoods, local officials said — population is too large, a hunt could happen this winter, Marks said. He said there is the end the summer with efforts to curb what Marks called "a He said he believes there were about 70 a process that has been helped along by the 1 The annual Labor Day Italian Festival health hazard." deer-related accidents on local roads in 20O2, fact that some residents offer the deer food. possibility of a "financial partnership * returned to St. Bartholomew's While the county has for some years had and while numbers for 2003 were not imme- Marks said he has been told by experts on between the county and municipality to pay Church over the weekend, providing an organized hunt to cull the deer population diately available, during the most recent the issue that a sustained, several-years- for the process. a last bit of summer fun before the fall sets in. See pictures from the event on Page B-1. §'s demise raises tough Services questions about downtown mark 9/11 Set screened for By BRAD BISHOP downtown." anniversary THE RECORD-PRESS "It was more upscale, and a little dif- ferent," said Steve Goldberg, president of Westfield and Scotch Plains hypertension SCOTCH PLAINS — A "grand open- the Business and Professional will each hold small services ing" banner adorned with festive trian- Association. "It was a place you could this Saturday to commemorate There will be a free hypertension gle-shaped red and yellow ribbon still have a cup of coffee after 4 p.m., and the the third anniversary of the screening (or Scotch Plains resi- dangled quietly in front of the Divine location was good...We all thought (the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. dents 10 a.m.-noon Monday in the Essence Cafe", even as owner Crystal cafe) would be a tremendous asset to The Scotch Plains ceremony Community Room of the Scotch Smith busied herself sweeping debris town." will begin at 8 a.m.