Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, May 24, 2018 OUR 128th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 21-2018 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Detective Dies Suddenly; Ice Rink Passes 6 to 3 By CHRISTINA M. HINKE tice due to the shortage of ice. by some members of the governing Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Residents said that while they did body, as well as some residents. Mayor WESTFIELD — A moment of si- not oppose the sport, they listed a Brindle said the idea of an ice hockey lence commenced the town council number of reasons why Gumbert Park rink had “been in the works for years.” meeting Tuesday in honor of Detec- was not the place to erect the ice rink. “The recreation commission had tive Eric Lieberman of the Westfield The governing body voted 6 to 3 to found it worthy of the council,” Mayor Police Department, who died sud- have Mayor Shelley Brindle negoti- Brindle said of Union Sports Arena’s denly Tuesday morning at his home ate a lease agreement with Ken Ander- proposal. in Roselle Park. Det. Lieberman son, the owner of Union Sports Arena, The agreement has yet to be nego- served on the force for 25 years. The to operate a temporary, full-size ice tiated. Mayor Brindle said she sees cause of his death was unknown at rink on the basketball courts of the return to the town as being the press time. Gumbert Park from November 1 to access to the ice for the community. During the business portion of the February 28 to provide ice time to While that access is not free, she meeting, youngsters who play on lo- local hockey teams for practice and likened it to the Westfield Memorial cal hockey teams lined the seating games, as well as for recreational Pool, where users pay a fee to access area to hear the council’s vote on the skating. and use the facility. outdoor ice hockey rink proposed for Mr. Anderson proposed the con- Mayor Brindle said the rink im- Gumbert Park. Supporters and those cept at a conference session April 10, proves services to residents and in- opposed who spoke were about equal and then was referred to the council’s creases community engagement. in number. Code Review and Town Property The first resident to oppose the Kids from the teams spoke about Committee to discuss more details of vote for placing the rink on Gumbert how they travel 20 to 30 minutes the plan. Field was Susan Levy of Salter Place. away to practice ice hockey, and that The speed at which the council She questioned why a commercial there is limited time available to prac- voted on the subject was questioned rink would be offered at the public park for free, and why the rink owner had not considered available com- mercial properties, citing a number of large spaces available to lease. Christina M. Hinke for The Westfield Leader HOCKEY FOR ALL...The Westfield Town Council chambers is full on Tuesday evening as hockey players and their families Ms. Levy remarked that the tent attended to put their support behind a temporary rink at Gumbert Park. covering the rink would be an “eye- sore,” saying at its peak it would be as high as a four-story structure. The lighting, long hours of opera- Westfield to Name Concession tion, noise, traffic, safety and limited parking were other concerns of resi- dents. Chris Forno, president and co- Stand After Thom Hornish founder of the Hockey Club, said Union Sports Arena had been “search- By SARAH MCGRAIL many tributes to him, including one two stoves and adding picnic tables. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Benjamin B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader ing for years for a commercial space.” from fellow coach Chris Tafelski, who Earlier in the meeting, the board FUTURE HOME FOR HOCKEY...Westfield is converting the basketball courts Resident Mike Morantz asked what WESTFIELD — The memory of a said, “Thom was a wonderful teacher, was told that the district was “very at Gumbert Park, located off North Avenue in Westfield, for a temporary ice kind of problems the hockey rink beloved high-school track coach is to mentor and friend to hundreds of concerned” about the increased use hockey rink. owner may be having that he can not be honored when the concession stand Westfield kids. He wasn’t just a be- of e-cigarettes among Westfield stu- find a commercial space to lease. at Kehler Stadium is named after him. loved coach. He was a cornerstone of dents. Union Sports Arena is looking to Thomas Hornish, who lost his battle Westfield High School for four de- The newly renamed Student Safety Twp. Committee OKs Cap. “expand his business, renting as much with cancer in 2015, taught at cades. We are all better people for Data System report, which covers the ice time as possible, for as high a Westfield High School for 41 years having known him.’’ period from September 1 to Decem- price as possible to as many hockey until his retirement in 2014 and was a The Friends of Westfield Track and ber 31, 2017, gave the number of Bond Ord., Police Contract teams as possible. The sports arena is track coach for most of that time. Field donated funds to improve the incidents that contravened the CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 At the time of his death, there were concession stand and asked that the district’s code of conduct and required By FRED T. ROSSI police department will upgrade its board of education name the stand a period of suspension from school. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader communications equipment. The after Coach Hornish. Superintendent of Schools Marga- CRANFORD — The township bond also will finance improvements Garwood Council Okays Representatives of the organiza- ret Dolan, Ed.D., said, “The majority committee on Tuesday unanimously to the basketball courts at Adams tion attended Tuesday’s board of edu- of those incidents had to do with passed a capital bond ordinance of Park and renovations of the play- cation meeting and Board President students having e-cigarettes or utiliz- nearly $4.6 million. grounds at Adams and Buchanan $416,000 Bond Ordinance Gretchan Ohlig said to them, “We ing e-cigarettes. We are very con- The bond will provide funding “for Parks. Additionally, Cranford Televi- thank you for the opportunity and the cerned about this. For many, many all our capital needs,” said Commis- sion will purchase new equipment By MICHAEL BONACCORSO The finance committee unani- suggestion that we name it after this years, high-school students would talk sioner Mary O’Connor at the using proceeds from the bond. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader mously agreed on allocating amazing man who obviously made about cigarettes and scrunch their committee’s regular meeting. Among In other business, the committee GARWOOD — Mayor Charles $75,000 of the $416,000 to pur- quite an impact on our track and field faces up and say how gross cigarettes the items and services that will be approved a resolution ratifying a con- Lombardo and the borough council chasing a “new and smaller” multi- program at the high school.” were. funded are the township’s road resur- tract between the municipality and approved a bond ordinance Tues- seasonal mason dump truck, Ms. Greg Kasko, who was once coached “Then, all of a sudden, e-cigarettes facing program for 2018, the desilting the Patrolmen and Detective Patrol- day night appropriating $416,000 Todisco said. The committee had by Mr. Hornish and is now president came and the marketing they have of the Rahway River, expansion of men bargaining unit, PBA Local 52, to allow for “various public im- considered two trucks, but one was of the Friends of Westfield Track and done to young people unfortunately the children’s room at the library and and the Cranford Police Superior provements.” The various public im- $165,000 and provided less overall Field, said, “Coach Hornish is, as you has been very effective across this new equipment for the public works Officers bargaining unit, PBA Local provements include the acquisition utility to the public works depart- already know, beloved by each and country. What we have learned from department, including a loader and 52. of “new additional” or “replace- ment, said Councilman and Streets every team he ever coached. I can say health educators is that these e-ciga- trailer, a pickup truck and a utility Deputy Mayor Ann Dooley was the ment” equipment including new and Roads Committee member Ri- with certainty that he’s looking down rettes are highly addictive very truck. lone committee member to vote automotive vehicles, including chard McCormack. tonight with a humble heart and a big quickly.” The fire department will receive against ratification, saying it was a original apparatus and equipment. Mr. McCormack said he agreed smile.” Superintendent Dolan said this was new turnout gear for its members as vote that “made me most uncomfort- The $416,000 sum will assist in with many aspects of the ordinance, Improvements to the stand included an issue that was being addressed in well as a new pumper truck. The CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 equipment down payments while but could not support the ordinance shelving, putting in a refrigerator and CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 necessary to receive county grants in its entirety. Mr. McCormack said which will subsidize the capital the $416,000 spending plan did not purchases.