Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, April 28, 2005 OUR 115th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 17-2005 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS Accident Claims Council, BOE Setting Process Life of Mother From Westfield To Review Defeated Budget By MEREDITH MANNINO By PAUL J. PEYTON with a “good opportunity to come stated. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Specially Written for The Westfield Leader together.” A proposed multi-million parking WESTFIELD — A 40-year old WESTFIELD – The Town Council “People need to maintain their cool deck referendum was trounced at the Westfield woman died last Thurs- and Board of Education (BOE) this heads,” Councilman Betancourt said. polls in November and a referendum day in a car accident on Meisel week began ironing out the process for “There is no axe to grind here.” for a turf field and new track at Kehler Avenue in Springfield. the council’s review of the school bud- Mayor Greg McDermott said, “Our Stadium passed by only 280 votes and According to witnesses, the early get following its defeat last week by job is not to hinder or reduce the now the school budget was defeated. morning crash occurred when an voters. quality of education (in Westfield).” Mayor McDermott said, “It is get- SUV driven by Cheryl Lambert, The defeat of the $66 million school “Our goal is to give our residents a ting difficult to make those (tax) pay- 40, crossed the double yellow line tax levy is the first to be defeated ments.” and careened into oncoming traf- by Westfield voters in a decade. Third Ward Councilman fic, colliding with a tractor-trailer The entire proposed $77 million Skibitsky said the council and and then a pick-up truck. budget was delivered last Friday “This is the second vote of no school board need to work together Mrs. Lambert’s 1996 Chevrolet along with related documents to confidence in six months; the first “in a collaborative effort to see if Blazer then rolled over, and the all council and school board mem- one being the (parking) deck,” the tax levy can be reduced with- Benjamin B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader mother of one was pronounced bers. out a negative effect on the educa- SPECIAL VISITOR...Gubernatorial Republican candidate Bret Schundler visited dead at the scene. According to the Second Ward Councilman Second Ward Councilman the office of The Westfield Leader on Wednesday morning to invite the public to a Rafael Betancourt tional system.” special forum sponsored by the Mountainside Republican Club during which Springfield Police Department, the Rafael Betancourt, a member of He said he would welcome any cause of the accident, which re- attendees can meet the Republican Gubernatorial candidates. The forum will be the council’s Finance Policy Com- proposals from school officials, as held on Wednesday, May 4, at 7:15 p.m. at the Mountainside Borough Hall. mains under investigation, is un- mittee, commented that he thought, quality education at a slightly reduced they are more familiar with the spend- Pictured, left to right, are: Assignment Editor Paul Peyton, Mr. Schundler, Leader known at this time. “this is the second vote of no confi- price,” Mayor McDermott said. “I think ing than council members. Publisher Horace Corbin, Sports Editor and Assistant Publisher David Corbin and Mrs. Lambert’s five-year old dence in six months; the first one be- everyone is shocked that this (the bud- Arts & Entertainment and Education Editor Michelle Helen Le Poidevin. son, John, survived the crash. ing the (parking) deck.” get) didn’t pass.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Mrs. Lambert was born in New- “People feel they are paying too One factor in the budget defeat, the ark and lived in Rockaway for nine much in taxes,” Councilman mayor noted, has been less state aide years. She lived in Westfield for a Betancourt stated. to the BOE and the town. Committee Unveils Plan to Create short time and then relocated, re- “It is premature to predict what we “We have an obligation to residents cently returning to the community. (the council) are going to do,” Coun- of this town” to review the entire bud- The homemaker is also sur- cilman Betancourt added. “We need to get “line by line,” according to state 110 Parking Spaces In Downtown vived by her parents Jack and see where the fat is” and cut the tax law Mayor McDermott stated. Town Jean Durante, brothers Jack and levy to appease the “majority of voters auditors and the council’s finance By PAUL J. PEYTON cording to Town Administrator James and behind Baron’s Drug Store, re- Anthony, grandmother Ada, and who rejected the budget.” policy committee will review