Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, October 26, 2017 OUR 127th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 43-2017 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Five School Board Candidates Take Part In PTC Forum By SARAH McGRAIL Margaret “Peggy” Oster, Anthony ten to and ask questions on all that Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Marotta, Kent Diamond, Simon was proposed. WESTFIELD — Five candidates Cirasa and Lynne Benner. Mr. Marotta is a lifelong resident vying for three seats on the Board Ms. Oster is the mother of five of Westfield, currently studying for of Education took part in a forum children who are all graduates of a master’s degree. He believes there last Wednesday sponsored by the the Westfield Public School sys- should be a more extensive technol- Parent Teacher Council of Westfield tem. She gave up her Wall Street ogy-based curriculum and would and moderated by The League of career to spend 28 years volunteer- generally like to see more legal, Women Voters. ing in the Westfield community and programming and engineering A recording of the event was made currently is serving her third year classes. He said it may be necessary by Westfield High School Blue Dev- on the board, where she is vice- to make sacrifices in other areas in ils TV and can be seen on Channel president. Ms. Oster said she did order to prioritize the essential tech- 36. The election will take place on not come with a specific agenda but nology requirements. Mr. Marotta Tuesday, November 7. Participat- would continue to seek out ideas would like to see Westfield move to ing in the forum were incumbent from the community and read, lis- a three-quarter or full-day kinder- garten and improve on the 97 per- cent of students who currently go on to college. A 12-year resident of Westfield, Mr. Diamond has a daughter at Tamaques Elementary School and a son in kindergarten. He has worked for Dow Jones for 20 years in a wide variety of finance jobs, where he Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader GREETING OUR GUESTS...Blacksmith Dave "Sarge" Bala demonstrates blacksmithing techniques at Miller-Cory House has learned to reduce unnecessary in Westfield, one of the stops during Four Centuries in a Weekend tours at historic sites throughout Union County. He is spending and find new revenue a retired New Jersey State Trooper. streams. He is one of the founding organizers of the annual Miracles for Myeloma 5K race that has raised $425,000 in five years. Mr. Dia- Alt. Side Parking OK’d For Some mond said this demonstrated what a small team with a common goal could achieve and compared this to the board. During Snow; New Clerk Named Westfield born and educated, Mr. Cirasa returned to live in Westfield By CHRISTINA M. HINKE do not have alternate parking,” Mr. side of Scotch Plains at the Westfield last year with his wife and their two Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Loughlin said. conservation center, and for pre-school sons. He currently is a WESTFIELD — The town coun- The town’s code was amended Westfield to drop off its leaves from Sarah McGrail for The Westfield Leader senior director of client services cil Tuesday introduced three ordi- for the addition of the ordinance the north side of town at the Scotch BOE CANDIDATES FORUM...Five candidates for Westfield Board of Educa- with digital marketing technology nances and named a new town clerk last year. It called for all streets in Plains public works center. There is tion took part in a forum last Wednesday sponsored by the Westfield PTC Council. firm Epsilon. The candidate believes to replace Claire Gray, who is retir- the town to be clear of vehicles in a no monetary charge for this agree- Pictured, from left to right, are: Margaret Oster, Anthony Marotta, Kent his experience of prudently manag- ing. snow event that sees snow depth at ment, rather a convenience factor in Diamond, Simon Cirasa and Lynne Benner. ing budgets would be of value in Councilman Keith Loughlin said three inches or greater in order to terms of travel proximity for each some of the key duties of the board, the snow removal ordinance is to be have the streets fully plowed. of the municipalities, Town Admin- and that his professional expertise amended to allow for parking on The ordinance pertaining to side- istrator Jim Gildea told The Cranford Bids Farewell To in digital marketing and data man- alternate side of the streets in cer- walk snow removal will be amended Westfield Leader. agement could help in potentially tain areas where there is limited off- to “modernize language,” Mr. Also, with the mostly mild developing opportunities for stu- street parking. It