The Franklin nEWSy, RECORD Franklin’s Oldest CommunityNewspaper .vOid~s, NO. 30 TWOSECTIONS-26 PAGES SOMERSET,NEWJERSEY 08873, THURSDAY, IULY26. 1973Office phone 725-3300 seco,dat somer,t.clasSpostageN.j, ee~73.ald 10 CENTSPER COPY- $4.50 PERYEAR Hooper Town Council Battles On Goes Down Assessor Inquiry Whohoots for Hooper?Cer- out on narrowrural roads like The regular Tuesdaynight .indicatedto himthat no meetinghadevidence to dismissPayne. I tainly not.. the FranklinTown- CanalRoad were also cited by Township Council Agenda could take place here which believethey are nowstalling and ship Boardof Adjustment,which the boardas reasonsfor turning session took on the air of an excludedother councilmen¯Our waiting for information from declinedlast Thursdayto granta downthe variance. The beard inquest this weekas several organization code does not sucha committeeto decidetheir variance to the Hackensack pointed out that suitable land councilmenattempted to squelch supersedethe FaulknerAct. I case." developerfor the constructionof zoned for such a project was a moveby the newly-installed wasspecifically_ asked to leave "If the committeereports a 2,M2-unit apartment and available in other areas of the Taxpayer-endorsedcouncilmen the meetingwhen I walk~in," exist, like Nixea’sfiles they can shoppingcomplex at Canaland township. to investigate Tax Assessor said Dr. Driver¯ be subpoenaed, and we don’t SuydamRoads in the Griggstown Mr.Hooper however, wants his RogerPayne: . Whenquestioned by Dr. Driver evenhave executive privilege," area of the township, project built on the land he The heated battle centered on the oature of that meeting, quippedMr. Cullen,adding that ButMr.Hooper, after spending already owns.He has stated be arounda resolution drawnup by Mr. Burgergrimly replied that the publichas a rightto a hearing 16 months and t0 hearings paid about$9,000 an acrefor the the newcouncilmen which aims the discussionhad coveredthe also if the committeefound fighting for the variance, has CanalRoad property. at setting up a committeeto positionof RogerPayne. Asked if evidenceof inequities in Mr¯ promisedto appeal the zoning Askedwhether the Franklin study assessmentsmade by Mr¯ the ceunci]mendiscussed firing Payne’swork. board’sdecision "all the wayto Citizensfor OrderlyPlanning, a Payne during his 1972 tax Mr. Payne,Mr¯ Burger replied Charles Burger read from the SupremeCourt." Hehas 45 citizens groupinstrumental in reevaluation.Theresolutiancites,,yes.,, roughnotes he hadtaken at the daysto file an appealat Superiorraising testimonyagainst the as a reason that "numerous Whencouncilman Joseph June 26 meetingat Dr. Driver’s Courtin Somerville. Hoopervariance, would take any taxpayers believe there are Martinosaidthequestioningwasdirection. Thenotes indicated. It tookthe beardof adjustmentactionif the developerappeals in manyinequities in assessments out of order, Dr. Driversnapped that the manager had been five pagesand about two dozen court, ThomasJamlson, attorney as a result of the revaluation," Themeet ng of the 26thwas out directed to informallyrequest reasons to unanimouslyturn for FCOP,said the grouphad not and asks that a TaxRevaluation of order." RogerPayne to resign, but notto downthe variance. Amongthe yet madeany decision. Hadthe Investigation Committeestudy Dr¯Martino went on to state he do this before seeking legal’ reasonsgiven in the resolution variancebeen granted, said Mr. "all pertinentfacts withregards hadasked Dr¯ Driver to leavethe advice¯ for the denial werethe lack of Jamison,the group wouldhave to the TaxAssessor’s office and meetingof June26th because Dr. Mr.Cullen said the councilwas specific plans for seweringthe promptlymet to decide whether recent revaluation,"giving the Driver wasdrinking a beer and seeking legal advice at that area of the ModelTown¯ Mr. to sueto upsetthe zoningboard’s council a progress report not he didn’tthinkDr. Driver should meeting,in co-ordinationwith ,~ Hooper claims he has a vote. more than 90 days after the have beer in the agendaroom. the manager¯Dr¯ Driver noted guarantee fromSouthBrunswick FCOPwas formed for the resolution¯ Dr. Driversaid pointedlythat he that the councilconsisted not of to tie intotheir sewerlines for the initial purposeof blockingthe Republicancouncilman John had seen several of the court- seven menbut of nine¯ After Middlesex County treatment Hoopervariance, accordingto Cuilen, one of the three coun- cllmen present at the meeting more .arguing between the plant, althoughmembers of the past statementsby its members. cilmen whotried at the last drinkingbeer. councilmen,they votedto place South Brunswick committee But the grouphasn’t stoppedto publicmeeting to bait discussion MayorAttillo Lattanziosaid, the resolutionto formthe corn- disavowany