Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, March 30, 2017 OUR 127th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 13-2017 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR DWC OKs Grants, Discusses Girls Day, Night Out By DOMINIC A. LAGANO The board receives recommenda- DWC Executive Director Sherry Specially Written for The Westfield Leader tions from its Design Committee, Cronin. “They started with having WESTFIELD — The Downtown which works with business and prop- rock and roll players come and per- Westfield Corporation (DWC) board erty owners to ensure that the busi- form in their space and it developed a of directors, the management entity ness in question adheres to Westfield’s cult following among rock and roll of the Special Improvement District ordinances regarding signage and the bands.” (SID), at its Monday night approved like. The board also approved a grant grants for two businesses opening The board first approved a grant for Hand Picks, a clothing store that soon in the downtown area. for Emack & Bolio, a shop to be will be located at 107 Prospect Street. As part of its mandate, the DWC located at 258 East Broad Street that “I don’t know if you’ve been watch- provides grants to businesses that will feature “ice cream for the con- ing Facebook, but kids have been improve the exterior façades of their noisseur.” nuts about this place. They sell urban buildings, which usually occurs when “The first grant is for Emack and wear,” stated Ms. Cronin. “It’s kind a new business opens. Bolio, the new ice cream store,” stated of fun. Instagram is blowing up over this.” The board next discussed the Girls Day and Night Out event, a major shopping and dining promotion held every year in Westfield. This year, the event is scheduled for Friday, May 11. About 90 businesses are involved in some form for the event by provid- ing discounts on merchandise and dining. For a number of years, Girls Night Out was a biannual event with one “night” held in the spring and another one held in the fall. The board de- Christina M. Hinke for The Westfield Leader cided in 2014 to limit the event to NEWLY APPOINTED...Scott Rubin thanks the Cranford Board of Education on Monday night after the board appointed him as superintendent of schools for the period beginning July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022. He currently serves as once a year to promote its unique superintendent in the East Hanover Township. character. This year the board has decided to tweak the event a bit by adding a morning and afternoon session and Rubin Named Superintendent for rebranding the event as Girls Day and Night Out. As usual, the night portion of the festivities is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. As of now, the morning and Cranford Schools at $165,000 Christina M. Hinke for The Westfield Leader afternoon session’s schedule has not UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD...Pathways to Excellence (P2E) introduced a been finalized. By CHRISTINA M. HINKE ten to 12th grade district since 2015, are expected to change by that date. new topic for this year, entitled TED talk, explained one student, Ben, during the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader when Gayle Carrick retired. Currently, the cap for superintendent P2E presentation to the Cranford Board of Education on Monday night. “The goal “We are expanding Girls’ Night is to find the best way to start ideas and a deeper understanding of the world,” Ben Out while some towns are eliminat- CRANFORD – The board of educa- Mr. Rubin has been superintendent level in the district is $165,000, accord- told the board. ing their Girls Night Out events,” tion on Monday unanimously approved of schools in East Hanover Township, ing to the statute. stated Ms. Cronin stated. “Our event the appointment of Scott Rubin as su- a grade K to 8 school district, since Upon appointing Mr. Rubin, board is so popular and concentrated in a perintendent of schools for the period 2014, and was previously principal at member and chairwoman of the selec- New Visual, Performing four-hour window that we decided to beginning July 1 with a contract ending the Academy for Allied Health Sci- tion committee, Nicole Sherrin Kessler, make it an all-day event. Based on the on June 30, 2022. He replaces Interim ences and the Academy for Performing said the board had “found the right business feedback and the diverse Superintendent of Schools Marilyn Arts, part of the Union County Voca- combination of innovation and collabo- Arts Director Named CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Birnbaum, who has led the Kindergar- tional-Technical Schools system in ration.” Scotch Plains. He