ttBB Serving Westfield, Scotch Plains andFanwood Friday, July 2, 2004 50 cents 1 No suspect yet in fatal Scotch Plains shooting "At this point the investigation is pro- wound, which first responders initially next day, June 23. THE RECORD-PRESS gressing, and we are interviewing several thought may have been caused by contact A nearby resident who requested potential witnesses and other people who with a passing vehicle. When the Scotch anonymity said at approximately 10:45 SCOTCH PLAINS — Police are investi- may have information," Mahoney said, Plains Rescue Squad and Muhlenberg p.m. she was startled by a loud sound that gating the shooting death of Plainfield Shortly before 11 p.m. June 22, police Hospital paramedic unit arrived on the she initially thought was a car backfiring. man on Rahway Road, the first such inci- received 911 calls from motorists traveling scene, they determined Pile had been shot "I heard the gunshots, and then I heard dent reported in the township in seven on Rahway Road who reported seeing a in the head. a car speeding away," the resident said. years. man lying in the street. Police responding The victim, who was in critical condi- Because she did not suspect the sounds According to Capt. Brian Mahoney, the to the scene found 26-year-old Taji Pile tion, was transported to University were caused gunfire, she didn't notify police department and the Union County critically wounded and began performing Hospital in Newark for emergency sur- police right away, but did subsequently prosecutor's office have yet to identify a first aid. gery. The efforts of first responders were suspect in the case. Pile had sustained a substantial head not successful; Pile died at 2:54 p.m. the (Continued on page A-2) Vote on Summer's bounty, turf field right in downtown die summertime maybe IVrfft sc/wo/ our for summer, Steven Pederson and the rest of the Scotch Dec. 14 Plains 9-year-old baseball team can turn their thoughts to more impor- aVMUDMIH0P> tant things, like baseball. See pho- THE RECORD-PRESS tos of the team's game against Cranford in Sports, Page C-1, WESTFIELD — The Board of Education took an incremental step toward a referendum on an artificial turf field at Kehler Stadium and other facilities improvements at a special meet- ing Tuesday night. The board established December 14 as the date for a public referendum on the proj- ect, which is expected to cost GEORGE PACCIELLO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER about $1.8 million. The project as With the calendar recently turning to summer, weekly currently envisioned includes farmers' markers are setting up shop in local down- construction of the turf field, towns, bringing fresh produce to residents. At the improvements for athletic facili- Village Greene in Scotch Plains last Saturday Andrea ties at Edison Intermediate DeSantls looked for the juiciest red tomatoes, while School, and critical repairs for other baskets overflowed with a variety of beans. In the high school track. Scuutparfc Westfield the weekly "Jersey Fresh" market was set to The board action does not lock got underway 2-7 p.m. July 1 at the South Avenue train in either a dollar amount for the 1$ completed station; this year, the market will feature Town and projects or mean a referendum The members of Girl Scout Troop Country spirits and Parker Greenhouses la addition to will necessarily take place at all; 264 at Westfields Jefferson School three New Jersey farmers. if the board decides to change or celebrated the completion of work abandon the plan this summer, it at a park on Central Avenue, See the can still do so. photo on Page 8-1. But a question must be sub- mitted to the county Board of Council debates referendum language Elections sometime in September, so the board must •yBmPMlHOP council members approve it by use redevelopment consisting of not ultimately at risk." establish the cost of the facilities THE RECORD-PRESS ordinance at their July and approximately 19 residential If voters approve the referen- upgrade by then. At Tuesday's August meetings, would read as units and approximately 3000 dum in November, the town plans meeting, Board Administrator WESTFIELD — The Town follows: square feet of retail space?" to finance the project by issuing Bob Bernian said he expected to Council has reached a prelimi- "Shall the Town of Westfield An earlier draft of the referen- general obligation bonds, not rev- pay for the project by issuing 10- nary agreement about the lan- issue approximately 10 million dum did not include the specific enue bonds. year bonds. guage of a non-binding referen- dollars of general obligation dollar amount, and according to A general obligation bond If voters approve the referen- dum over the town's proposed bonds to