The Westfield— Serving the Town Since 1890 — Leader USPS 680020 Published OUR 109th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 49-99 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. Thursday, December 9, 1999 Every Thursday 232-4407 FIFTY CENTS Health Board Recommends Fluoridating Town’s Water By DEBORAH MADISON Westfield’s Municipal Building to thought fluoridation was worth pur- and KIM KINTER gauge residents’ response, but no suing, but found out that there are Specially Written for The Westfield Leader residents attended. many communities being serviced by The Westfield Regional Board of But following a lengthy discussion the same Elizabethtown Water Com- Health unanimously passed a resolu- by health board members and a pre- pany line and that if one community tion Monday recommending that sentation by an Elizabethtown Water decided to have its water supply fluo- Westfield’s Mayor and Town Coun- Company representative, it was de- ridated, then every community would cil pursue fluoridation of the town’s cided fluoridation of local water have to receive the added fluoride as water supply. should be pursued. well. The tap water which town resi- Mayor Jardim, contacted prior to Currently, Elizabethtown Water dents now receive does not have fluo- the meeting, said fluoridation is ac- Company provides fluoridation to ride added to it, and Mayor Thomas tually a matter that he began looking municipalities west and south of its C. Jardim and the regional Board of into about two years ago, when local Bridgewater plant, but not to the 27 Health have been collaborating in an residents asked him if the water was municipalities east of the plant, ac- investigation of the possibility of fluo- fluoridated. When he found out the cording to Anthony Matarazzo, Man- ridating the water supply for the last water was not, he contacted the Board ager of Environmental Affairs for year. of Health for the board’s viewpoint Elizabethtown Water. A public hearing was held Mon- on fluoridation. The towns west and south of day in the Community Room of Board of Health members said they Bridgewater that currently receive fluoride are on different lines and A PAGE OUT OF HOLIDAY HISTORY…Members of the Yuletide Carolers entertained shoppers on December 4 as they strolled throughout downtown Westfield dressed in Dickens-era garb. Pictured, left to right, are: Susie Paplo, Greg Martz, were supplied by different water com- Christopher Bentivenga and Luisa Sauter. panies before being taken over by Elizabethtown Water, Mr. Matarazzo stated. When Elizabethtown took over Rec. Commission Accepts Group’s those water companies, they contin- ued to fluoridate those lines. “The distribution system to towns Changes to Park and Pool Plans east of Bridgewater is interconnected; By DEBORAH MADISON The audience of more than 60 resi- 5: adding boulders or gates to pre- the communities cannot be isolated Specially Written for The Westfield Leader because they all receive their water dents gave the Recreation Commis- vent vehicle access to the fields, and The Westfield Recreation Com- sion a rousing round of applause for 6: Renovating the existing parking supply from the same line,” Mr. mission Monday night voted 5-4 in Matarazzo explained. their favorable vote. The lot to incorporate 90 more spaces by favor of accepting the subcommittee’s subcommittee’s report was presented adding a row of parking along North For this reason, all 27 municipali- recommendations for amendments ties would have to unanimously agree during the commission’s regular Scotch Plains Avenue and an addi- to proposed plans to expand Memo- monthly meeting. tional row along the tennis courts, to fluoridate, according to Mr. rial Park and Pool. Matarazzo. The original commission proposal, which leaves a larger buffer zone Voting in favor of approving the which included extensive renovations between the lot and existing property Mayor Jardim wrote letters in Au- subcommittee’s modified renovations gust and September to all of the other to the Memorial Park and to Memo- lines. were Tom Cusimano, Robert Smith, rial Pool met with strong opposition The subcommittee’s recommenda- 26 communities, asking if they would Melvyn Coren, Chairman Dr. be interested in pursuing the matter. from area residents who claimed that tions for Memorial Pool included: 1: Seymour Koslowsky and Peter the proposed project would adversely Eliminating the proposed adult wad- David B. Corbin for The Leader Besides Westfield, the communi- Echausse. THEY HAVE THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT…The female barbershop quartet, ties that do not have fluoride added to encroach too close to their proper- ing pool and not moving the existing Escape, sang “Santa Baby” with heart and soul at the office of The Westfield The four Commission members ties. fence any closer to West Broad Street their water include Bound Brook, Clark, who voted against accepting the rec- Leader on December 4. Pictured, left to right, are: Georgette Chrystal of Scotch Cranford, Dunellen, Edison, Elizabeth, The subcommittee, which con- property lines; 2: Keeping the play- Plains, Shayna Atkinson of Berkeley Heights, Susan Schuman of Fanwood and Fanwood, Garwood, Green Brook, Hill- ommendations were Debra Judd, Sal sisted of three area residents, three ground equipment in its current lo- Michelle Metallo of Hillsborough. The quartet’s performance was part of the side, Kenilworth, Linden, Middlesex, Antonelli, Janis Fried Weinstein and commission members and one sports cation; 3: Reducing as much con- “Welcome Home to Westfield” festivities offered by the Westfield Area Cham- Jonathan Jones. league representative, met several crete as is reasonably possible in and ber of Commerce and the Downtown Westfield Corporation. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 times to make modifications to the around the proposed water slide and original proposal in order to make lap pool; 4: Incorporating a diving the plans more acceptable to area tank; 5: Maintaining the current con- Opponent of ShopRite Construction Decides residents. figuration of the main pool and in- The subcommittee’s modification cluding entry steps on both shallow recommendations for Memorial Park sides, and 6: Keeping the volleyball were as follows: 1: Including igloo- court in its current location. Not to Appeal Recent Superior Court Ruling shaped backstops with winged fences Two items that were left undecided By KIM KINTER decided not to appeal a recent Supe- decided not to appeal the decision of Village Supermarkets still has not for all four ball fields; 2: Eliminating by the subcommitte because of lack Specially Written for The Westfield Leader rior Court decision to allow the build- Superior Court Judge Edward W. purchased the property where the proposed Drake Place parking of a consensus of the seven members, One of the attorneys representing a ing of the grocery store. Begin, Jr. Judge Beglin ruled on Westfield Lumber and Home Center lot; 3: Eliminating the proposed included whether to move ballfield local resident opposing the construc- William Butler, a Westfield attor- October 14 that the Garwood Plan- now sits. hockey area; 4: Incorporating a drain- No. 3 back towards the woods and age substrate into the athletic fields; tion of a large ShopRite supermarket ney representing Garwood resident ning Board had been right in grant- Norman Sevell, owner of Sevell CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 on North Avenue in Garwood has John Weidel, said that his client has ing approval in 1995 to Village Su- Towing of Westfield and who also permarkets of Springfield to con- owns the Westfield Lumber and Home struct a grocery store on North Av- Center property, filed a lawsuit last Parents Alerted After enue. summer claiming that the supermar- Addition for Temple Both Mr. Butler and Brian Fahey, ket chain had not lived up to its a Westfield attorney who represents promise of making monthly payments Dr. and Mrs. Ulf Dowling also of to Mr. Sevell. Student Is Approached Westfield, have until Thursday, De- Edwin J. McCreedy, an attorney Ok’d by Planning Bd. cember 16, to file an appeal to the with McCreedy & Cox of Cranford By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL that face adjacent residences should state New Jersey Superior Court- who is representing Mr. Sevell in the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader be tinted; installing blinds on all Appellate Division. case, explained that in 1994-1995, In a unanimous decision Monday windows that face residents; design- By Stranger in Vehicle Mr. Butler said his client made a Mr. Sevell indicated to Village Su- evening, the Westfield Planning ing a new curb to help alleviate drain- By SUZETTE F. STALKER The individual who approached the decision on December 1 that an ap- permarkets that he thought that he Board approved a major site plan for age problems in residents’ backyards; Specially Written for The Westfield Leader student remained in his car, but rolled peal would not be filed. He said that had waited long enough for his prop- Temple Emanu-El on East Broad placing shields on all air condition- Westfield public school officials down the window and told the child, there were a number of reasons for erty to be sold and that he wanted out Street to put a second story on the ing units and redesigning the issued an alert to parents, students “Get in the car. Your mother wants the decision, but that they were con- of the agreement. school portion of the building. headwall on the temple’s southwest and staff members this week after me to drive you home because it’s too fidential and could not be revealed. He had been under an agreement to Representatives for the temple, corner drain to keep it from clogging, receiving a report that an unidenti- wet.” Mr. Fahey has not returned re- sell the property since 1992. including Rabbi Charles A. Kroloff, pending approval of Town Engineer fied man attempted to coax an el- She said the child ignored the peated phone calls on whether or not At that time, Village Supermar- who first presented the temple’s pro- Kenneth B.