— Serving the Town Since 1890 — TheTheThe WestfieldWestfieldWestfield LLLeadereadereader TheTheUSPS 680020 WestfieldWestfield LLPublished eadereader OUR 108th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 09-98 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. Thursday, February 26, 1998 Every Thursday 232-4407 FIFTY CENTS HOMEOWNERS OPPOSE PLAN TO INCREASE DENSITY OF HOUSING IN NEIGHBORHOOD Residents Blast Developer’s Request for Town to Vacate Portion of Grandview Ave. for Proposed Development By MARK J. YABLONSKY of the Town Council’s Building and would be a detriment. Pisansky ruled on November 8, 1991 isfied most of its 105-unit mandate by would mean the developer could con- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Town Property Committee on Febru- “For what I know of it, I definitely that the four separate lots in question, the “rehabilitation of 89 low- and struct 12 homes now, with either two Citing concerns over potential traf- ary 18 in the Town Council Chambers. oppose further density,” stated two of which are owned by Westfield moderate-income housing units reha- or three going toward the Mt. Laurel fic woes, as well as a danger to chil- The residents, whose homes are Thelma Jones of Myrtle Avenue. “I and all of which are wooded, must bilitated since 1980 toward its indig- agreement, Mr. Brandt added. dren, countless residents of Myrtle close to an area in the town’s south- don’t like the whole idea of it, but if I affect a Mt. Laurel plan of some kind. enous need obligation.” If Mr. Kervick were to acquire the and Windsor Avenues continued to eastern sector that has already been have to live with it, I don’t want the Mt. Laurel, the object of a some- But the judge also said the town two lots the town owns in the area, blast a possible vacation of the town’s targeted to satisfy the community’s extra density.” what controversial court ruling in 1978 needed to rezone a couple of parcels then the developer could add an extra right-of-way of part of Grandview Mt. Laurel obligations, say they un- The area involved is both a town- and again in 1983, mandates that each of land in the Grandview Avenue area 10 or so units. And the 34 units he Avenue in order to accommodate derstand that housing of some kind is and privately-owned property that is municipality statewide must provide in order to accommodate Mt. Laurel reportedly wants, which would have added development there in the fu- inevitable on the site. adjacent to Grandview Avenue, a “fair share” of low- to moderate- housing, “and we did that,” Town to come under zoning of 12 units per ture. But they maintain higher density, or Myrtle Avenue and Grove Street. income housing. Attorney Charles H. Brandt said. acre, would have to include that DMV In all, some 65 residents in the af- the creation of additional lots not in- After a lengthy lawsuit of about In his decision, Judge Pisansky And the judge also asked Westfield tract. fected area were present at a meeting cluded in the Mt. Laurel decision, five years, Superior Court Judge John noted that Westfield had already sat- to construct extra senior citizen hous- “We never even anticipated get- ing, “and we did that next to the prior ting any property from DMV,” claimed senior citizen housing” on Boynton James B Flynn, the Westfield-based BUDGET, TAX INCREASES AT LOWEST LEVELS IN 10 YEARS Avenue, Mr. Brandt said. attorney for the developer. “I don’t “We funded all of our RCA (Re- know anything about that.” gional Contribution Agreement) a long The developer “appears to be con- time ago,” Mr. Brandt added. frontational,” stated William Bowers School Budget of $52.02 Million Presented; The developer, David Kervick, is of Windsor Avenue. “Already, I don’t said to want to construct 34 units, like him. I am against the density. Even using land the town owns, and also a the thought of closing off Grandview parcel of land currently owned by the Avenue is preposterous. We seem to Overall Spending Up 2.33 Percent Over 1997 state Division of Motor Vehicles only get together on crises. This is a (DMV), which currently is home to a crisis.” By RUSSELL R. WATKINS der 7 cents per $100,” said Mr. Hertell. field High School and Edison Interme- The T and E level represents the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader state-run automobile inspection sta- If the town were ever to vacate The remaining 12 percent of needed diate School; $71,500 to install new state’s definition of what a given tion close to the Garwood border on Grandview, attorney Herb Kessler The Westfield Board of Education revenue will come from state and fed- fire alarms in Tamaques Elementary school district needs to execute a revealed its tentative 1998-1999 school South Avenue. theorized, each half of the street af- eral aid, as well as other miscellaneous School, and $209,000 