MARCH 2, 2012 WEST WINDSOR & PLAINSBORO NEWS HEADLINERS: Monsignor Robert Medley, page 9; Magician Ben Nemzer, 23; Musician Soyeong Park, 27. throughout New Jersey. Following last year and now attends Stevens operate under and the financial 5 Compete for 3 Seats On are snapshots of the five candi- Institute of Technology in Hobo- management of the school budget- dates, beginning in Plainsboro: ken. Fleres’ daughter Amanda is in ing process. WW-P Board of Education Tony Fleres. With John Farrell her freshman year at High School “After serving as chairman of by Rikki N. Massand of the board’s financial policies and Todd Hochman deciding not to South. the finance committee, I think I’m and the husband of current board run, the lone incumbent school Fleres, whose father was a car- knowledgeable about maintaining wo townships, one shared member Ellen Walsh (whose term board candidate this year is Tony penter and mother a seamstress, our finances,” says Fleres (whose school district, and four expires next year), and Yibao Xu, a Fleres of Mifflin Court in Plains- works in New York as a design letter to the editor regarding the fresh faces vying for posi- T professor of mathematics at Man- boro. Fleres currently serves as manager at URS Corporation. He board’s budgeting practices ap- tions on the West Windsor-Plains- hattan Community College in New chairman of the board of educa- holds a bachelor’s degree in civil pears on page 2 of this issue). boro Board of Education. In engineering from the City College York. tion’s finance committee. Fleres Quentin Walsh. Walsh, the Plainsboro there are two seats be- of New York, and in 1980 he In West Windsor John Farrell, was originally elected in 2006 and lone member of the public who at- ing contested. Current board mem- earned his MBA from the Univer- who was originally appointed in he is seeking his third term on the tends Plainsboro Township Com- ber Todd Hochman will not seek sity of Connecticut. 2008 to fill the seat vacated by Stan board. mittee meetings, made a splash on re-election. Meanwhile Tony After six years on the board Katz, has decided not to seek an- Fleres and his wife Marcia, ex- Wednesday, February 22, when he Fleres, chairman of the board’s fi- Fleres is aware of the learning other term. The seat is being sought ecutive director of the WW-P Edu- announced his candidacy for nance committee and the other curve that comes with a position on by Michele Kaish, a resident of the cation Foundation, have lived in school board at the committee’s Plainsboro board member whose the school board “just as when you township for the past 18 years, and Plainsboro since 1993. The couple business meeting. For the past sev- term expires this year, will seek his join any organization,” he says. by Peter Abitanto, senior vice pres- moved from Old Bridge to Plains- eral years Walsh has taken on the third term on the board. Fleres feels that experience pays ident with an insurance brokerage boro because of the school dis- school budget, in particular the dis- The newcomers are Quentin that manages employee benefits trict’s reputation. Their son, Mark, off as he fully understands the pa- Walsh, a well known critic of some for more than 285 school districts graduated from High School North rameters the school board has to Continued on page 10 The Bride Whisperer Who Calms Cross-Cultural Weddings by Euna Kwon Brossman birthday party, a Sweet 16, or a one-year- “The United States is even more of a Day of Dreams: Jayendhran old’s celebration and everything in be- melting pot these days than ever before, and ennifer Lopez as the calm in the center tween, as well as corporate events including so many of my clients are mixed, where the Govender, far left, a 1999 graduate of chaos was the quintessential wedding holiday parties, summer barbecues, retire- bride and groom may be of different back- of WW-P High School, with his Jplanner in the movie of the same name. ment parties, and meetings. But her special- grounds and cultures,” says Shah. “It used to bride, Dipali Shah. Above: Pooja Now think of Dharmi Shah of Princeton, ty is weddings, especially weddings that in- be more difficult for families to accept formerly of West Windsor, who takes that Bhatnager with her groom, Amit volve different cultures and customs on top mixed weddings, but we are definitely see- Bansal, a 1996 WW-P graduate. idea to a whole new level as the calm and of all the variables that typically go into the ing a shift in the families’ attitude, where creative energy behind Evenings of Ele- big day — among them, flowers, food, and gance, an event and wedding planning firm. photographers, not to mention family. Photo left: Pandya Photography Shah can coordinate the details of a 60th Continued on page 30 West Windsor-Plainsboro WW-P’S FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER WWPINFO.COM 2012 Business Expo Letters: