ft^il^'i^i'-v^-^ r-'': "••'••• •- '•-.' /.''•• .''.' . •• Cranford Chronicle II osfwho TraveUiWeW Serving Cranford, Garwood and Kenilworth Vol. 117, No. 10 Thursday, March 10, 2005 50 cents Mercury INSIDE taxes set ta rise by more than By GREG MARX ment. The proposed budget includes retiring teachers with younger staff at million, to a new total of $43.9 million. THE CHRONICIE funds to hire a new first grade teacher at the bottom of the salary schedule. That spending increase is roughly in' uiro>4cn>in>uuHiJiHBi/ii-u>nn HI Walnut Avenue School, a new fifth grade Instead, the increase is attributable to line with the hike seen for the current, Ktf US • UU23JUS VMf 5UIJ9I, HI* 5H5 CRANFORD — The Board of teacher at Livingston Avenue School, many of the same "fixed costs" that are school year, said Carfagno. But the prov KO US H: 23 Mb, IQUn, it j99 tat Idl Education on Monday introduced a 2005- another fifth grade teacher at Hillside driving Up school budgets around the posed tax increase is bigger because MOHTH/ 2006 budget that would raise school taxes Avenue School, a math teacher at state, he said. Cranford expects to spend other revenue sources such as federal BUY on the average home by slightly more FOR 23 MONTHS Cranford High School and another half about 10 percent more for its health and and state aid have not kept pace. i than $200. position for a social studies teacher at the other insurance premiums next year, As a result, the full $1.9 million Mercury ^ While the increase is relatively large high school. Carfagno said, and about 20 percent more spending increase will have to-be paid for by the district's recent standards — last In addition, the board plans to move for worker's compensation. Utility costs through local property taxes. JQrider the {MAPLECREST year, local residents approved a budget the nurse at Brookside.Place School from are also expected to increase by about 10 board's proposal; the total local tax levy: that called for a $166 increase,on a home a part-time to a full-time position. That percent./ . '; . would rise 5,3 percent to about $37.8 assessed at the average of about $178,000 change is part of a gradual district-wide And while the district is. working to million. .; '. '••. •'' •'." V: • ':• :"'••••. •; ';.'•;.;. •;• '.:• NEW DRIVER'S — the spending plan does not call for transition to full-time nurses; after keep more of its special-needs students in The proposed spending plan now goes ' major additions to Btaff or programs, said Brookside, two of the district's smallest Cranford, out-of-district tuition for chil- to the Union County superintendent of >. WORKSHOP Man on a mission Business Adminstrator Robert Carfagnd. schools will still have: part-time nurses, dren who heed more extensive treatment schools• for rev'tew, after Which the board "All we're really doing is the status quo — Carfagno said. continues to rise. The line item contain- will hold a public hearing on the budget Come Learn with the Pros Cynford's 160-pound junior, Pat we're maintaining and enhancing current But the new staff don't account for the ing those costs is projected to increase by at 7 p.m. March'22 at Lincoln School. at our Summit Location! Hogan, won the Region 3 champi- programs," he said. bulk of the spending increase — in fact, more than 16 percent, or $158,000. Local voters will ultimately decide on the, onship for the second straight year The board does hope to hire some new Carfagno said, two of the positions will be AH told, the budget calls for a spend- proposal at the April 19 school bparcl Saturday and will compete in the staff in response to increasing enroll- funded with the savings from replacing ing increase of 4.49 percent or nearly $1.9 election. • J : : : • V Saturday. March 5.2005 j state tournament this weekend. 3:QQpm-6:00 Dm Joining him there. will be teammate C.J. Ferrara at 171 pounds. See Sports, Page C'l: MONTH/ BUY wms • DUJIL rap. carrew. - us BIGS • 23 MONTHS MOON ROOF • m MM • W: «0 VM# SZJID99D, FOII: wm • ten lisa oft n mu. \m,im DM WTO• 6 en • two •ummimo • FWRSTHR/WIH/LCKS/MIRR/BRKS•'• TILT • REAR DEFROST • n/me • HOOF BACK csursE • muss ETO TotaJ Pirwiti gl S7,5t7. tii u utal Hntl 'hyamt ol praposed cell S: $2,000 yWltasCsA MOUTH/ iff: S34.1E0 • V1H# 5UJ0770I • STX# 5T49 - (CO BUSED ON; 23 months. lOKflB, $1,999 Down. Total Paymants d S4.577. and an total Final BUY By GREG MARX antennas. Local officials put the FVymodt ol StafflL (HCLUOES: SZOOO Ford CradU Bonus Cash. S2.000 RCLfBCO Customsr rjjsh,$500 Rebtmlrv RCL/RCO tawal Prooram FOR: 23M0NTHS THE CHRONICLE prospective rent payments at between $40,000 to $80,000 CRANFORD — The Township annually. '.