will “improve our Loughlin said. Property owners are weather so far this Fall, the town’s Clerk, Welcomes PD Chief dents to learn to manage a safe and ability to clear the whole road while to remove snow from the sidewalk leaf collection is delayed for a week CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 respecting the ability of people who on the front, back and side of their or two. By FRED T. ROSSI men and women” behind him. property within 24 hours after a Ms. Gray worked her last council Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Township Clerk Tara Rowley is snow event. Police will enforce the meeting Tuesday. She is retiring as CRANFORD — The township leaving her post after 17 years with BOE Pulls Out of State ordinance this year, Mr. Loughlin of Wednesday, November 1, Mr. committee welcomed a new police the municipal government, the last stated. “Please remove snow and Gildea said at the workshop ses- chief on Tuesday evening while also 11 as clerk. She confirmed to The ice from sidewalks,” he said. sion. Ms. Gray has held the position paying tribute to the departing town- Westfield Leader on Tuesday that Health Benefits Plan A special ordinance was read on of clerk since 1992, after working ship clerk. she will be the new town clerk in first reading to appropriate $75,000 her way up the ranks in the munici- Ryan Greco, a 19-year veteran of Westfield, and will begin working By MICHAEL BONACCORSO postpone the decision entirely, al- from capital surplus to pay for sani- pal building, Ms. Gray told The the police department, was sworn in with retiring Town Clerk Claire Gray Specially Written for The Westfield Leader lowing the employees “ample re- tary and storm sewer improvements Leader. Prior to her government as chief at the committee’s business next week prior to Ms. Gray’s for- GARWOOD — The board of edu- view time.” on a property at the corner of position, Ms. Gray worked in cus- meeting before a standing-room- mal departure at the end of the year. cation terminated employee partici- Ms. Elias stated that the teachers Midvale and Tudor Oval, so that the tomer service in the airline indus- only crowd of family, friends and Mayor Thomas Hannen, Jr. called pation in the State Health Benefits were not notified that health ben- property owner can hook up to the try. law enforcement colleagues from Ms. Rowley the “mother hen” to Program at its meeting on Friday efits options would be changing until town’s sanitary and storm sewer Ms. Gray’s replacement will start Cranford and elsewhere in the area. many committee members over the night. Originally scheduled for the 24 hours before the original Tues- systems. The property currently is Monday. Tara Rowley, the Cran- Union County Assistant Prosecutor years and described her as “clerk previous Tuesday evening, the meet- day meeting date. The resolution on a septic system. ford township clerk, has been hired Michael Sheets administered the extraordinaire,” whose shoes “will ing was postponed until Friday due changing the benefits for teachers The town council passed a reso- to take over the reins. oath to Chief Greco, who was ac- be very hard to fill.” to a water main break. and administrators was discovered lution authorizing an interlocal Mr. Gildea said the “personnel companied by his two daughters, In brief but emotional remarks, The board unanimously approved by Garwood Education Association agreement for a shared service with committee has been very helpful” his wife and his mother. Ms. Rowley called Cranford her employees enrolling in the (GEA) members reviewing the Scotch Plains. The agreement al- in the process to find a new clerk. After thanking the committee for “home away from home” and said AmeriHealth/Trust medical and pre- agenda for the Tuesday night meet- lows Scotch Plains to drop off its “A lot is a testament to you (Mr. its support of the police depart- she appreciated the “unwavering scription drug plan commencing ing. leaves picked up from the south CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ment, Mr. Greco said it was “my confidence” from the township com- January 2018. Garwood Education “We were shocked and saddened privilege to serve in a town that mittee, adding that it had “been an Association (Garwood teachers’ to learn the proposal for these new brings me so much pride.” And he honor to serve” the residents of union) President Patricia Elias pre- benefits was received on May 25, pledged “to work each and every Cranford. Commissioner Andis pared a speech prompting the deci- 2017, with not a single communica- day to keep Cranford a safe com- Kalnins said he did not “know of sion to be discussed amongst board tion to the Association.