Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, December 21, 2006 OUR 116th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 51-2006 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS Horace R. Corbin, Fred K. Lecomte and Benjamin B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED (June 1)...Active and retired servicemen and women march in Westfield’s annual Memorial Day parade; CLASS OF 2006 (June 8)...Members of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School senior class spell out their graduating year at the school’s annual Senior Day; HILLCREST (June 22)...Hillcrest Academy South is located at Lincoln School on Westfield Avenue in Westfield, with Kehler Stadium visible in the background. The Westfield Board of Education opted to not renew the lease of Lincoln School to Hillcrest, operated by the Union County Educational Services Commission (UCESC). The State Education Commission gave the UCESC until the end of the 2007 school year to vacate the building; THE KID IN THE HAT (March 9)...Children at Tamaques Elementary School in Westfield dress up in Dr. Seuss hats as part of the school’s second-annual Read-a-Thon. Lancaster Ltd. Closes; Choye and Petix Retire; Freeholders Scrap Ponderosa Plan; SP and Cops Settle Reverse Discrimination Lawsuit JANUARY Avenue and extensive structural dam- sex offenders from residing or loiter- charges following a disciplinary hear- questioned about the source of those MARCH Westfield age to apartments on the second and ing within 2,500 feet of any school, ing. Detective Chambers was charged credentials. Mr. Mukherji was previ- Westfield The year kicked off with United third floors. park, playground, recreation area, day with trying to have a ticket voided for ously indicted by a state grand jury in The Downtown Westfield States Attorney Christopher Christie Scotch Plains care facility or school bus stop. her son and for lying during an inter- November of 2005 on charges of stalk- Corporation’s (DWC) downtown im- swearing in Mayor Andy Skibitsky. Randolph Brause, who has served Mountainside nal investigation by the Westfield ing two women, witness provement plan in- The mayor emphasized the importance as the public defender for the past six Councilmen Keith Turner was sworn Police Department. The official tampering, burglary and cludes work on the of communicating with him through years, was appointed town prosecu- in for a new term. He has been a charges against her were false swear- contempt of court. South Avenue station his Saturday office hours, controlling tor and Thomas Russo councilman for 16 ing, official misconduct, neglect of Mountainside square, Central Av- development, improving traffic and was appointed public years. Assemblyman duty, striking a summons from the After 16 years of ser- enue corridor, integra- pedestrian safety, along with promot- defender. Alice Agran Jon Bramnick swore in record, conduct unbecoming an em- vice to Mountainside, tion of parking lot im- ing continued observation of town hot and Ken Greenman Councilman Paul ployee and attempt to use authority to Borough Clerk Judy provements, pedes- spots. Town council members were were reappointed to the Mirabelli to his new control or modify another employee’s Osty announced her re- trian walkways, new sworn in as well. Judges John Toriello, planning board for four- term. Mr. Mirabelli was action. Detective Chambers was of- tirement effective street lighting fixtures, John Boyle, Douglas Fasciale and year terms and Ken named council presi- fered, and accepted, her job back start- March 31. She was re- brick pavers, new trees William Wertheimer swore in First Anderson and James dent for 2006, his 10th ing February 21. placed by Martha De protected by iron fenc- Ward Councilman Sal Caruana, Sec- Fawcett were reap- year as a councilman. Edward Trancinna retired after Jesus. ing and a downtown ond Ward Councilwoman Vicki pointed to the zoning The BOE passed a serving as the Westfield Blue Devils Garwood sidewalk replacement Kimmins, Third Ward Councilman board of adjustment for motion to charge $175 football coach for 19 years. He con- The borough’s new plan. Representing the David Haas and Fourth Ward Council- four-year terms. per month for each pre- tinues to serve as athletic director. Chief of Police, Will- William Legg town council on the man Tom Bigosinski. The state Department school student who is Authorities continued their inves- iam Legg, was sworn in by Mayor DWC, First Ward Councilman Sal At its first meeting of the year, the of Transportation “non-disabled.” Previ- tigation into the theft of the collection Dennis McCarthy. Chief Legg re- Caruana said, “The finance commit- board of education began discussing (DOT) awarded a CLOSING DOWN (Febru- ously, the pre-school money from St. Helen’s