Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, March 16, 2006 OUR 116th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 11-2006 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS WF-BOE Sets $79.5 Million Budget Tackles Wilson School Redistricting By MEGHAN GILL plained, “How will we do this? We tion, or using seniority, so that people Specially Written for The Westfield Leader will have to go to the public for money. who are new to the neighborhood WESTFIELD — The board of edu- We will have to vote on it and present would have to move their children to cation adopted a tentative 2006-2007 it to the public. (The funding) will Wilson. school budget of $79,491,415 Tues- have to come from a bond.” In December, Dr. Foley gave school day night. The proposed school tax Chris Dombalis, a Wychwood Road principals a letter that they were to levy is $68,772,526. parent, addressed the board regard- distribute at kindergarten registration, “This budget is the maximum al- ing the letter he received notifying explaining that students may be trans- lowable amount,” Superintendent Dr. him that his soon to be kindergarten ferred to other schools. That letter William Foley said. daughter was “de-selected” from at- was never put forth by school Princi- “There is nothing official regard- tending Wilson School. pal Dr. Andrew Perry to parents of the ing state aid, we will not know any- “This is not redistricting, this is Wilson School district. thing for certain until the end of segregation. I am from Richmond, The board will continue to discuss March, but we are assuming that aid Virginia, as you are Mrs. Riegel, and this year’s proposed budget at its Tues- will be frozen,” Dr. Foley explained. am very aware of segregation,” he day, March 21, meeting. A public hear- Over the course of the next couple said. Mr. Dombalis offered the board ing on the spending plan will be held on of weeks, the board can re-arrange alternative solutions to this process, Tuesday, March 28. All meetings are where funding will be allocated, such as having voluntary redistrict- held in the board’s meeting room in the Board President Anne Riegel said. ing, using a lottery system of selec- Elm Street administrative building. The total budget reflects a 4.06 per- cent increase over last year’s budget or $1,579,003 over last year’s adopted MS Mayor Frustrated Courtesy Jim Lowney, Union County budget. The tax levy is up $2,202,777 PIPING HOT…Union County Police and Fire Pipes and Drums march down Morris Avenue, leading the 10th annual Union over last year’s adopted school levy. County St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 11 in Union. The tax levy was defeated by voters Over Budget Formulation and subsequently lowered $714,543 By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL Mountainside homes has increased. by the town council and approved by Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Because of a 1945 law, money to the BOE. MOUNTAINSIDE – Mayor Rob- libraries arebased on home values. Resident Fears Central, Myrtle A group of concerned parents ad- ert Viglianti expressed frustration This year is the biggest library in- dressed the board regarding plans to Tuesday evening over the formation crease of $62,651. Mayor Viglianti re-district 40 kindergarten students of this year’s budget during the bor- observed that the total increases – from Wilson to Franklin School. Sue ough council agenda setting meeting. which had not been requested by li- Will Become ‘Throughway’ Case of North Euclid Street said, “I The mayor stated that the borough brary trustees or personnel – have By MICHAEL J. POLLACK will become a “throughway.” require litigation to the New Jersey am requesting that the Jefferson cannot formally put together the bud- cost each Mountainside taxpayer an Specially Written for The Westfield Leader The application for 751 Central Superior Court.” school trailer stay in the budget. I get as of yet because officials still do average of $72 to $100 per year. In WESTFIELD – Tuesday’s Avenue, which was “acted upon fa- Fourth Ward Councilman Tom understand that it is a band aid…we not know how much state aid the 2005, the library received $496,000 Westfield council meeting featured a vorably by the planning board,” will Bigosinski asked what the town is have teachers in closets and hallways. borough will receive. He also said he from what he termed as an “ill-writ- discussion on new approved zoning be memorialized in writing at the required to do to put “impacted neigh- It is unacceptable.” was frustrated with all the state man- ten law.” on Central Avenue and its impact on next meeting, as reported by Mr. bors on notice.” Mr. Cockren an- Dr. Foley responded, “I see no need dated increases that he estimates will The mayor stated he was frustrated the