Hazlet board, teachers declare impasse By Lee Duigon finder cannot help the parties reach a settle­ “ I wouldn’t say we’ve had heated negotia­ found guilty of the charge would not be HAZLET ment, she said, “ We go back to square one.” tions,” she said. severe, he said, “ but it builds up a history for The board and the teachers’ union have The Board of Education and the Hazlet The board, however, has filed an unfair them not to do it again.” been negotiating since October on a new two- Teachers Assn., after eight months of labor practices charge against the union. According to Morales, the teachers’ year teachers’ contract. negotiations, have jointly filed for an impasse walkout had no lasting effect on the negotia­ HTA President Helen Garrison said she The charge was filed, Ms. Mitchell explain­ with the State Public Employee Relations tions. hoped an agreement would be reached soon. ed, after the teachers walked out on a Commission. “ Hopefully,” she said, “ the mediator will’ negotiating session during the winter to show “ Negotiations didn’t stop because of that,” PE R C will submit a list of mediators to both be successful and we’ll have something for their support for parents who were protesting he said. parties in the dispute, Board President Bon­ our membership to vote on when everybody a proposal to close the W. Keansburg School. Ms. Garrison said she didn’t know whether nie Mitchell explained, and after a mediator comes back to work in September.” A PERC hearing examiner recently heard PE R C had the authority to fine the union, but is chosen, he w ill study the dispute and Although Ms. Garrison declined to discuss the case in Newark, she said, and the board is if a fine were assessed, she said, “ Obviously recommend terms of settlement. the details of the negotiations, she said the awaiting his decision. we wouldn’t take that lying down.” The mediator’s recommendations are not board and the teachers have been unable to Joseph Morales, a member of the board’s Ms. Garrison said the teachers didn’t think binding, she added. agree on “ money and fringe benefits—just negotiating committee, said that if the union their winter walkout constituted an unfair If the mediator cannot propose a solution about everything.” were found guilty, the teachers would pro­ labor practice.” satisfactory to both sides, she continued, So far, Ms. Mitchell said, the negotiations bably receive “ a slap on the wrist.” “ We feel we were right,” she said, “ and PERC will appoint a fact-finder. If the fact­ have proceded amicably. The consequences to the union of being they (the board) feel they were right.” I n e b b a y s h o r e ☆ * ☆ I n d e p e n d e n t ” * , ☆ The Weekly Newspape ☆ vol. 9 No. 33 W ednesday, June 20, 1979 2 0 C e n t s M ataw an vo ters to decide la te o f lib ra ry exp an sio n The gas line is back. These people in the line at the right waited nearly an hour Friday By Dave McGrath The present ground floor would be convert­ tect J. Robert Hillier and Associates of the joint library. MRFLE argued that a afternoon for gas at a Hess station on Route 34. Matawan. (Photo by Dave McGrath) M ATAW AN ed to a children’s library, Ms. McKeough Princeton. The cost of the plans, plus the defeat of expansion might cause Aberdeen to The proposed $1.1 million expansion of the said, and the new wing would be used for purchase of property for the expansion and withdraw from the joint library, leaving the Matawan-Aberdeen Library is needed to shelf space, a central check-out desk, a the down payments on the bond ordinance, borough with a $500,000 bill for buying out the G a s lin es g ettin g lo n g er bring the facility up to current standards for media area, a display area, and a study area. have been paid by the library through state township’s assets. a library with its circulation, according to aid it has saved over the years, according to “ Right now, there is no quiet place for Answering criticism that although expan­ groups supporting the expansion. Ms. Groffman. people to study,” Ms. McKeough said. sion is needed, the proposed addition is too Borough voters will go to the polls Tuesday as su p p ly g ro w s sh o rter The library, Ms. McKeough said, has ap­ large, Ms. Baitz said that a 1965 study recom­ to decide whether to fund the borough’s “ We envision it more as a community cen­ proximately 13,000 cardholders among the mended that the library be expanded to f ' portion of the proposed expansion—$374,­ ter,” Ms. Groffman said, “ a total family ex­ 30,000 residents of the two towns it serves. 