Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, March 30, 2006 OUR 116th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 13-2006 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS BOE OKs $79.5 Million Budget; $68.2 Mil. Levy Heads to Voters By MEGHAN GILL figure. “We can do better at being Specially Written for The Westfield Leader more responsible. This budget is WESTFIELD – The board of edu- Spring Ahead! doomed to failure if we don’t stand cation adopted the final 2006-2007 Daylight Savings Time Ends together. I will vote on the 14 cents,” school budget of $79,491,415 at a Sunday, April 2, 2 a.m. she said. special meeting held Tuesday evening Local property taxes make up 86 at the board’s Elm Street administra- percent of the budget. The state cov- tive offices. The budget is an increase ers 6 percent, which has remained flat of 4.05 percent or $3,016,041 over for six years, while federal aid ac- last year. That figure includes debt counts for 3 percent of the budget and service of $2,379,891 5 percent of the budget comes from The proposed $68,227,778 tax levy, other sources. which is up 3.85 percent, represents a Lorre Korecky, school community $2,805,051 or 14-cent increase or $253 relations coordinator, explained that per $100 of assessed value for the aver- these sources are “interest earned, age Westfield homeowner. A tax point and all of us have done a pretty good income rental of Lincoln School to in Westfield equals $180,000 in total job,” considering there will be the Union County Educational Services spending. The board unanimously voted largest first grade class in September Commission and fund balance (sur- 9-0 to adopt the budget and tax levy. since 1970. plus), which is 2 percent of the total The tax levy, which will go before Kim Rhodes was the only board (revenue side of the) budget.” Horace Corbin for The Westfield Leader the voters on Tuesday, April 18, re- member to urge that the budget be cut Fund balance, she explained, is a PROGRESS...Construction workers make noticeable progress on the bank building restoration at One Elm Street and North Avenue in the downtown of Westfield this week. Along with the conversion progress at the PNC Bank building on flects a 4.05 percent increase over by $180,000 to reach the 13-cent reserve account to be used for capital Prospect Street around the corner, the area is shaping up to be a highly visible and attractive center. last year. mark. She argued that, “I am not projects or unexpected out-of-district “We have held nine public meet- comfortable with 14 cents. I think placements that may come up during ings since December…this board (has that we can do better; it is not appro- the academic year. The district also put forth) its best effort to balance the priate to spend money on things that receives annual pledges and donations Former MS BOE President, Kress, needs of our children and be fiscally we could live without. My first choice from members of the community. responsible,” board member and Fi- is to go for the 13-cent amount and In other business, the board an- nance Committee Chairman Richard take out $180,000.” nounced that the district is engaged in Loses Law License for Six Months Solomon said. All of the other board members a national search for a new Westfield Superintendent Dr. William Foley addressed the group, stating that they High School (WHS) principal. The By DEBORAH MADISON $3,100 charge in lieu of payment, He was also reprimanded in 1996 for explained that the public should now were in support of the 14-cent amount. board has invited members of the com- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader knowing that the client’s bankruptcy failure to timely file a reply to a understand that “the $79 million bud- Most of them agreed that they could munity to complete a survey indicat- MOUNTAINSIDE — was pending. The court’s written find- motion for pendente lite (pending get is built up of many small parts.” not justify cutting services that were ing attributes the new principal should Mountainside resident and former ings noted that they found Mr. Kress’ litigation) support and to timely file Dr. Foley recommended that the helpful to the needs of the students. possess, as well as their feelings about President of the Mountainside Board behavior to be deceitful and fraudu- a motion for reconsideration, as well board not lower the budget less than At the end of the discussion, Ms. the future direction of WHS. The sur- of Education, Richard Kress, has been lent. as failing to keep his clients informed 14 cents. He said he didn’t see “any Rhodes conceded and concurred with vey can be accessed on the district suspended from practicing law by In a written response to the court, of the status of the matter. reason to have this budget lower…you the other members on the 14-cent website, www.westfieldnjk12.org. the New Jersey Supreme Court. Mr. Kress contended that his failure In his written response to the The six-month suspension, which to communicate and failure to act charges stemming from the 2003 begins Friday, April 10, is for profes- with diligence stemmed from an ex- case, Mr. Kress maintained that all sional misconduct stemming from tended illness in May of 2003. How- three parties were aware of the fact Mountainside BOE Grants clients that he represented in 2003 ever, the OAE noted in their written that he represented each of them and and years prior. Mr. Kress was a findings that some of the incidences that there were never any misrepre- member of the school board for 15 of professional misconduct took place sentations made. years, serving as board president from prior to this illness. The attorney disciplinary system Final Budget Approval 2002 to 2004. Prior to these violations, the re- consists of three levels: Office of According to William Ziff of spondent had a disciplinary history Attorney Ethics (OAE) and district By GINA LEVINE-LEVY fall, proper services were provided to curriculum and technology initiatives, Westfield, Secretary for the Union of other charges of misconduct. Mr. ethics committees, Disciplinary Re- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader the students. will have a more substantial impact. County branch of the Office of Attor- Kress had been previously suspended view Board (DRB), and the state MOUNTAINSIDE – The Mr. McLaughlin noted that roughly As it stands, the majority of the ney Ethics (OAE), the order of sus- for one year in 2003 for representing Supreme Court. The first level, con- Mountainside Board of Education $7.5 million of the budget reflects budget, about 81 percent, is funded pension issued by the court found an accounting firm as well as the sisting of 17 regionalized district eth- adopted the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006- staff salaries for 116 full- and part- by the local tax levy. About 12 per- that Mr. Kress engaged in conduct individual partners after a conflict of ics committees, is divided along 2007 budget of $13,966,844 at Tues- time employees, as well as health cent is funded by dissolution money that involved dishonesty, deceit or interest developed between the par- single or multiple county lines. Dis- day night’s meeting. The proposed benefits including medical and den- received when the regional district misrepresentation, failure to inform ties. According to the charges trict committees consist of attorney $11,276,433 tax levy will go before tal coverage. dissolved; about 5 percent is funded clients of termination of representa- founded by the review board, the and public members, who serve pro voters on Tuesday, April 18. Also included in the budget is an through state aid and the remainder is tion due to impairment, failure to put respondent also attempted to create a bono, to investigate, prosecute and According to BOE figures, the av- increase in tuition, paid to Berkeley funded by miscellaneous revenue and his hourly fee in writing, failure to sham transaction to deceive a third decide disciplinary matters. They erage taxpayer will pay $392. Heights, of $155,112. the fund balance, or surplus. communicate with his clients, lack party that a mortgage had been as- screen and docket grievances and Business Administrator Roderic Utility costs in the FY 2006-2007 One looming question, which in- of diligence and violating profes- signed for bona fide consideration, conduct hearings. The OAE investi- McLaughlin explained that were it budget increased by $200,862, due volves an ongoing discussion among sional rules of conduct. when it had not. Finally, the respon- gates special cases and manages the not for a significant budget shortfall greatly to the jump in natural gas the board, is how the district will fill In one case cited by the court, Mr. dent made misrepresentations to the district committees. this year, in the area of special educa- prices. The gas budget alone increased the 12 percent gap created once the Kress’ lack of diligence resulted in a parties regarding the transaction. The second level, the DRB, is the tion, the average cost per homeowner 90 percent. dissolution fund expires in a few years. longer jail sentence for a client who In 1992, Mr. Kress was suspended intermediate appellate tribunal in dis- would have been half that amount. After Governor Jon Corzine’s bud- As for the FY 2006-2007 budget, had requested that Mr.