residents of Myrtle Avenue. Also, Cockren. Ms. Cosenza asked what swered that neighbors within 200 feet to ask taxpayers to pay for this. We bring a local tax increase of 12 points. with what he described as the unco- the council formally recommended actions could be taken to stop the of the affected property must be noti- need a classroom at Wilson, not a The mayor noted there were major operative attitude from the library. to the planning board a repeal of the zoning and construction. fied by mail. The notice must be pub- trailer at Jefferson. We need to get a increases to the Rahway Valley Sew- He said that other libraries, such as redevelopment plan and the re-adop- Fourth Ward Councilman Jim lished in the newspaper as a legal grip and realize that during major erage Authority (RVSA), as well as Westfield’s, were working with town tion of the 1998 town-zoning map. Foerst said, “There was a lot of oppo- notice 10 days in advance of the hear- changes in enrollment, these things state mandated money going to the officials to solve the problem, whereas Resident Virginia Cosenza of sition to that application – somewhere ing date as well, he noted. happen. A trailer can not replace a Mountainside Public Library. Mr. Mountainside’s library has not. Myrtle Avenue came to Tuesday’s in the range of a dozen to two dozen Third Ward Councilman Dave Haas classroom.” Viglianti said that every year since Councilman Glenn Mortimer, who meeting to draw the council’s atten- people showed up and objected to it. asked if there is an opportunity to Dr. Foley hinted that there might be 2001, funds designated for the library serves as a council liaison to the li- tion to further development in the That would’ve been the first time address the board before a possibility of additional classrooms, from the municipal budget have gone brary board of trustees, said, as of yet, Myrtle Avenue area. Ms. Cosenza opportunity to show opposition. The memorialization “if they believe they and board member Beth Cassie ex- up dramatically as the value of “the committee has not been forth- addressed the board back in Novem- board will meet again on the first have new evidence.” The town attor- coming in any cost savings for the ber concerning Jeff’s Landscaping Monday in April.” Mr. Foerst sits on ney indicated there is an opportunity borough.” He stated, “they have formed and the noise and traffic impact his the board as council liaison. but it is a “pretty high standard for the Planning Bd. Approves Floor a committee to discuss the issue.” business had on the Myrtle Avenue Mr. Cockren said the case “is an board to reopen an application once Other major areas of concern in- community. appeal able result by the interested it’s been heard and the hearing is volving budget increases include po- She remained concerned about new parties to the New Jersey Superior closed. I’ve done this for a long time On Central Avenue Building lice salaries, health insurance costs, development- this time on the corner Court. You have 45 days following before the board of adjustment and in By KEREN SCHULTZ parking spaces. In addition, the ordi- pensions, utilities and gas. During of Myrtle and Central Avenues. Ini- adoption to act.” When asked, he said my experience there were only one or Specially Written for The Westfield Leader nance prohibits parking in the street the past year, investments for the bor- tially, referencing the follow-up on the affected party would be effec- two occasions where it occurred. If WESTFIELD – The planning board side yard; the applicant proposed four ough are “down,” while there also is Jeff’s Landscaping, Town Attorney tively filing a lawsuit against the ap- there’s a mistake in law and some- last Thursday approved an applica- parking spaces. Also, the ordinance “no surplus this year.” Robert Cockren said he and Zoning plicant and the board itself. “It would CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 tion by a developer to add a third floor requires driveways and parking areas In January, the mayor said this year Officer Kathleen Neville met five to a professional building at 751 Cen- be located 10 feet from any property is “the worst set of budget circum- weeks ago approximately to “track tral Avenue. The applicant, 751 Cen- located in a residential zone — the stances facing the borough in my 26 down the relative of the former prop- Mountainside BOE Budget tral Avenue, L.L.C., plans to con- applicant proposed 6.55 feet. years of involvement with the budget.” erty owners.” The three had a confer- struct retail on the first floor, profes- “Almost every commercial build- He had stated that increases from ence call in late January and inter- sional offices on the second floor and ing (on Central Avenue) has vehicles the state and other agencies exceeds viewed the relative.