Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Happy VVHappy alentine’alentine’alentine’s Day USPS 680020 Published Every Thursday OUR 112th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 23-112 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. Thursday, February 14, 2002 Since 1890 (908) 232-4407 FIFTY CENTS Parking Lot Plans Weighed By Residents, Temple Reps. By DEBORAH MADISON Rabbi Charles Kroloff, Temple as spokesperson for the members of Specially Written for The Westfield Leader President Steve Rosenberg and UNITE. He explained that the resi- The Community Room of the Temple Executive Director Carolyn dents objected to the temple’s pur- Westfield Municipal Building was Shane attended on behalf of the chase of the 1.1 acres residential lot, filled with more than 75 individuals temple. Approximately 25 of UNITE adjacent to the temple, with the in- on Sunday evening, as Westfield resi- were present. Other residents of the tentions of adding 100 parking spaces dents and representatives from temple neighborhood, as well as a to their existing 60-space lot. Temple Emanu-El discussed the small group of interested parties from Councilman Albano stated that a temple’s parking lot expansion plans. outside the area, comprised the bulk parking lot of that size did not belong The meeting was arranged by resi- of the attendees. in a residential neighborhood and dents of the group called UNITE or Second Ward Councilman Mat- would destroy the quality of life, United Neighbors Investigating thew Albano, who is a resident of the depreciate the value of their homes Temple Expansion. neighborhood, opened the meeting and negatively impact safety in their community. The temple has approximately 1,130 member families, which is re- Delay In State Budget portedly the largest membership of any synagogue in New Jersey. Mr. Rosenberg confirmed that the To Have Local Impact temple has entered into a contract with real estate developer Michael By HORACE CORBIN McGreevey until Tuesday, March 26, Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Mahoney to purchase the adjacent to transmit his first state budget to residential property in question, In an apparent move to obtain more the Legislature. Current law provides predicated on town approval. time to cope with the New Jersey that the budget message must be “This proposal will increase drain- state budget shortfall and to deal transmitted to the Legislature by Nermene Simaika for The Westfield Leader age and noise problems, will attract PARTY PRIDE…On Tuesday evening, the Union County Republican Party held its traditional Lincoln Day celebration with impacts of administration February 15 in gubernatorial inau- exhaust and increase serious traffic at The Westwood in Garwood. Several Republican state leaders were in attendance. Pictured, above, former Acting changes, the Legislature has passed guration years. and safety problems,” Mr. Albano Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco accepts the spirited gift of a ceramic elephant, the party’s mascot, while Union County Senate Bill S-671 on an emergency On Monday, February 11, the State stated. He also said that the temple Republican Chairman Ron Frigerio looks on. basis. Assembly passed the bill by a vote of did not testify that they needed an The bill gives Governor James E. 47 to 29. The bill was passed in the additional parking lot during State Senate on January 15 by a vote Westfield Planning Board hearings, of 36 to 0. which occurred several years prior, George Washington and History Council Was Senate Bill S-671 was sponsored when the temple applied for a build- by Senators Wayne R. Bryant and ing expansion. Robert E. Littell, Co-Chairmen of Rabbi Kroloff expressed the To Deliberate the Senate Budget and Appropria- temple’s position that during previ- Are On Trial With The NJEA tions Committee. The bill has been ous planning board hearings, the On Budget, presented to Governor McGreevey temple told the board that their build- By DEBORAH MADISON Sanders has been attempting to get a were to then fund additional por- for his signature and enactment into ing expansion would not increase Specially Written for The Westfield Leader bill passed that would allocate traits, one for every classroom, law. The Governor is expected to membership and would therefore not A controversy over the best meth- $135,000 in state monies to fund one through private sector and corporate Resolutions sign it soon. increase parking needs. However, he ods of teaching traditional American portrait of George Washington for donations. This state delay of budgeting has stated that insufficient parking for By NANCY CROSTA LANDALE resulted in several local ramifica- history has been heating up as the each of New Jersey’s 600 school After the bill passed through two