fund the construction of Councilman Sal Caruana, con- places the full faith and credit of dum, the average homeowner redevelopment project on the a parking structure on Municipal tained language that made the the town behind the project, would see a property tax north side. Parking Lots 1 & 8 between nature of the town's obligation which means taxpayers would be increase of about one tax point to Members of the council Prospect and Elm Streets which unclear. responsible for subsidizing the pay for the projects. Board mem- reached a compromise Tuesday would contain approximately 500 The wording of the referen- project if it is not self-supporting. bers are hoping they can keep over several points of contention total parking spaces and which dum was not consistent with By contrast, in the case a revenue the project's total cost to that tax in a draft of the referendum lan- bonds would be supported by rev- what a general obligation bond bond, only revenues from the spe- figure. guage presented by town offi- enue derived from parking fees is," Caruana said. "It created the cials. The referendum question, if and fees resulting from mixed impression that the taxpayer was (Continued on page A-2) (Continued on page A-2) Climbing the beanstalk With SID rejected, The Paper Moon Puppet Theatre returns to the area with an encore performance ol "Jack and the no easy alternatives Beanstalk" 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Westfield Methodist Church, located at 1 East Broad St. For more on the show, see Prime Time, Page 8-2. for the downtown By BRAD BISHOP Councilwoman Nancy Malool, THE RECORD-PRESS who spent the better part of two years researching the SID and SCOTCH PLAINS — In the other ways to revitalize down- wake of the Township Council's town, was less optimistic. Fireworks decision to not create a special "If I thought anything else improvement district (SID), offi- would work I would have pur- cials and community advocates sued it," she said. "I saw it as a at Nomahegan have been left looking for solu- last resort — I'm at a loss (about The area's biggest Independence tions or strategies to improve the what to do next)." Day celebration will be at central business district — and Malool was unswayed by the Nomahegan Park in Cranford, at the moment, there are no easy sentiments of some in the busi- where the fireworks display is answers in sight. ness community who seemed to scheduled to begin at 9:10 p.m. The council last week voted indicate they wanted the down- There will be vendors and events in against establishing the SID and town to remain the same. the park all afternoon beginning at 2 the downtown corporation that "The downtown is far from p.m. For more information, call would have managed it after fine," Malool said. (908) 709-7283. downtown property and business "Some people think the down- owners organized in opposition to town is a waste and a lot of peo- the idea. ple have given up on it," she said. Mayor Martin Marks reiterat- "Just because some individual ed this week that all five mem- stores are successful — that bers of the council were in favor doesn't necessarily make the of the concept, but aaid the coun- downtown as a whole a good Commentary A-4 cil could not create a SID without place to go." the support of the property own- "The downtown is what it is," Community Life B-1 ers the district is designed to agreed Steve Goldberg, president benefit. of the Business and Professional Sports C-1 "We still believe the SID is the Association. "It's definitely not GEORGE PACCIELLO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER right thing to do," Marks said. perfect; there's not a great mix of Prime Time..-. B-2 "Right now the ball is in (the businesses." business community's) court and Seth Grossman, an expert on It's all Greek to me Obituaries A-7 I urge them to get themselves organizing SIDs, was hired by A local tradition returned to town last weekend, as Westfield's Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox together, come up with ideas... the township to assist a steering Church hosted Its annual Greek festival. Residents flock to the festival every year for demonstra- Real Estate C-4 find something that has consen- committee convened to research tions of Greek culture and entertainment — but especially for the food. Above, Mark Guibas and sus," and present it to the council, Gus Xarhoulakos slice lamb to prepare gyros. Police Log A-5 he said. (Continued on page A-2) July 2,2004 Record Pr*ss A-2 No easy alternatives for downtown Council debates language (Continued from page A-l) Forming a SID was viewed by and property owners should get many as the first step to bringing involved in the Business and (Continued from page A-l) guage of the question.