Roman places outgoing Chief Dennis Lesak, tee is going to recommend that the selling the Elm Street administrative $175,000 grant that will ary 2)…David Sutter, owner program for three and Catholic Church, totaling some who announced his retirement after council adopt the first phase of the building and moving the staff to Lin- be used for roadway of Lancaster, Ltd, on Elm four-year-olds, was $17,000 to $20,000. It is believed the 28 years of service with the depart- improvement plan on a 50/50 basis. coln School on Westfield Avenue, as improvements to East Street, closed his store after free by state mandate. theft occurred on January 22. ment. The financing goal for phase two well as holding Kindergarten and pre- Second Street. 45 years. Mr. Sutter owned Chief School Admin- After 26 years as Westfield High Regional should be a three-way partnership school classes there. The Scotch Plains- the store for 20 years. istrator Richard School’s principal, Robert Petix an- The county freeholders approved a between the town, the DWC and the The town council stated its inten- Fanwood Board of Edu- O’Malley explained nounced his retirement effective June plan to add twilight golfing tee-times grants.” tion to repeal the redevelopment dis- cation (BOE) decided to scrap the that the cost of running the public 30. “The school is in good shape; I at the county’s four public golf course. The town council’s finance com- tinction for parking lots one and eight. standardized assessment test, preschool is “substantial” – upwards don’t think there’s any unfinished Berkeley Heights was named one mittee faced $1.3 million in man- Sal Caruana: “Basically, what we TerraNova, currently used for stu- of $100,000 per year. business that I’ll hand over to my of finalists for the new location of the dated and fixed costs, as well as lower did was have a specific project and dents in grades five through seven, Regional successor,” he said. “The major rea- New York Jets’ training camp. revenue projections. In addition, the strategy in mind and knowing the end and replace them with a test that com- Al Mirabella of Fanwood and Bette son I’m leaving is because I’m older. Florham Park eventually was chosen town would not learn of state aid game, did a redevelop- plies with the new Jane Kowalski of Cranford were I’m 63 years old and people say as the team’s new home as of 2008. figures until after Governor Jon ment strategy to accom- 2005-2006 interim as- named chairman and vice-chair- there’ll come a time when you don’t The freeholders proposed privatiz- Corzine’s budget address on March plish this result (park- sessments ordered by woman, respectively, of the Union want to be here anymore. My enthu- ing the county’s golf courses and 12.“There are four or five big areas ing deck). Now what the state — the New County Board of Chosen Freehold- siasm not only has not waned; it’s eliminating the county’s portion of that are big negative effects in 2006,” we’ve done is open the Jersey Proficiency As- ers. Union County Clerk Joanne gotten greater, greater than ever.” the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Town Administrator Jim Gildea said. door…to some risk in sessment of State Stan- Rajoppi and Freeholders Angel Town Parking Director John Mor- Program. Allison O’Hara, president of the these areas by living dards (NJPASS). Estrada, Rick Proctor and Nancy Ward gan tendered his resignation to The Bush administration approved Westfield Area Chamber of Com- with the designation. Fanwood were sworn in to new terms. Westfield Police Chief John Parizeau a deal to turn over terminal opera- merce (WACC), officially announced We have opened the Bruce Walsh and Joan Mr. Mirabella’s initiatives include and Mr. Gildea. Mr. Morgan accepted tions of six United States ports to her plans to resign effective April 28. door to a fast track for Wheeler were sworn in enhancing the county’s website, cre- a job offer from an international park- Dubai Ports World, as state-owned Ms. O’Hara said her husband had some other council for as new members of the ation of a virtual online library linked ing-systems company. company in the United Arab Emir- received a job transfer that would some other use to gain borough council. They to the county website and creation of Scotch Plains ates. After heavy opposition the deal, relocate their family to Colorado. a leg up on utilization were each presented a standing freeholder Director of public Dubhai sold its American operations The BOE adopted a tentative 2006- on those two areas.” Gregory Kasko with a plaque from As- committee on inter- property Walter DiNizo to American International Group’s 2007 school budget of $79,491,415 The Union County semblywoman Linda governmental rela- retired after 20 years of asset management division, Global on March 14.