Specially Written for The Westfield Leader the temple has been an issue for more result of a movement to place por- districts to honor the 200th anniver- committees of the State Assembly, tions. Particularly, the date for sub- than 20 years. traits of General George Washington Observing Lincoln’s Birthday mission of state aid details to local He explained that the building ex- sary of the First President’s death. the Educational Committee of the on Tuesday, February 12, the in every classroom in New Jersey Mr. Sanders explained that his in- New Jersey Senate voted against the public school systems has been de- pansion and the parking lot expan- schools. Westfield Town Council held its layed. The delay will cause post- sion were only playing catch-up with tentions were to stimulate a revival bill proposed by Mr. Sanders. He regular weekly meeting last night. As innocuous and positive for edu- of honoring the Founding Fathers believes that the bill was squelched ponement of school board elections their existing membership, which has cation as this proposal sounds, it has As of press time, and accord- and school budget votes. not grown in five years. and serve to remind us of “the ideals, by undue influence on the Senate ing to the agenda drafted for drawn criticism and unlikely oppo- devotion and love of country that Committee by the leadership of the Candidate filings for school board Rabbi Kroloff also expressed that nents from the educational sector. Wednesday’s meeting, the gov- elections were due on Monday, Feb- their chief concerns were the safety were so strongly exemplified by our New Jersey Education Association erning body planned to deliber- Mountainside resident William nation’s first President.” His plans (NJEA), which opposes the project ruary 25. School board budgets can- of their congregants as well as traffic ate on a resolution establishing CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 on baseless grounds, he claimed. the Town of Westfield Redevel- He maintained that since New Jer- opment Agency and designating sey was the crossroads of the Ameri- the council as the Redevelop- can Revolution and a home to George ment Agency as per state statute. Washington’s most heroic accom- This measure is taken in further- plishments, it would be a very posi- ance of the council’s examina- tive example to set for the rest of the tion of land redevelopment to nation for New Jersey to participate address the parking issue. in his proposal. The council was to consider an A spokesperson for the NJEA, ordinance regulating smoking at Karen Josephs, told The Westfield the Memorial Pool Complex. The Leader and The Times of Scotch ordinance includes fines ranging Plains–Fanwood that the NJEA op- from $50 to $100 for a first vio- poses Mr. Sander’s project for sev- lation up to $250 to $500 for eral reasons. three or more violations. First, she contended that merely In addition, the council was hanging portraits in a building would scheduled to discuss a resolution have no educational value. Secondly, increasing the contract price paid she stated that the money could be to Suburban Building Company spent in better ways, especially tak- for the construction of a new ing into account New Jersey’s bud- restroom at Tamaques Park by getary crisis. $14,559.30, to $134,059.30. Finally, she pointed out that sin- Courtesy of William Sanders A resolution for an amended PRESERVING HISTORY…Circa 1999, William Sanders of Mountainside gling out one individual was “insult- temporary budget also was on Brooks Crandall for The Westfield Leader began to establish a program to preserve and value the history of America’s ing to other, equally important his- the agenda. The Local Budget OLD-FASHIONED VALENTINE…Last Sunday, Cubs Scouts learned about founding fathers. Pictured, left to right, are: current State Senator Richard torical figures, which children should Colonial-era valentines at the Miller-Cory House Museum in Westfield. The Act requires a temporary budget program was one of several holiday-themed events which are held at the local Bagger, Mr. Sanders, former Governor Christine Todd Whitman, former also learn about.” to be established when payments Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco, and late State Assemblyman Alan “There are better ways to teach landmark during the year. Costumed docents offer tours of the 1740 farmhouse, Augustine during the insipient phase of the program. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 which showcases how life was in New Jersey two centuries ago. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Westfield School Days Preliminary Public School Calendar - September, 2002 through August, 2003 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1-Sep 2-Sep 3-Sep 4-Sep 5-Sep 6-Sep 7-Sep 8-Sep 9-Sep