knowledgeof such .rest on its laurels, accordingto on the resolution, started the how.ever,thatDr. Driver had left mittee on Thursday night’s an agmemefit. ConnieWoodford, a memberof matter off by requestingAndre the Junemeeting on his ownwtll. agenda despite Dr¯ Driver’s Thezoning board also cited the group¯ Gruber, acting township at- "Youguys¯ aren’t willing to objections. lack of specific plans for the "We’rekeeping track of the torney,to removeportions of the allow RogerPayne an honest, "Wewant to showthe public proposed school or shopping cases on the zoning board’s Up,and away they whirl on theroller coasterat theSomerset Carnival. The Chamber OfCommerce - resolution whichhe felt would fair hearing," charged Dr. this is a workingcouncil," center complex,buildings which agenda," she noted. "FCOP sponsoredevent began Tuesday and will continuethrough this Sundayat the EastonAvenue leavethe townopen to litigation¯ Driver."If youare sincere,pass remarkedMayor Lattanzio. weretoo long, and too great a After a numberof technical a resolutionasking the state to Alsoslatedfor tonight’s council wants to keep a close eye on ShoppingCenter. Hours will be 7 to 10:30p.m. tonight and Friday, 11 a.m. to 10p.m. on Saturday, changesin the resolution had give him an early hearing. He density for the area whichis future developmentin Franklin, andnoon to 6 p¯m¯on Sunday. agendais the formation of a presently zoned rural- andwe’ll be readyin a momentff ¯ been dickered over, former didn’task for the delaysand his TransportationCommittee which ¯ agricultural. Theboard also felt anything comesup. We’revery mayor, Richard Driver, credentials are beingseriously willlookintomeansofimproving the project wouldviolate the please the zoningboard made a unleashedhis bombshell.Citing questionedas a tax assessor.He publictransit in Franklinfor both Delaware~RaritanCanal, which concertedeffort to follow the the Faulkner Act which deservesto be beard." ¯ the schoolsand the public. is not onlya state andnational MasterPlan and upholdit by not designates powers to Actingattorney AndreGruber The long-awaited rent historicsite but also a sourceof grantingvariances to areas not municipalitiesfrom the State of said be didn’t feel there was stabilization bill, revisedand drinking water for 46 corn- zonedaccording to it¯" NewJersey, Dr. Driver pointed anythingillegal in presentinga annotatedby ;’ouecllmanNelson munitiesin three counties. Mrs¯ Woodford said the It’s Carnival Time! out that councilmenwho request resolution to set up an in- and Hugh MacDonald,a con- Traffic problemswhich might citizens’ group was devoting the dismissal of municipalem- vestigatingcommittee. "It’s just cernedtownship resident, will be have arisen whenthe expected mostof its presentnfforts toward ployes are subject to removal a requestfor meto determinethe up for discussionby the council¯ 8,000residents of the completedtheir upcomingcountry festival themselvesfrom office underthe legalityof havingan inquiry,"be Alsoexpected to be the subject complextriedtotaketheircars inSeptember. provisionsof the FaulknerAct said; of a discussionwill be a proposed ’ (Photos by Doug "Nevi.s) concerning council-manager "i’m not sure we’reputting School Resource Officer ¯ : .......... ¯ . municipalgovernment such as everything on the table con- Programwhich involves placing Franklinhas presently, cerningthe June26th meeting, " a policemanin Franklin High "May I remind you, gen- counteredDr. Driver.’I believe Schoolin a counselingposition. Sewers MayGet ............... llemen,of yourmeeting of June that at. that meetingseveral Several councilmenand school 26,1973,"said Dr¯Driver. "If you councilmenrequested that Roger boardmembers have made trips canapply the FaulknerAct to set Payeeand. one other township to towns which have similar up a committeeto investigate employeebe dismissed." programsin Arizona,Michigan Federal Assistance Mr. Payne, this article on Dr. Driver also asked what andCalifornia¯ dismissal of employesalso ap- wouldhappen if the court sub- CouncilmanNorman Fisher Housing and Urbanhad been assi~;ned it andthe plies." poenaedfindings of the TaxIn- raised someobjections to the DevelopmentUndersecretary estimatedgrant amount was Dr. Drivercalled the June26 vesligatien Committeefor Mr. SROproposal. FloydHyde is investigatingthe $881,000. meeting a "private, secret Payne’shearing. "The schoolsarelookingfora possibilityof grantingall formal Themeeting this week was the meeting which excluded "I’ll be damnedif I will give fall guywhere they’ve failed in approvalsfor H.U.D.funding to latestactivity inthe Sewerage Democratsbut included in- any committeereport to Sidney discipline. They’regrasping at the FranklinTownship Sewerage Authority’squestfor federal aid cumbent Republicans straws