IT 0123 Pg A1 Yellow Red Blue Black Volume 116 Number 4 THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2003 75 Cents 75 cents Gennaro prepares to take helm at Paper Mill known mainly for its plays and Steppenwolf Theatre Company musicals like the Paper Mill.” jobs.” By Eveline Speedie new works and for its excellence in Chicago. Known for its en- Gennaro stressed his belief in According to Del Rossi, Gen- of The Item in acting. The Paper Mill is semble structure and risk-taking offering works that fit the audi- naro’s primary task will be to ad- Talk about tough acts to known for its plays and new productions, Steppenwolf was ence. He said he intends to meet dress the business aspects of the follow! works and its excellence in musi- founded in 1976 as an ensemble with Del Rossi over the coming theater’s operations. Come mid-April the Paper cal productions. We’re not dis- of nine actors, including Gary months to determine where the “We need to bring ourselves to Mill will find itself with a new similar. I plan to do works that Sinise. theater has been successful in the a full complement of staff, like leader, Michael Gennaro, at the are right for the Paper Mill audi- Gennaro said he is energized past and to learn from those tri- before,” the longtime producer helm. Anticipation is high that ence.” by the prospect of blending the umphs for future decisions. said. Top positions in marketing, Gennaro, the man poised to suc- Gennaro will be coming on Paper Mill’s legacy of musical His first order of business as development and production, ceed Angelo Del Rossi as chief board following the theater’s na- theatrical productions with the CEO will be to fill the marketing and the posts of general manager executive officer of the more tionwide search for a new presi- acting strengths of Steppenwolf. and development positions that and artistic director have been than 60-year-old theater, will dent and CEO. Del Rossi will “It would be exciting to bring have been vacant and to get to vacant for a long time, Del Rossi make some radical changes. continue as executive producer Steppenwolf actors and directors know the theater staff, he said. added. Not necessarily, he says. and president through July, when to do work at the Paper Mill,” he “With the other appointments, Gennaro will be charged with “It’s all too premature and he will become president emeri- said. “For example, doing some- we’ll see who’s there,” Gennaro enhancing the theater’s budget anyway, this is not Steppenwolf tus. thing like ‘All My Sons.’ I see it said. “I believe in teamwork and consciousness when making pro- East in the making,” Gennaro The new CEO leaves a posi- as a merger. Nobody does plays communication and in giving duction decisions. As a nonprofit Michael Gennaro said Friday. “Steppenwolf is tion as executive director of the like we do. And nobody does everybody a chance to do their Continued on Page 21 Audit says town in New rules solid fiscal form for sports officers qualified their work, ex- in works By Anne L. Malyska plaining that they examined fi- of The Item nancial statements based on test- By Harry Trumbore Auditors came before the town- ing, or sampling, according to a of The Item ship Tuesday night and reported letter signed by Robert G. positively on its fiscal condition. Rooney, a registered municipal At its meeting scheduled for The report, provided by De- accountant with Deloitte & Monday night, the Board of Ed- loitte & Touche, showed the Touche. They assessed account- ucation is expected to vote on an township was in compliance both ing principles and evaluated the amendment to its policy regard- financially and with state law for township’s financial statements. ing conduct at athletic events. its dealings through Dec. 31, Gordon said auditors also ex- The amendment directs the 2001. As such, the report did not amined the township’s internal school superintendent and the find inconsistencies and did not financial controls, such as athletic director of township make any recommendations for whether the municipal depart- schools to draft regulations that the municipal government itself. ments provide receipts for finan- include specific penalties for vio- “It’s great when you have no cial transactions (they do, lating the district’s code of con- audit findings, which I expected Gordon said) and if purchase duct at sporting events. Code and anyway,” said township Busi- orders are signed by the appro- penalties apply to athletes, ness Administrator Timothy priate officials (they are, Gordon coaches, officials and spectators. Gordon. “But sometimes they said, by him, the chief finance The wording being considered will, and you want to make officer and a department head). by the board is essentially the those