to modernize “thorough and efficient” delivery of The judge, Mr. Brandt explained, fected would revert to the property budget of $52,016,848 Tuesday night, sources of income. stage lighting equipment and install a the state’s Core Curriculum Content representing a 2.33 percent increase also realized that the land was owned owner on each side, meaning each “Instruction,” which includes new sound system in the auditorium Standards. It is based on an average by the DMV; the magistrate specified owner could then build on his or her over last year’s spending plan of teacher salaries, athletics, supplies, of Roosevelt Intermediate School. of the 30 neediest districts in the state. $50,527,495. that if the land ever became available, half. and summer school, remains the single Although two questions will not be CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 then it would have to include more Mt. Mr. Kessler, a trial lawyer with an The new budget sends more dollars largest portion of the budget, repre- into the classroom, and despite a pro- Laurel units. office on Central Avenue, is married to senting 52.7 percent of the total. To date, the town has rezoned the a co-owner of the Westfield Indoor jected 2 percent enrollment increase, “Administrative Support” includes decreases the per pupil cost for the DMV site to accommodate Mt. Laurel Tennis Club, and his daughter, Marcy transportation and utilities, and ac- standards, but since the land is still Borr, is the club’s manager and tennis third consecutive year, board mem- counts for 25.2 percent, while “In- bers confirmed. state owned, the issue remains moot, professional. structional Support,” including librar- the town attorney agreed. Citing case law (Lima & Sons vs. The per pupil cost for 1998-1999 will ies, school administration and speech be $8,154, compared to $8,242 in 1997- That is also the case with the Will- Borough of Ramsey, Appellate Divi- and media classes, represents 16.2 iams Nursery on Springfield Avenue, sion, 1994), Mr. Kessler contended 1998, and $8,600 in 1996-1997. percent of the total budget. Finance Committee Chairman Keith which also has been rezoned under that a property owner has the right to Smaller expenditures include “Debt Mt. Laurel guidelines, but it, too, would both ingress and egress “upon streets S. Hertell noted that, “budget increases Service” at 1.2 percent, “Capital Out- and tax increases are at the lowest apply only if that property were sold. on which his property fronts.” lays,” 3.5 percent, and “Special Rev- When asked if the DMV, which is If Grandview were ever vacated, the levels in 10 years despite the popula- enue,” 1.2 percent. tion growth.” headquartered in Trenton, ever in- lawyer continued, the tennis club’s The new budget also provides for dicated a willingness to sell its land, ingress and egress would be greatly According to Lorre Korecky, a dis- three additional elementary level trict spokeswoman, the district-wide Mr. Brandt replied, “Not officially, affected and would likely constitute a teachers, one resource center teacher, but from a political view we are aware “constructive taking” of his family’s enrollment, at 4,878 as of October 15, and two elementary support positions. is up 128 students over last year. that DMV is trying to change its business property. One basic skills teacher position will mode of operation, to consolidate “It would kill our business,” con- He also noted that overall transpor- be eliminated. tation and administrative costs per so they don’t have as many inspec- tended Mr. Kessler, who added that The 1998-1999 budget maintains the tion stations.” his family would be entitled to proper student were down, while technology board’s commitment to expanding David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader expenditures and standardized test STATE OF THE FINANCE ADDRESS…Board of Education member Keith S. With the two lots Mr. Kervick now compensation in the event of a street technology in the classroom, officials owns, he has some 69,000 square feet vacation. scores were up. said. Hertell, standing, discusses the financial state of Westfield’s public school Of the total revenue needed to sup- system during the school board’s Monday night meeting. Listening intently are on which to build units, Mr. Brandt “And I’m not a mean-spirited guy. According to Superintendent of said. At the current eight-unit-per- But we will have to fight if you really port the tentative budget, $45,793,665, Schools Dr. William J. Foley, $546,137 Dr. Robert C. Rader, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Board Secre- acre formula under Mt. Laurel, that CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 or 88 percent, will come from local will go to adding, “95 computers to the tary, right, and Jean Poquette, Assistant Business Manager.