We’ll Help Your Business The Westfield Leader www.goleader.com [email protected] (908) 232-4407 Get Back On Track Continue to the next page ==> Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, February 5, 2009 OUR 119th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 06-2009 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS Westfield Board of Ed. Votes 8-1 to Redistrict; Final Vote on Feb. 24 By CHRISTINA M. HINKE Ms. Dolan’s continuation of her pre- publicly, and they wanted to have ac- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader sentation from the last meeting – de- cess to her data; many thought she WESTFIELD — The Westfield livering a speech that concluded with should not redistrict altogether. Board of Education voted 8-1 for a standing ovation from parents in a Breaking up their children’s friend- redistricting the intermediate schools packed Edison Intermediate School ships and, in some cases, siblings by on first reading Tuesday night after auditorium. dividing a neighborhood within the hearing about four hours of com- “I plea to you to not do what is Washington School District is not an ments and questions from parents who presented as a Board of Ed done deal,” option for the parents who voiced were ardently against the plan pre- she said. “Put your children in their their opposition on Tuesday. Parents sented by Superintendent of Schools children’s shoes,” she asked of the said this is not a north side or south Margaret Dolan. board. “Roosevelt could accommo- side issue. Anne Riegel was the sole board date my graduating class of 851; One parent, Margery Brenna, said member to vote against the plan. The surely, we can figure out a way for a she has two children in the intermedi- board will meet again on Tuesday, class of 500,” she concluded. ate school, and one has said he would February 24, to vote on the second Overall, parents said they felt as if choose to go with his friends, leaving reading of the plan, which is the final the board had already made its deci- his brother behind, which has caused vote. sion before hearing them out; they strife between siblings. Westfield Town Council member wanted to see a series of other options Jean Harrington said her daughter Vicki Kimmins started the comment Ms. Dolan had considered prior to the is in the zone and would have to section of the meeting – held after singular plan she put forth to the board attend Edison, but none of her best friends are and would move on to Roosevelt Intermediate School. At the end of the night, some par- ents said they would rather have a class size of 29 than redistrict. The district’s recommendation is to have an average maximum of 25 students per class. Christina M. Hinke for The Westfield Leader Marie Constantino brought up the KEEP KIDS TOGETHER…Westfield Town Councilwomen Vicki Kimmins, center, receives a standing ovation from logistics of getting kids to school and parents after she gave her speech Tuesday night in opposition to the Westfield Board of Education’s plan to redistrict a picking them up after school. “There portion of the graduating class of Washington Elementary School kids to Edison Intermediate School. Westfield High School is no way I can go pick her (daughter) student Allie Tunis, standing at left, also spoke, supporting to keep the kids together. Afterwards, the BOE voted to proceed up [at Edison] and then make it back with the redistricting in first reading. The final vote on the matter is scheduled for February 24. to Washington School by 3:05” p.m. to pick up her other child, she said, noting the traffic of all the other RVSA Assessment Rises; schools in and out of town getting out then. “We don’t have the large network to consider carpooling,” she said, WF Discusses Direct Billing because the redistricting plan calls By MICHAEL J. POLLACK that its 2009 assessment would The Westfield Board of Education Benjamin B. Corbin for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times Specially Written for The Westfield Leader ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK… Union County Manager George Devanney has for only some of the students to shift amount to $3.8 million, up from $3.3 (BOE) does not pay sewer fees, but proposed closing the Oak Ridge Golf Course in Clark as part of budget cuts in the schools and not all. WESTFIELD – First Ward Coun- million in 2008. even if that changed, Mr. Caruana 2009 executive budget presented to the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Pictured Ms. Dolan broke down her number cilman Sal Caruana on Tuesday, Janu- Mr. Caruana said the 2009 figure was wary of the consequence, rea- above is the clubhouse at the golf course. of students heading to Edison in the ary 27 gave an update on the town’s marks a “plateau,” and he expects the soning that the board could simply fall. She said 21 Washington School Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority assessment to “trend downwards in offset the expenditure by increasing students would head to Edison, and (RVSA) assessment and advised the near future.” school taxes. Golfers Tell Freeholders 12 from the north side would go there against changing how Westfield What began as a projected $85- “It’d be a wash... There’d be no net for the special education or gifted and charges for the expense. million plant upgrade and expansion benefit for the Westfield taxpayer to talented programs, et al., whereas Meeting last month with former for the authority, Mr. Caruana said, assess the BOE,” Mr. Caruana said. To Keep Oak Ridge Open previously, she said 33 students would Westfield Mayor Allen Chin, the ultimately, has become a “massive” If county property were one day By PAUL J. PEYTON neering firm in Cranford, to design a head to Edison from Washington. town’s RVSA representative, and $340-million project once the inter- assessed, a potential tax increase could Specially Written for The Westfield Leader practice facility and driving range at “The difference between 21 and 33 RVSA Executive Director Mike est is paid back by 2035. be mitigated because the cost would ELIZABETH — Union County Galloping Hill. The board also is too hard to ignore,” said a parent Brinker, the finance committee Last year, the RVSA, under pres- spread throughout the other towns in golfers showed up in force at awarded a $50,000 one-year contract from Harding Street. She also said learned that while the RVSA’s oper- sure to use its surplus to lower assess- the county. Thursday’s Board of Chosen Free- to Decotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole & she felt the plan is not a long-term ating budget is down $75,000, the ments, contributed $755,000 of its Fourth Ward Councilman Tom holders meeting to oppose the clos- Wisler, LLP, of Teaneck to provide solution. “bad news is that the debt service is surplus to help defray the town’s $3.3 Bigosinski asked if a direct billing ing of the Oak Ridge Golf Course in legal services “in connection with Ms. Dolan’s plan also stated new peaking this year,” according to Mr. million overall hit. In the end, system were instituted, and the bill Clark, one of three courses operated golf course operations and develop- concepts of investigating adding an Caruana. Westfield paid roughly $2.5 million. was collected by Westfield, would it by the county. The closing of Oak ment.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 As a result, the town was advised In 2009, the RVSA’s contribution create an “administrative burden?” Ridge and the loss of holes to build a In announcing his proposal, Mr. will drop to $265,000, with the town According to Mr. Caruana, relaying new driving range at Galloping Hill Devanney emphasized that, “This land footing the remainder – $3.59 million. Mr. Chin’s message, Clark’s change Golf Course in Kenilworth would (Oak Ridge) will remain open space” DWC Director Reports RVSA’s member municipalities, did not cause a spike in administrative result in a combined net loss of 27 and may be considered for develop- such as Westfield, pay “user charges,” work or added personnel. holes of golf, county officials said. ment as a privately operated golf fa- which are determined through a for- Town Administrator Jim Gildea County Manager George Devanney cility in the future. High Town-Occupancy Rate mula based on use of the system. cautioned that Clark has a large in- said he proposed the closing of Oak Freeholder Chairman Alexander By WAYNE BAKER she had traveled to Red Bank last In 2006, Clark created a sanitary dustrial property base, “which was Ridge due to a $400,000 deficit run at Mirabella said the county must close Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Tuesday to attend their version of a sewer utility, and the township now paying much less than their fair share,” the course last year. He said the clo- the gap in budget deficits at the golf WESTFIELD — Occupancy rates program of this type. She estimated directly bills its users, no longer bud- from which to pull. More than 93 sure would save the county $740,000. courses. In 2007, the three courses in Westfield remain high, Downtown that there were 700 to 1,000 attendees geting for the item and taxing residents. percent of Westfield’s tax base is from He said the county is also consider- operated in the red by over $1 million. Westfield Corporation (DWC) Ex- in the Count Basie Theater.