12,500 sq. ft., and further expanded by 1985 to ^ By Dave McGrath the week, but after that, its allocation for 000. perience.” The 43 percent membership runs slightly 21,000 sq. ft. Odd-even gas rationing begins tomorrow, June will be exhausted. The referendum was forced when a group The proposal was first made public nearly above the national average, she said, but the but it may not mean the end of motorists’ Carmine’s American, Main Street, opposing the expansion (see related article) a year ago, according to Ms. Groffman, in library is far above average in terms of The report said that a 21,000-sq.-ft. facility troubles. Keansburg, is suffering from another pro­ petitioned a recall of a bond ordinance presentations made to both the borough and usage and the progams it offers. would be able to serve the projected 1985 blem. A shipment was due yesterday at 4 financing the expansion. township councils. It called for the township An active library board has helped the population of 35,000 for both towns. Many local filling station managers p.m., but it never came. Another group, Matawan Residents for to finance approximately two-thirds of the library offer many programs to residents, The library proposed expansion three reported yesterday that they are already “ Amoco has got strikers in front of its place Library Expansion (MRFLE), has been expansion and the borough to pick up the Ms. Groffman said, and the staff has worked times in the past, Ms. McKeough said, but in nearing the end of their allocations for June and no gasoline can get out,” said a station formed to campaign actively in the library’s remaining third. tirelessly to implement them. all the cases the councils killed the propos­ and may have to close if they run out before spokesman. “ I was open from 6 to 10 in the behalf. MRFLE has contacted many other Discussion continued through the fall into “ We apply for every federal grant and loan als. the end of the month. morning, but that ball game is over.” residents and has distributed information the winter, and earlier this year the township we can, she said. “People don’t realize that we’ve been Most stations who were answering their Brittain’s Sunoco, Route 35, Holmdel, opens supporting its cause. approved a $691,000 bond ordinance for its MRFLE has organized a telephone squad hampered so long,” Ms. McKeough said. telephones yesterday have cut ‘heir pumping at 7 a.m. and pumps 1,500 gallons daily. Joan Bait?, s 'M R F L E leader, met share of ihe, expansion costs. to contact voters and give them information Ms. Gfroffman described the proposed ex­ holts dramatically in the past few weeks Yesterday, it took just an hour and 15 minutes week with Beverly Groffman, library board' The borough followed suit approximately a on library expansion, Ms. Baitz said. pansion as “ nice, not elegant.” From their reports, it seems that the best to meet that quota. chairman, and Dolores McKeough, library month later, but even before the bond ordi­ “ We haven’t contacted everybody yet,” Answering charges that the expansion time to get gas is during the morning and An attendant at Celia’s Amoco, Rout 34, director, to discuss the proposed expansion. nance was finally adopted, opposition forces she said, “ but things look good.” would drive up taxes for an already overbur­ evening rush hours on weekdays. Aberdeen, said that 30 minutes before the sta­ “ The expansion is needed because it’s (the were collecting signatures on a petition, at­ MRFLE members have stationed them­ dened population, Ms. Baitz said that the The station owners are reporting long lines, tion opened at 7 a.m. yesterday, there were library) too small,” Ms. McKeough said. tempting to force a referendum. selves in the center of town on weekends borough’s share of the project would amount * even before they open each day, reminiscent approximately 30 cars waiting on line. According to Ms. McKeough, the expan­ Support for the proposal on the two attempting to elicit support for the library. to $12 per year to a homeowner with a $40,000 of the 1974 gas squeeze. The station owners Matawan Hess opens at 7 a.m. and pumps sion would bring the facility from its present councils was not unanimous. Shirley Hender­ “ W e’ve been open and above board,” Ms. assessment or $15 annually to someone with who have opinions on Gov. Brendan Byrne’s until it meets its daily quota, according to 6,400 sq. ft. to approximately 22,500 sq.