began his career as an Mr. Rubin followed up the board’s By SARAH MCGRAIL possible Monday graduation, none elementary teacher in Elizabeth. announcement with a speech to the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader of it good,” he said when the board Cranford Township Comm. Mr. Rubin graduated from Rutgers board and the members of the public, WESTFIELD — Hundreds of officially approved the 2018-2019 University in New Brunswick in 1995 with his family seated in the packed graduating students in Westfield school calendar. with a bachelor’s degree in English. He school board chambers. “I am incred- have been rescued from a Monday Superintendent Dolan also an- Unveils $37.9-Mil. Budget has earned his doctorate and master’s ibly excited to partner with faculty, graduation by education chiefs who nounced the appointment of a new degrees in education administration staff, parents, guardians and juggled the 2018-2019 school cal- visual and performing arts supervi- By CHRISTINA M. HINKE The committee will hold a public from Kean University. students….working together to deter- endar to change it to a Friday. sor to replace Linda King, Ed.D, Specially Written for The Westfield Leader hearing and adopt the budgets at its He and his wife, Lisa Jones-Rubin, mine how I can best support the efforts Board of Education member who will retire after 30 years in the CRANFORD — The $37.9-mil- next meeting. live in Bridgewater with their two sons, to enhance and enrich an outstanding Christopher Langhart thanked Su- position at the end of this school lion municipal budget for 2017 was Ronald Johnson was appointed as Jacob and Alexander. legacy in Cranford,” he said. perintendent of Schools Margaret year. introduced by the township commit- zoning officer effective Monday, Mr. Rubin’s salary will be equal to As Mr. Rubin moves into his new Dolan, Ed.D, and Assistant Super- Tom Weber, who will take on his tee Tuesday. Total general appro- April 3. The position has been un- the maximum salary amount under the role, Ms. Birnbaum has made a com- intendent of Curriculum, Instruc- new role in September, will oversee priations are $37,875,017. A tax levy filled since Zoning Officer Robert state law, as in effect July 1, 2017, mitment to work closely with Mr. Rubin tion and Programs, Paul Pineiro, the district’s award-winning music is estimated at $22.7 million; rev- Hudak resigned late last year. Mr. Board Attorney Jennifer Osborne told as he transitions into his position of for their efforts in making sure and theater programs. Mr. Weber enues excluding the tax levy are an- Johnson was assistant zoning officer The Westfield Leader. The salary caps CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 graduation would fall on a Friday in was the unanimous recommenda- ticipated at $13.7 million. Taxes will for the City of Plainfield. 2019. tion of board members from increase 1.4 percent, an increase of The township was approved a re- “We got a lot of feedback on a CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 $34.70 per average assessed home, fund of taxes to the lien holder, U.S. Finance Commissioner Andis Bank, of $127,295, and a premium Kalnins said. of $55,100, for property at 44 North The total estimated to be raised by Avenue East where the vacant build- taxes is $101 million, which includes ing, once occupied by Swan Clean- the $22.7 million for municipal op- ers, now sits. erations, $1.4 million for the library, In other news, the wrestling team $55.5 million for the school district won its first State Sectional Champi- and an estimated $21.3 million in onship since 1986, Mr. Kalnins said. county purpose taxes as well as At the start of the meeting, Mayor $626,763 in county open space taxes. Thomas Hannen, Jr. made a handful “The (municipal) capital budget of proclamations. Daniel Luppino this year was a real struggle to make,” and Christopher Brown were given a Mr. Kalnins said. proclamation for earning their Eagle Expenditures show an $800,000 Scout status — the highest rank in difference, which equates to the down Boy Scouting. Daniel created a play payment on the Birchwood Avenue area and eating area in a backyard of property, Mr. Kalnins said. Also, So- Step Up and Christopher cleaned up cial Security costs increased 18 per- and repaired the Girl Scout Park and cent, debt service increased by 13 added a picnic table and bench there. percent, and “tax appeals were detri- The date of March 22, 2017 was mental to us overall,” Mr. Kalnins proclaimed Smart and Savvy Day in noted. Among the biggest hits was Cranford. The mayor noted the Alli- Jim Lowney/County of Union East Coast Cranford Crossings LLC ance of Career Development non- AMONG THE BEST...Amy B.