ecor* Vdl. 11, No. 36 Thursday, September 12,1996 A Forbes Newspaper 50 cents j Briefs School board Stray cat attacks youngsters sets public meeting The Westfiekt Board or Edu- cation will hold a public meet- Parents upset with township after children undergo rabies shots ing 8 pjn. ..esday in the boardroom. 302 Elm St •y manmrz from the park. Before the department took the second attack was not the fault of the Meanwhile, as a precaution, both children Acting Superintendent of THE RECORD action, however, the cat attacked a 2-year- department began a cycle of rabies vaccination shots. Schools David Tuller will report old boy in the same spot on the evening of "After the first report came in, the secre- The cycle consists of five shots, which must on the results of the 1995 Scho- Two children were attacked by a stray cat Aug. 28. tary made a note of the attack, but by the be administered into the muscle. The girl's lastic Aptitude Test and the in Tamaques Park last week, and the actions The parents of the children feel the sec- time the inspector noted it, another bite was father called the shots, which each cost High School Proficiency scores taken by the Health Department have left ond attack could have been prevented if the reported," he said. around $150, 'Very adult size" and said four of Westfleld students. There their parents questioning the department's department took speedy action. The cat was picked up early the morning people had to hold down his daughter while will also be a review of the priorities. "I have concern that a second case oc- after the second bite was reported and they were administered. 1995-96 school performance ob- A 2-year-old girl was bitten by the cat, curred after complaint was taken," the sec- placed under quarantine, where it would be While health officials feel administering jectives as outlined in the Qual- which made its home under a park swing ond victim's mother said. 'The cat should monitored for symptoms of rabies. The incu- the shots before the cat exhibits symptoms ity Assurance Annual Reports, set, Aug. 27. Immediately after the attack, have been found immediately." bation period is usually 10 days, but theis an unnecessary precaution, both parents which will include a presenta- her parents contacted the Health Depart- Health Official Robert M. Sherr, who was girl's father requested it be extended to 14 were not willing to take the chnncc. tion of new objectives. ment in an effort to have the cat removed on vacation at the time of the incidents, said days. (Please tum to page A-2) The Facilities Committee will give an update on construction at Wilson and Jefferson el- ementary schools. Council The meeting is open to the public with time allotted for cit- izen input approves Back-to-school nights planned downtown Parents and guardians of stu- dents in the public schools are invited to attend back-to-school night at their children's schools. directors Thtf following schedule has been announced: • Sept 19: Jefferson School, 7:30 p.m.; Wilson School, kin- THE RECORD dergarten, 7:30 p.m.; The Town Council made another • Sept 25: Edison Intermediate step Tuesday night in its effort to School, 7 pm.; Washington rejuvenate the downtown area's School, second-fifth grade*, 7:90 historical quality, while also guid- p.m.; ing it into the 21 st century, • Sept 26: Westfteki High At its meeting, the council unan- School, 7;3O p.m.; imously approved the Downtown Committee's recommendation for • Oct. 2: McKinley School kin- the members uf the first Board of dergarten-third grades, 7 pjn.; Directors of the Westfloki Down- fourth-Qflh grades, t:90 pjn.; town Corporation, the management Wilson School, third-fifth corporation that will function in grades, 7:15 p.m.; first-second the Special Improvement District grades, 8 pm; Properties in this district, which in- • Oct. 3: Roosevelt Intermedi- cludes the central downtown area, ate School, 7 p.m.; Tamaques will be taxed to fUnd the corpora- School, 7*30 pm.; tion. The amount of the tax has not • Oct. •: Franklin School, first been determined. second grades, 7:30 p.m.; In addition to Councilman NeU • Oct 10: Franklin School, Sullivan, who will represent the third-fifth grates, 7 JO son. Town Council, the board will con- sist of two property owners, two Choral art group butintiis operators and two resi- dents. Twenty-six applications beglm rehearsals were filed with the committee to The Choral Ait Society fill the six civilian spots. New Jersey has begun Before naming the recommenda- Day qffirsts tions, Mayor Oarland "Bud" Potential members and solo- Boothe briefly discussed the com- ista ant