••'.''' . • ^LINCOLN Committee has decided for the Though Sprint made the pro- time being to reject a proposal to posal, the entire process — irbm. have a 130-foot cell tower built construction of the tower to on the property of the municipal placement of antennas on the MAPLECREST Mercury ' building, forgoing up to $80,000 monopole — would have been annually because of concerns subject to competitive public bid- Maplecrest Lincoln Mercury Maplecrest Lincoln Mercury Students help about the project's logistics and ding. :. ; : aesthetics. In addition to Sprint, at least 2800 Springfield Avenue 68 River Road . The committee reached the one other .'/.-company had families In need split decision Monday night, fol- expressed interest in the site. Union, New Jersey 07088 Summit, New Jersey 07901 The children at the Helen K. Baldwin lowing a. presentation on theThere are currently wireless school in Cranford are young, but issue by the wireless phone com- phone antennas on Cleveland- that doesn't mean they can't do their pany Sprint. Mayor George Jorn Plaza in the downtown, with part to help local families. The kids and commissioners Dan another application pending 908-964-7700 recently helped raise funds for KEVIN PAPA/CORRESPONDENT Aschenbach and George before the Board of Adjustment FROM EASTBOUND SIDE TAKE EXIT 4BB Project Home, which provides emer- McDonough, - all Democrats, for that site. .-."• . ; FROM WESTBOUND SIDE TAKE EXIT SOB gency assistance to families facing a opposed the proposal. At Monday's discussion; towri- iArvniAr.maplecrestauto.com housing cn'sis: Seethe full picture in Stylish students (it Breorley Commissioners.—' : ^~—: ship engineer 'Prices Include all costs to be paid by > consumer sxcapt lor taxes, tegs, licensing, and registration, All rebates lo dealer. This ad Is a mm and must he presentsd al Urns pi sale.Thls advertisement supersedes all previous adverttsemants. Not responsible for typographical errors. Ail vehicles subject to prior sale. Ad expires 03/10/2005. Community Life, Page B-1. .'.... The Class of 2006 at Kenilworth's David Brearley High School hosted a fashion show fundraiser . Ann Darby and "I don't think they're Rick Marsden Friday night, with proceeds benefiting Project Graduation..The clothes and other services for the Scott Mease sup- expressed con- event were donated by area merchants. The student models for the event included, from left, Fran ported it, saying attractive, but I think cern about the Emma, Brian Klzelevich, Vanessa Muniz, Dana Braithwaite, Nicole Crincoli, M Perkins, Lindsay the town needed $40,000-80,000 is attrac-proposed loca- Possumato and Anthony McDonald. the revenue and tive." • tion of the tower. the tower might At eight feet in end up on private — Scott Mease diameter at the property anyway. — : ". '—/M. " / • base, Marsden Sprint had raised the issue said, the monopole might restrict A painful budget for borough with the township because of its handicapped access, to the buildr need for more reliable coverage ing and hinder plans to add an in the center of town, especially elevator. He preferred a site far-, Kenilworth officials vow to reduce proposed tax hike inside buildings. "The develop- ther from the building, though ment of using the phone inside Sprint officials said that site By GREG MARX cent, from $6.3 million to $7.5 gram. The borough received your home has caught a lot of might not win approval from the Department of Environmental CBummrm THE CHRONICLE million. That translates to an $210,000 in extraordinary aid people, including Sprint, by sur- increase of about 13 tax points, or last year, and is seeking the help prise," said Joe O'Neil, an attor- Protection because of its proximir KENILWORTH — The cents per $100 of assessed value again in 2005. Kenilworth also ney for the company. ty to the Rahway River. emmm Borough Council last week intro- '— slightly more than $225 on a got a $50,000 "homeland securi- Under the proposal, a 130-foot But the discussion about locav duced a municipal budget that home assessed at the borough ty" grant from the state in 2004, monopole tower would have been tion was made moot by the would raise taxes on the average average of about $167,000. and that money may be available erected at the site of the current majority's decision, which was Oratorio group homeowner by well over $200, That could come as quite a again this year. However, state 100-foot lattice tower on thebased on the appearance of the though local officials are shock, especially just one year property. Police department wire- tower. "It just looks horrible," adamant that that figure will be funding may be harder to come to sing Messiah' after the borough was able to by this year. In his recent budget less communications equipment, Jorn said after viewing render- reduced by either state aid or hold the tax rate flat on the currently on the lattice tower, ings of the proposed monopole; "I Trent Johnson and the Oratorio spending cuts.