Fleres Defends School Budget Process 2 FREE admission WW Weighs Ordinance to Curb Prostitution 15 Plainsboro Could Face Small Tax Increase 16 Saturday, March 3, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. High School Theater Productions 21 Village Elementary School Police Reports 29 Classifieds 31 601 New Village Road FOLLOW WWPINFO ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER FOR TIMELY UPDATES e SEE AD PAGE 20 ISSUE DATE: MARCH 2, 2012 NEXT ISSUE:MARCH 16 t 2 THE NEWS MARCH 2, 2012 JoanJoan Eisenberg Eisenberg Office:RE/MAXJoan 609-951-8600Joan Greater Eisenberg Eisenberg Princeton x110 Office:RE/MAXMobile:609-306-1999Princeton 609-951-8600 ForrestalGreater Village Princeton x110 Mobile:[email protected]:Princeton 609-951-8600 Forrestal x 110Village www.JoanSells.comMobile:609-306-1999 Views & Opinions [email protected]: 609-951-8600 x 110 Jeremax@aol com www.JoanSells.comMobile:609-306-1999 [email protected] To The Editor: tion to the PIACS charter school Owner/Sales should it open in September 2012. Associate VILLAGE GRANDE VALUES Correcting the If that school does not open, this Village Grande Value money will wind up as part of the This Wonderful House Is Located in West Windsor in the Village Grande Active Record on Surpluses year-end surplus. Alternatively, Adult Community. The Exceptional Clubhouse Includes Indoor and Outdoor Pools, the board could have chosen not to Tennis, Recreation Rooms, Exercise Rooms, and Social Rooms. am writing this to correct some The Community is Close to Major Roads, Shopping & Commuter Train. misstatements and misrepre- budget for the charter school and, Richard K. Rein sentations made by Mr. if it does open, deal with the effect Editor and Publisher I of the budget shortfall on the edu- Quentin Walsh in his letter in the Rikki N. Massand February 17, 2012, issue of the cational programs of our students Municipal News WW-P News and in his frequent later. A responsible board will con- Lynn Miller appearances before the Board of Community News Editor Education, the Plainsboro Town- servatively estimate its future ex- ship Committee, and the West penses while maintaining a control Jamie Saxon Windsor Township Council. on actual spending during the year. Features Editor Mr. Walsh takes issue with the For most people, that is considered Sara Hastings good planning school district’s Special Projects budget surpluses and manage- ment. Craig Terry and use of reserve A responsible board will Photography funds. Let me be- Yet Mr. conservatively estimate Walsh views Vaughan Burton West Windsor: 3BR, 3BA, Expanded Coventry sits on a premium lot gin by explaining its future expenses while backing woods. Vltd Living Room & Dining Room, gas fireplace in Family the process. Each budget surpluses Production Room. Kitchen with hardwood flooring, 42” cabinetry and Center Island. MBR spring the school maintaining a control as money need- Jennifer Schwesinger with tray ceiling and ceiling fan. MBA with Whirlpool tub. Loft area with lessly taken from Account Executive Bedroom & Bath. Sunroom addition opening to private 10x20 paver patio district prepares a on actual spending. budget for the the taxpayers Bill Sanservino with motorized retractable awning overlooking woods and common areas. and, as proof, has Wonderful 55+ community – Call Joan for more information. $339,000 following school Production Manager come to board meetings with his- year which, once approved by the Lawrence L. DuPraz 1919-2006 torical data showing year-end bud- voters, sets the revenue and spend- Founding Production Adviser get accounts with large balances. ing for that year. School districts Euna Kwon Brossman cannot increase taxes mid-year and Waiting until the end of the year to Michele Alperin, Bart Jackson do not have access to lines of cred- second-guess budget decisions it. If expenses are underestimated, made 16 months earlier is easy. Pritha Dasgupta a district can be forced to cancel Predicting the future is much more Phyllis Spiegel student programs and services difficult –– unless you are not con- Contributing Writers cerned with the consequences of mid-year. If expenses run lower For inquiries, call 609-243-9119. than budgeted, the district will fin- being wrong. The state permits school dis- Fax: 609-243-9020. ish the year with surplus funds. E-mail: [email protected] tricts to retain a portion of the year- For example, as I write this, the Home Page: www.wwpinfo.com preliminary budget for the 2012- end surplus –– about 2 percent of Mail: 12 Roszel Road, Suite C-205, ’13 school year contains about its annual budget –– for operating Princeton, NJ 08540 $1.2 million as WW-P’s contribu- purposes. Any money beyond that E-mail Newsletter: Subscribe by amount is labeled “excess surplus” sending E-mail to [email protected] Call Joan Today for More Information or to See a Property! © 2012 by Richard K.