the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Gildea. The plan includes improved spectively. husband John. “This (the budget defeat) does not school budget. WESTFIELD — A downtown park- lighting and landscaping in lots, con- Councilman Ciarrocca said the town Mrs. Lambert’s funeral was held reflect on how people feel about the Mayor McDermott, who is moving ing improvement plan is expected to sistent signage throughout Westfield’s would create employee permit spaces Tuesday, April 26, at St. Helen’s schools. It reflects on how people feel to Bernardsville at the end of June, generate upwards of 110 spaces parking system, improved handicap on Orchard Street, upper Elm Street Roman Catholic Church in about being taxed,” Councilman said he would see the process through through the redesign of municipal lots accessibility, redesign of on-street and Ferris Place. He said the town has Westfield. Funeral arrangements Betancourt said. to completion. and on-street parking spaces. Voters parking, pushing on-street employee begun ticketing employees’ vehicles were handled by Gray’s Funeral Councilman Betancourt believes “You are starting to see a change” in soundly rejected a multi-million dol- parking out of the center of the town, parked on Quimby and lower Elm Home in Westfield. this provides the BOE and Council terms of voting in town, the Mayor lar parking deck and redevelopment and additional pay stations and new Streets. proposal last November. meters. The first phase of the plan includes Mark Ciarrocca, Third Ward Coun- “I think we have a good plan to move lot 3 on South Avenue where lighting cilman and Chairman of the Town forward,” Councilman Ciarrocca said. and landscaping will be enhanced and Council’s Public Safety, Transporta- Immediate parking improvements a pay station will be added. The lot will tion and Parking Committee, unveiled to be completed include changing the also be repaved. Lots 1 and 8 at Elm the plan during Tuesday night’s Town parallel parking on Prospect Street to and Prospect Streets, a priority in the Council conference meeting. $500,000 one-side of the street diagonal park- plan, will be redesigned and repaved. is available in existing parking im- ing, replacing existing pay stations in One of the lots was once home to a provement funds previously budgeted lot 5 behind the Rialto Theatre, and gasoline station, will undergo by the town, officials said. adding pay stations in lots 7, 2 and 4 remediation for any environmental The plan, to be completed in three located across from the Westfield Post problems. phases, will begin this summer, ac- Office, at the north side train station Lot 9, at Central and North Avenue, will be allocated for north side com- muters and employees from lot 8. More Perrin Named President spaces will be allocated for employees at lot 6 on Watterson Street and 18 on- street spaces will be changed to permit spaces as needed by the town in the Of Mountainside BOE initial phase of the plan. By BETSEY BURGDORF Sergeant Worswick’s defense stating All on-street meters will be replaced Specially Written For The Westfield Leader that he fully supports him as a mem- with smart card technology, Parking MOUNTAINSIDE – A week after ber of the BOE. Services Director John Morgan said. the two empty seats were filled on the “I would like to assure anyone that As part of the second phase of the borough’s Board of Education (BOE), there will be no conflict,” he said. plan, Councilman Ciarrocca said the incumbent John Perrin and write-in In what seemed to be a contradic- last block of Lenox Avenue would be candidate Mountainside Police Ser- tion to earlier statements, Mr. closed between Central and North geant Scot Worswick, were installed Schmedel later addressed the BOE Avenue in order for the town to and a new president was elected. on his belief that the governing body reconfigure the lot (lot 7) across from Mr. Perrin, who is serving his third does little to attract viable candidates the post office. The additional prop- Benjamin B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader term on the board, was named presi- to fill empty seats on the BOE. erty will result in 25 new spaces. The ICE CREAM ANYONE?…Westfield mayoral candidates, Third Ward Councilman Andy Skibitsky, left, and former mayor dent. BOE member MaryBeth He referred to the absence oa a second block of Lenox, near the post Tom Jardim, right, serve ice cream on Monday as part of a fundraiser by Cold Stone Creamery to raise money for the Make- Schaumberg was reelected as Vice school board Candidates Night this office, will be made one-way with A-Wish Foundation. In exchange for a free slice of ice cream cake, customers were asked to make donations to Make-A-Wish, President. year due to the fact that Mr.