corrections. Auditors also may test finan- same as first drafted this autumn “The audits here have been cial soundness by reviewing re- when school boards across the pretty good,” Gordon continued. ceipts and verifying payment state began reassessing their “It’s like going to the doctor and amounts with individual resi- codes of conduct in response to getting a clean bill of health.” dents, checking records in the fi- state legislation. A bill signed by Representatives from Deloitte nance office against records in Gov. James McGreevey at that & Touche apparently visited mu- another department or looking time encouraged school boards nicipal offices last spring. While for material evidence of stated and youth organizations to estab- they routinely head to depart- purchases, Gordon said. lish a policy regarding behavior ments that deal with large sums of Rooney commented on the at sporting events and to explore money—such as the tax collec- level of assistance that Millburn ways to enforce such policies. tor’s office and the assessor’s provided them. “We pretty much do every- office—their visits to other depart- “In our judgement, we had the thing they suggest,” Ted D’- ments are at random and unan- full cooperation of the town- Alessio, the district’s athletic di- nounced, Gordon said. No one ship’s management staff,” rector said this week. knows where audit officers will Rooney said to the Township The Northern Hills Confer- visit and what they will check. Committee Tuesday night. Photo by Tyson Trish ence, in which the high school “The element of surprise is The Deloitte & Touche letter CHASING THE PUCK—Jamie Harrison (32) of Millburn High School battles Montclair participates, already has a spec- one (reason),” Gordon said, “and goes on to say audit officers be- Kimberley Academy’s Will Connolly (15) for possession of the puck during the teams’ Jan. tators’ code of conduct that is to make sure people are on their lieved their work served as a 15 game at Clary Anderson Arena in Montclair. The Millers came out on the short end of posted at the school’s gym and toes is another.” sound basis on which to form a 4-2 score. See Page 17 for more photos. included in game programs and Presenting their findings, audit Continued on Page 27 Continued on Page 27 S. Mountain upgrade In the public eye... could wrap-up early Republicans promote Kean Jr. pears unrealistic. To meet it, he Monday of his goals and that of sembly. He asked to be permitted By Harry Trumbore By Eveline Speedie his party. to make a motion at the start of said, work would have to have of The Item of The Item started “yesterday.” Having sponsored or co-spon- the Assembly session on Jan. 23, While detailed plans to expand Four new classrooms are This story is the first in a series sored more than 130 bills during his last day in that office, so that classroom space at all district el- slated to be built at the school, of articles on elected officials his time in office, Kean apparent- a vote could be heard. ementary schools await final but South Mountain is the only who serve this township. ly is a hard-working Assembly- Sires responded that the bill state approval, the Board of Edu- school where additions will Republican leaders in the 21st man. Raising the specter of parti- would not be posted and wished cation at its Jan. 13 meeting be made inside the facility, not District stood solidly behind san politics, however, he admit- Kean luck in the state Senate. moved its building program for- outside. Thomas H. Kean Jr. last Thurs- ted one of his main objectives Sires referred to McGreevey’s ward by hiring Turner Construc- “There are no foundations to day at a special election conven- has eluded him. statement during the State-of- tion Co. to manage the projects. do,” said South Mountain princi- tion, thereby earmarking him as The new Senator faulted De- the-State speech Jan. 14 that the Of all five schools, South pal Patricia McFall on a recent a much-needed standard bearer mocrats for foiling his chances bill was too weak. The Speaker Mountain School will be the one tour of the lower level. “It’s rela- in the state for their party. of achieving one of his top goals said in his letter to Kean that the to benefit most quickly from tively self-contained.” Kean won the unanimous sup- since elected to office—cam- General Assembly would be “ad- planned construction; voters ap- Pointing to rows of old pianos port of his fellow Republicans in paign finance reform. dressing campaign finance proved a referendum in Septem- and piles of obsolete electronic his bid to fill the unexpired seat In one of his last acts while in reform this year in a more com- ber to fund the elementary equipment, she said the empty in the state Senate of Richard H.