welcome to audition in •Jgy of 9vnvoi Wai nti| nsw nsiBm* UTISM mittee's selection process. September and January. Re- MofUry and Thomai Rtlaton show th«4r cl«««room JmifMte lo Mt. "We interviewed all 26 for about hearaals are held • pjn. each 15 minutes each over four eve- Tuesday at Presbyterian nings. During these interviews, we Church, Weetfiekt After attend- sought to develop with each ap- ing a rehearsal, interested sing- plicant the extent of knowledge Town wages war on Mindowaskin rats about downtown issuirs, iu well as ers may make arrangements for perceptions of what the t>roblems an audition with Thomas The exterminator will check the park regu- Booth, musical director. might be and whnt the solution* "HopeAilty, It won't take long for larly to make sure the bait is being accepted may be." The Choral Art Society is a TtltftGOORD and to check the status of the population. Ad- community chorus of avoca- Tony Annese, a purtner in Den- If you're spending time in Mindowaskin Park the rats to eat the bait." ditional poison will be added as needed. ton Management, which owns And UonaJ singers whose member- "Hopefully, it won't take long for the rats to ship comes from 29 towns in in the next few weeks and notice some rats — Robert M. Shetr rehabilitates properties in West- making their home there, don't be alarmed. eat the bait," Mr. Sherr said. field, and Joseph S[«><-U>r, the Union, Essen and Middlesex Health official The bait dispensers, which have been In- counties. The Health Department is giving the pork's owner and o(**rator of 'Hie leader newest resident* the boot. stalled throughout the park, will not be a threat Store, will nerve tho inU?n>»te of The following events are to humans, Mr. Sherr added planned for the season: Immediately after last week's two vermin dltional fuod sources. pr«t*'rty OWIHTH tm tlw* txwtrd. sightings in the park, which buffers Town Hall, Part of the problem, said Mr. Sherr, is the "They are constructed so that children end Merchants' intcrcsta will rvprt' • Friday, Dec 13 - annual pets cannot tamper with them, only the rats Community ilng-along: Han- trie Health Department contacted its extermi- rats are finding an array of food sources in the sented through (Jerri (tildes, owner can get into them," he said. of JUXUI|MMM< (Jallfry, urn I Ted del's Mtmiah. nators. Health Official Robert M. Sherr said. park, including excess garbage, insects and Exterminators from the West Orangi*-baa«d food intended for the geese. Rats are unlikely to carry rubies, but they do SchloBtierK, the director of th« New • Saturday, Jan. IB - Men carry disease. So until the bait begins to work Jersey Workshop for the Arts on dalasohn's EHkih Nationwide Termite and Pest Control Inc. have "When the animals have other ways to get inspected for signs of rodents and plnceri poi- loud, what we see is the bait takes longer to and the rats disappear from Mindowaakin Park, Etut Ilrond Street. Itpnldi'nts Jen- • Saturday, April 12 — Han Mr. Sherr advises parkgoers to avoid the ruts nifer Ciirlsori .Iitni/.fl-jki mid Jph del's Jtphtha. son bait throughout the park. Mow long the bait take," Mr. Sherr said. takes to have an effect depends on a series of He encourages parkgoers to reduce the and report any sightings to the Health Depart- nlfcr Meeker Sutmnn will also • Saturday, May 17 •••• a con- ment. nerve on the IMKIKI. cert of a oappella works. factors. amount of litter and to not feed the geese. The Health Department strive* to keep the The Duwnttnvn (iimmittee, For more information, call The elimination of rats from the park will "These are Canadian geese and when they town pest population at a minimum, Mr. Shtftr which in <IHII|X««I of Kathryn Cluratak at 23S-04S5. depend on the »im of the population, the ac- are getting fed so readily, they become resi- ceptance of th<t bait and the amount of ml- dent* They're also a nuisance at the site." said. W tin ti l<> puiitt A 2) Community Players schedule shows Season * memberships for WHS graduate writing for TV sitcom Westfleld Community Playeni (WCP) are available for |90. In- Ms. Shlekl* -- s bmutlful but eluding the John Giuwnor Ploy can't really make a living as n cluded in trw fee Is tnw ticket By NAMMBffl nhelteretl young woman who wriUng Contest In 19»8 and the playwright. And H'» nkv to mm for each of t)w> fbur shows of Htruggled to achieve independence Bam Theater Pluywritlng Contest your wrwk broadcnHt." the season. whlk* writing * ctilumn for a hip in 10*3. After working for Nickelodeon, Shows scheduled fur this ana- Having a Job yuu ktvv t* one of tht> greatest MtiRfactkms in life Him FVnnciM-o magarJnv.